Once he was out of earshot and it seemed safe, Alex edged out from his hiding place, spotting Bill doing the same thing of the other side of the small clearing that now resembled a battle zone, a few parts here and there, destroyed formations and Kickdown's lifeless body. Drag quickly checked the surrounding area to make sure that it was definitely safe before returned to where Bill and Alex were now standing close together, backs to Kickdown's form, glancing around anxiously each time they heard something that resembled a gun shot.
"It's all clear," Drag reported taking a rather formal and military-like tone, as he still cast wary looks around, "Redline and Sidelight have left the area. Deadlock also fled. They've all sustained substantial damage that will keep them out of action for a good length of time. Our assistance is required up on the rim, where Crossfire and the others were also engaged by three Decepticons in the form of Drophead, Crankshaft and Envoy. While Traction is keeping Envoy for himself, due to the others' large sizes, they're finding it difficult to keep up with the smaller Decepticons without accidentally revealing themselves to the human tourists. They're specifically having trouble with Crankshaft, who I, or Torque, will no doubt be able to deal with. We'll regroup with Torque, Freeway and Pulse, who has managed to conclude his scans and has something to report once the battle is over."
Alex nodded absently before hesitating a little and eventually asking, "What about Kickdown? Can Pulse do anything about it?"
Drag shook his sombrely, "While our bodies can be repaired from the brink of complete and utter destruction, our Sparks cannot. Once damaged, there is no way to save a Spark, and therefore no way to save his life. Redline's weapon pierced his armour on his back and went straight into his Spark cavity, no doubt breaking the Spark in half."
"What exactly is the Spark? Something metal too?" Alex ventured.
Drag glanced at Kickdown's body before going over to it and carefully rolled it over so that it was on its back. He then leant down and pulled at part of the deceased Autobot's chest until it came away revealing a deep hole in the forms chest. Alex and Bill shuffled closer to get a good look, peering into the hollow as Drag reached in and with great respect removed two small pieces of broken metal," I'm sure Kickdown wouldn't mind me showing you his Spark, since he is dead after all. Inside the Spark chamber, you can see scortch marks, there's also a often a deposit of carbon left behind."
"Carbon? Like carbon based life forms? Like us?" Alex frowned, "That would mean you're closer related to us than we'd ever have thought."
"Perhaps," Drag shrugged, "We're not entirely sure where the carbon comes from, to be honest," he held the two pieces of metal he'd picked up in an outstretched palm to show them both, "This is all that's left when a Spark goes out. It's been broken in half by Redline, however, so it would normally be a simple sliver of an unknown metal that we can't identify nor recreate. It came from what we know as the AllSpark, from which we gain our life. This metal and Energon are what we think it's made up of," he carefully placed the broken Spark back into Kickdown's chest cavity before replacing the cover respectfully. He then reached to his own chest and pulled back, with more ease, two overlapping parts to reveal a glowing orb-like shape in the space in his own chest, "I can't believe I'm showing a couple of humans this…" he muttered before shrugging, "This is a living Spark, obviously. The Energon is what makes it emit light. I'm not one to explain the ins and outs; Pulse would be more appropriate to talk to about that if you're interested," Drag let go of the chest cover and it slid back into place over his Spark, protecting it from the world.
"Cool," Alex blinked a few times before adding to clarify, "In the colloquial sense, not literal one."
"I guessed this time," Drag gave a little dry smile as he straightened up, "You walk ahead of me while I carry Kickdown back, I'll tell you where to go if you're unsure."
Alex nodded, glancing at Bill who was kept casting the odd glance around her, especially when the wind blew rustling the pine trees around them. He hesitated briefly before reaching out and taking her hand, squeezing it lightly in reassurance. She started slightly at the contact but didn't pull away, letting her hand rest neatly in his. He gave a lopsided smile and began to lead her back the way he thought they'd come, glancing over his shoulder as Drag hauled Kickdown's body off the ground and slung him over his shoulder, metal scraping loudly across metal. Drag set his face and began to walk after them, looking like he didn't want to accept he was carrying a once brave dead comrade like a piece of junk.
Alex didn't know how Autobot s responded to loosing one of their own, but while Drag didn't appear to be outwardly devastated, he was most likely mourning the loss of Kickdown. Alex dreaded to think how Jak would respond to his friend's death. Even if Autobots took death in their stride and dealt with it quietly, he knew Jak, being the most vocal and humanised of them all, would most likely create a little.
He sighed quietly as they trudged through the canyon, it seeming much further now that he wasn't running. Bill's hand in his was beginning to feel rather sticky and sweaty due to the heat, however neither of them appeared ready to let go, their hands remaining entwined together as they walked.
