Like, WOAH.
I am on the verge of getting 100 reviews for this story.
One HUNDRED. THREE DIGITS!
*flails*
Anywho...having returned from the barren land I call college...
This is part of a very, very large update EXTRAVAGANZA!
Its not that I held this one, its just I happened to finish all the fics and updates at the same time lol...
The MEGASCREAM is entirely for Kibble Beast. I hope I can live up to the expectation that she has for these.
:D
What can I say other than please ENJOY this chapter!
(oh, side note...Prowl is the official Second in Command. I know I've called Jazz Second in Command before, but from here on out its Prowl. It will be fixed entirely, among other things, when I revamp this story after its completion.)
Starscream nervously watched Megatron pace back and forth, completing his last-minute plan to attack the Autobots while they were still weak…weaker.
"Now, let me see…I could send everyone out, but then that would leave the base wide open, and those sneaky Autobots would have a clear shot in! But if I leave someone behind, I could lose the battle because I was one mech short…" Megatron muttered to himself. The silver mech suddenly whirled upon Starscream, startling the Seeker into falling backwards with a yelp.
"Starscream!" Megatron yelled, looming ominously over the cowering mech. "You're not helping!"
"I-I'm sorry, Lord Megatron," Starscream stuttered, slowly inching away from his obviously impending doom. "I-if you will allow my input, I think we s-should keep someone here to guard the base, in case those Autobots try to sneak attack us again!"
Megatron growled and kicked the Seeker in the side. "Idiot! They wouldn't dare attack again while being so utterly weak! Leaving someone behind would be what they want me to do, to give them an advantage! This is why I don't ask for your pathetic help! You are so useless!" Megatron kicked Starscream again to further illustrate the Seeker's uselessness.
"Please forgive me, L-lord Megatron," Starscream pleaded, bowing at his commander's feet in hopes of escaping more abuse. "But of course the Autobots wouldn't attack again. How foolish of me to believe-"
Megatron swiftly slammed his Second in Command against the wall, pinning him by the throat. "How foolish indeed, Starscream," Megatron said dangerously, optics narrowing slightly. He then released the Seeker, who crumpled to the floor.
"Gather the others, Starscream," Megatron commanded. The Second in Command scrambled to his feet as fast as he could. When he wasn't moving fast enough, Megatron whacked him in the head and yelled, "Faster, you insignificant insect!"
Starscream literally flew out of the room.
Red Alert was still slightly ticked off about the small argument with Jazz as he went to check the security system was working at full capacity. Despite his fuming, several scenarios of a failing system plagued his processor so he hurried off to the main security room. As each scene played through his head, he cursed himself over and over again for not checking on the system earlier. He realized on his way there that the perimeter alarms would actually be slightly off, seeing as every window on base was now shattered. The security officer shook his head sadly, remembering just how upset Optimus was when he realized what Ironhide did. That shout destroyed every window like they were nothing.
Red Alert cursed loudly when he reached his destination. Not only did Optimus shatter the windows, but the computer screens as well. The computers themselves were still intact, but it would be impossible to read what they were telling him without any screens.
This normally wouldn't be too much of a problem, except several alarms were going off at once. And Red Alert didn't think it was just because of Optimus or Wheeljack. Call it paranoia if you will, but the security bot had a bad feeling in the back of his processor that this was going to become a very large problem.
Prowl didn't say a word as he followed Ratchet into the medbay again. The medic was busy forming him a new visor, and was nice enough not to bring anything up about him or the prophesy. Luckily the others decided to keep silent as well.
"Finished," Ratchet said, holding up the new visor and scrutinizing it one last time before heading over to Prowl.
"Offline your optics for a few astroseconds," he said, removing the damaged visor. "I need to make sure there's no serious damage."
Prowl complied wordlessly and allowed Ratchet to carefully inspect his optics. When he was satisfied, the medic attached the new visor over Prowl's optics and stepped back. It was an exact match to the original.