Eventually they reached the area where they'd first been ambushed, Pulse sitting on the ground looking thoughtful, while Torque and Freeway were talking to each other quietly. They all looked up at Alex, Bill and Drag's return, Pulse jumping to his feet as he caught sight of Kickdown slung over his shoulder.
"Is he…?" he frowned.
Drag nodded, "Redline did it."
"Oh damn," Torque moved over to him, Freeway following him, "Kickdown was a great fighter. What happened?"
"Straight through the back," Drag shrugged, shaking his head.
"Coward," Freeway muttered angrily.
"Very much so," Pulse agreed, his eyes running over Kickdown's body, as if looking for some way to save him, despite knowing there was nothing he could do, "We'll carry him up to the others. You can all then decide what to do with your comrade," he glanced at Torque who gave a short nod.
"We should be on our way," Freeway glanced up at the cliff they had to climb back up, "Should be easier going up."
"Easier for some," Drag grunted.
"You take the humans, I'll take Kickdown's body," Pulse offered, "So long as you don't let go of them by 'accident'," he rather successfully dropped quote marks in the air with two fingers on each hand. Alex gave him a thumbs up and grinned.
"I won't drop them," Drag shrugged, "As a show of goodwill, I showed the humans my Spark."
"What you have of one," Torque gave a quiet snigger. Drag glowered at him briefly before looking back at Pulse smugly.
Pulse looked a little surprised but quickly did his best to cover it up, "Very well," he strode over to the little Autobot and lifted Kickdown from. Drag rolled his shoulders as the weight was lifted from him and went over to Alex and Bill, eyeing them up, "You are rather big."
"You're just small Drag," Freeway smirked, obviously in a rather cocking mood.
"You watch what you say," Drag glanced at him, "As least I'm not a giant who goes and crashes into everything. I have style."
"Only a little. Everything you have is little," Torque grinned at Freeway.
"Oh yes?" Drag raised an arm and the blade shot out of it, the sound of metal cutting the air echoing around them, "This isn't little," he turned it in the light so that it cast patterns over the rocks.
"Makes up for other things," Freeway smiled back at Torque.
"Ok, you three," Pulse intervened, "I'm sure you can discuss this later. Right now we have other things to worry about."
"Yes Pulse, agreed," Drag nodded firmly, crouching down in front of Alex and Bill who were still joined together at the hands, "Onto my back, humans."
They pulled away reluctantly and almost in union began to climb onto his back, feeling a little awkward as they did so, since Drag wasn't really big enough to accommodate the both of them. Of course, he was strong enough, but the two of them had trouble getting comfortable. Bill sorely hoped she wouldn't fall again this time as she clung onto whatever parts of Drag she could as he straightened up.
"Drag, you go up first, as soon as you're at the top, take the humans and go to Crossfire," Pulse instructed.
"Understood," he nodded, breaking into a run instantly that jarred both Alex and Bill around painfully on his back. He ran over the hill where Deadlock had appeared behind and down into a slight dip before beginning to climb up an increasingly steep gradient, back the way they'd come. Eventually they reached the cliff they had to climb and Drag didn't waste anytime in jumping up a little way, digging his fingers into the rock. For extra purchase, he also let his blades slide out a little way, allowing them to dig into the rock too since his wheeled feet weren't exactly the best for climbing up sheer rock. Alex and Bill glanced at each other anxiously as Drag began to climb up the side of the canyon at a surprising speed, both of them still clinging on for dear life. Alex hoped the Autobot couldn't feel how tightly he was gripping onto him, but he doubted that was likely, despite the fact his hands were clamped down on seemingly obsolete pieces of metal.
It didn't take Drag too long to pull himself over the rim and onto solid ground again, where he bent down, allowing Alex and Bill to slide off him. He then straightened up and looked around, his blue optics scanning the area, every tree or rock being scrutinised suspiciously. Once he was certain that a tree wasn't going to leap at him, he glanced down, "You two get in me. If anything happens, be ready to leap out at any moment," he didn't wait for a respond and quickly dropped to the ground as he began to fold and buckle in on himself until the Aston Martin DBS guise was in place. He revved his engine, indicating that they should get in.
Alex glanced at Bill, their hands touching briefly again before he went for the driver's side, Bill to the passengers, both of them sliding into Drag quickly. He slammed the doors behind them, and with a little wheel spin that kicked up a few rocks he sped off, heading over the rough ground towards the road they'd come in on.
Torque appeared to have slightly better suspension than Drag Alex concluded as they were thrown around the cabin, every little pothole causing them to grip onto something to avoid losing their head. Alex was especially wary of the sloping windscreen that he'd hit his head on when he'd first got into Drag, which had found him in hospital.
After a while of being tossed like a salad, they finally hit the road, bumping up onto its smooth surface. Both Alex and Bill allowed themselves to relax slightly with a little sigh as Drag rolled along the blissful surface.