"Thanks, Ratchet," Prowl said, onlining his optics again. He was glad to finally have his visor back, as he was extremely uncomfortable without it.
"No problem," Ratchet replied. Then, chuckling, he added, "Just try to stay away from Wheeljack's inventions for a while, okay?"
Smiling in spite of himself, Prowl nodded and headed off to his solitary corner.
As soon as Prowl left him, Ratchet's cheerful demeanor fell instantly. He knew better than to bring up the prophesy with the strategist, especially in front of the others, but he was thinking about it the entire time he was working on the new visor. Even though he was still slightly hesitant to believe the prophesy to be real, Ratchet could still easily point out several parts that had already come true. Things were really starting to come together, but what they really needed was the Star. But no one had any idea about what, much less where, it could be.
Red Alert basically flew down the corridor to Optimus's office and burst through the door.
Startled, Optimus looked up at his security officer and waited silently for his report. Though he could be paranoid at times, the Autobot commander knew that all of Red's worries were based on facts, and therefore seriously considered everything the bot pointed out.
"Optimus, sir…" Red Alert started, ventilation systems working overtime. "I just went to check on the security systems, and several alarms are going off."
"What do they say?" Optimus asked immediately, slightly on edge.
"I don't know, sir. The screens are shattered."
Cursing himself silently for causing this problem, Optimus knew he had to rely on Red Alert's 'paranoia' in this situation. "What do you think it is?"
"Decepticons," the security officer said immediately. "There's too many alarms going off to just be the shattered windows or a result from Wheeljack's invention."
Optimus nodded, trusting his officer's judgment. "We must find out where they are."
The commander immediately stood and set off for the medbay with Red Alert. He stopped in the doorway, searching for Jetfire. He finally spotted the mech over by Jolt.
"Jetfire," Optimus said, getting the Seeker's attention. "I have a job for you."
Jetfire immediately went to his commander as Ratchet took over caring for the injured mechs again.
"Yes, Optimus?"
"We have a security breech. We're almost positive it's a Decepticon invasion, but we have no idea where they are. I need you to find out for us."
"D-decepticon invasion?" Jetfire stuttered. Optimus and Red Alert nodded silently. Gathering himself, Jetfire also nodded and followed the two mechs outside, where he transformed and set off to discover the whereabouts of the impending Decepticon army.
"What's going on over there?" Sergeant Epps asked, motioning over to where Optimus, Red Alert, and Jetfire stood.
Perceptor's optics narrowed as he listened to the conversation, as he could hear what was being said easily with his superior audio receptors.
"Well?"
"Decepticons," Major Lennox answered. His hearing had dramatically improved since the Cybertronian chip was implanted in his neck. "Optimus seems convinced that they're coming."
"What? But didn't we just finish fighting them?" Sergeant Epps asked. "Shouldn't they be repairing their wounded?"
"Decepticons are not like us," Wheeljack answered. "In the lower ranks, if they're weak enough to get seriously injured, they're not worth saving. Only the higher ranking Decepticon officers get treated, and most of the time they don't need it anyway."
Perceptor nodded in agreement. "All of the Decepticons we were able to take out were low ranking officers, barely worth Megatron's time. Megatron still has enough of his army to give us the fight of a lifetime if he strikes us now."
"…Why do I get the feeling we're in for another ass-whooping?"
Optimus watched the sky for the next several minutes worriedly. The cool night and cheerfully twinkling stars did little to ease his processor. If Decepticons were indeed on their way here, the Autobots would be in major trouble.
Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Optimus spotted Jetfire returning. The Seeker had barely transformed before he started reporting what he saw.
"…there's at least a dozen of them, maybe more…coming from the northeast…not that far away…thirty minutes, tops…" Jetfire gasped, physically drained from flying so fast.
Optimus could only nod in response, his worst fears coming true. Red Alert helped Jetfire back inside as Optimus prepared to tell the others the bad news.
The tense silence that greeted the leader told him everyone already had a suspicion of the truth.
"Are they really coming?" Major Lennox asked.
"Yes. The Decepticons are not far away, and will be here shortly."
"What are we going to do?"
"We will prepare to fight," Optimus stated.
"Fight? But we're still recovering from the last battle! There's no way we can win!"
"We know the chances of winning are slim," Red Alert said. "But its either go down with a fight or give up and die as cowards."
Everyone nodded in agreement. And given the choice, they would fight instead of giving up.
"Ratchet, do what you can for our wounded," Optimus said, turning to the medic. "If they wake and want to fight, we have to let them."
Sighing, Ratchet gave into this command, however grudgingly. "What if they don't wake?" he asked, going to check on the injured mechs yet again.
"Then we will have to ensure their safety before the Decepticons arrive," Optimus replied sadly. Looking around, he noticed not everyone was in the medbay. "Where's Jazz and Artemis?"
Megatron glowered at the Autobot Seeker flying overhead. He wanted to shoot it down and release some of the frustration he was having due to those accursedly accursed do-gooders, but resisted the urge. He decided to let the Autobots know of his impending arrival, so they could uselessly scurry around in fear of the mighty Lord Megatron.
"May I ask why we are walking, Lord Megatron?" Starscream asked meekly, also eyeing the flying Autobot.
Wrong question.
Megatron abruptly stopped his stride and turned on his Second in Command. "Do you question Lord Megatron?"
"N-no, of course not, Master! I was just hoping you'd share your great knowled--"
"Lies! You were questioning me, Starscream," Megatron growled menacingly, flexing his claws. Starscream cowered beneath him, preparing for the abuse that was surely coming his way. "Do you know what happens to the unfaithful?"
Starscream was too afraid to say anything lest it get him in more trouble, so he kept his low bow and hoped it wouldn't be too painful.
Sure enough, a sharp kick to his side caused the Seeker to crash into a nearby tree, easily snapping it in two.
"We are walking to conserve our energy. I am not underestimating those Autobots again!" Megatron shouted at Starscream. He lunged forward and grabbed his Second in Command by his chin, roughly pulling him off his feet. "And we need all the energy we can get, don't we?" he said, dangerously close and dangerously quiet.
"Y-yes…"
"Because if we fail, it will be your death sentence, right?"
"…Y-yes, Master…"
"Good," Megatron said, satisfied. He dropped the Seeker to the ground and continued towards the Autobot base. Every other Decepticon passed by Starscream, either completely ignoring him or laughing at his fate. The Second in Command ignored the sneers that came his way and sat still momentarily, gathering himself again and allowing his internal healing system to start repairing his newest wound. Finally he stood with a sigh and caught up with the others. He could always think more before he said anything, but then again, Megatron would surely find a way to twist his words so he came out being even more useless than before. It seemed to be a talent and favorite hobby of his Master.
Optimus found Jazz and Artemis across the corridor. The silver mech was lying on his back with one hand placed protectively over Artemis, who was sound asleep on his chest. His head was resting on his other hand, but he wasn't recharging. He was just lying awake, apparently deep in thought.
"Jazz," Optimus said quietly. The saboteur looked up at his name. "The Decepticons are on their way. We need your help."
Startled, Jazz transferred a still sleeping Artemis to his hands and sat up. "What do you mean, 'they're on their way?'"
"Red Alert told me about several security alarms sounding. Jetfire has just now confirmed their approach to our base."
"Are we going to fight them?"
Looking away, Optimus replied, "What else is there to do? We can't run, and giving up is not an option."
Jazz wanted to protest, but he knew there was no other choice.
"What about Sides and the others? And Artemis? We can't let them fight!"
"If any of our injured want to fight, there's nothing we can do to stop them. You know all of them well enough to know they wouldn't be able to consciously sit out of a fight with this much at stake."
Gritting his teeth, Jazz nodded his acknowledgement. "What about Artemis then?"
Optimus sat on the floor, rubbing his optic ridges. "I have no idea. She wouldn't take well to being hidden away, and knowing her she'd try to find a way back out to fight. But there's no way she'd be able to do any damage, even if she isn't just a normal human girl." Optimus smiled to himself despite the situation, shaking his head slowly. "I must admire her determination, but there's no way she could help, unless she happened to be…for some reason…"
Jazz looked intently at his leader when Optimus let his sentence trail off. "What is it, Optimus?"
Optimus spend several more moments deep in thought. Then suddenly, everything crashed together into a sudden revelation. He remembered talking with Prowl and Ironhide, agreeing that Artemis wasn't normal. Optimus had completely forgotten about that conversation since, because of everything that seemed to be happening all at once…But now, when Prowl was revealed to have golden optics, and pieces of the prophesy were starting to come together, Optimus thought he may have just found the biggest piece of all.
"Her name."
"Huh?" Jazz asked, completely confused. "You mean Artemis?"
"Her surname," Optimus corrected.
"Rae? There's nothing special about that. I guess it's a little short by Earthling terms, but…"
"No, think about it. When its translated into Cybertronian, what does her surname resemble?"
Jazz silently contemplated this, translating her name into Cybertronian and studying the character in his processor. "I guess it kinda looks like 'star,' but…" the saboteur trailed off when he caught the commander's optic. "You seriously aren't thinking what I think you are, are you?"
Optimus nodded. "Yes. It makes perfect sense…It's her."
Jazz looked down at the still peacefully sleeping girl in his hands. "Oh slag."
"No way…there is no way that can be true!" Ironhide exclaimed, watching the exchange between Jazz and Optimus. "Tell me they're wrong!" he added, turning to the Primes.
"…They are correct, Ironhide. The prophesy is indeed coming true."
"But she can't be--"
"She is."
"But she's just a girl!"
"You said yourself that she wasn't normal," one of the Primes stated.
"Yeah, but I didn't mean she would be the Star!" the Weapons Specialist yelled out of frustration.
"What are you so afraid of?"
"You're mind readers. I'm sure you already know," Ironhide huffed, crossing his arms. "She can and probably will get hurt because of this war she shouldn't even be a part of!" he went on, before the Primes could reply.
"It's been her destiny since before she was born."
"Then change it! She can't do this!"
"We cannot change the Will of Primus."
"Then go find him yourselves and make him change his fragging mind! Just don't let her do this!" Ironhide pleaded.
"She must, or the universe will fall to evil," a Prime said.
"If she chooses to ignore her status as the Star, the universe will die," another added.
"You must be the one to convince her to accept it," a third stated.
"But I don't want her to accept it!" Ironhide exclaimed.
"She must, Ironhide. Do not let your personal feelings get in the way," one Prime said strongly.
The Weapons Specialist took that criticism to Spark. He was a warrior first and foremost, dedicated to the Autobot cause. Dedicated to protecting the universe, even if it meant making sacrifices. But that still didn't explain how he would talk to Artemis.
"And how exactly do I convince her while being dead?" Ironhide asked flatly.
"Such a Doubter."
"Control it, and you will see."
"Control what?" the Weapons Specialist grumbled, quickly losing his patience.
"You must find-"
"-find out for myself. Yeah, fine," Ironhide finished, frowning.
"We cannot tell you everything, Ironhide," another Prime said slowly.
"Well, it would be a lot easier to do what you want me to if you'd just tell me everything directly, instead of giving me all these fragging cryptic messages."
The Primes remained silent, though they seemed frustrated with Ironhide's lack of cooperation. They were quickly running out of time. If he would just take a moment to actually listen to them, he would be able to see what he needed to.
If it came down to it, they might just have to ask Primus himself to show Ironhide the truth.
Was this chapter okay? I ended up writing a lot of it on a lot of sleep-deprived time, so I'm not sure exactly how well it flows together.
Hopefully it lived up to all of your expectations!