A/N: Well, next to the last chapter kiddos. I hope you enjoy it, most loose ends will be wrapped up in the last chapter. As for a question posed in a review about Alchemist Prime. He was one of the original 13 and worked closely with Alpha Trion in founding the Cybertronian civilization. Hope that helps! Thank you all for spending this wonderful month with me. I've cherished every review, favorite and follow. I adore you all.
Optimus sat, thinking over what June had said. He was grateful for her kind words and uncompromising attitude. It was just what he'd needed to hear when his confidence was at its lowest ebb. He didn't remember being this conflicted since the opening days of the war when Fort Scyk had fallen. He'd still been getting used to the idea of being a Prime, nevermind the leader of the Autobots and a general in the war. Jazz had been furious with him for being so indecisive. No doubt if he were he now he would have given Optimus an audio full.
He'd come this far in the war, now was not the time to give up. He understood that now. They had suffered similar setbacks on Cybertron, yet had always somehow managed to make it through. If he gave up now, he was dooming the humans and he couldn't do that. He couldn't abandon his friends. As long as he lived and the Autobots were determined to fight, there was hope.
"Your allies are quite easily fooled."
He started and whipped around. Megatron stood a few paces away grinning.
"I let the human woman think she could get you away from me. It was sickeningly easy to manipulate you both into trusting Knockout. All I had to do was act as though I was going to kill him and you both jumped to his aid. You never disappoint Optimus. Now your Autobot's and your human allies will understand that I can do whatever I want. I can come and go as I please. They only live because I haven't decided to kill them yet."
Optimus was silent for a moment, letting the words sink in. "Your penchant for cruelty will never cease to amaze and disgust me, Megatron. Did Knockout know of your plan to use him?"
"Of course not, I needed it to feel authentic, besides now he'll be even more loyal to me."
Optimus just shook his head. What was there to say to such diabolical machinations? "So have you come here to gloat or do you have another reason?"
"I've come to let you out."
"What? This is not some trick, another mind game?"
"No. I am done playing games. Now I will reveal my true purpose."
Optimus narrowed his optics and started to question him further when there was a tank wrenching sensation. He blinked several times finding himself staring up at Knockout.
"And he's back."
"I will deal with you later." Optimus growled.
"I'm shivering in my treads."
Looking around he realized he didn't recognize the medical bay. They were not on the Nemesis. Sitting up he peered out the narrow window. The town of Jasper could be seen in the distance.
"Why have you brought me here?"
"To reunite you with an old friend."
Optimus raised his optics to look at Megatron. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his tank. The Matrix seemed warm around his spark, the slightest tug pulling at him. He hoped June and the others were alright. Somehow he knew that they were. Megatron would have gloated about their deaths otherwise.
"Secure the prisoner and bring him to the throne room."
Optimus did not resist as the restraints were once again put on him. The time to fight would come, but not now. He was nothing if not patient. The fortress was quite impressive and reminded him of similar structures that Megatron had erected on Cybertron during the war. On one servo it gave him a jolt of homesickness to be in a space created just for them with Cybertronian scale and aesthetics. On the other it infuriated him that Megatron had dared to blemish the Earth with something so blatantly alien. The Earth was beautiful in its own right and Megatron could not be allowed to destroy it just to satisfy his own lust for power. He let his gaze fall to Megatron who walked a few steps ahead.
"This is quite impressive Megatron."
"It is, isn't it. I call it New Kaon."
"Fitting that your 'new' Kaon should only consist of one structure."
Megatron glared at him over his shoulder. "One is all I need to launch my conquest of this planet."
"Why bother with Earth any longer? The relics have been found, most of the energon has been depleted. There is nothing left here."
Megatron chuckled, the dark sound rolling around the corridor. "I will destroy it simply because you wish to protect it."
Shock ran through Optimus at the unexpected honesty. He didn't know what to say to that and kept silent. On Cybertron they'd fought for strategically placed cities to control supplies and energon. Earth it seemed was to be conquered for other, more political reasons. Optimus did not want Earth to become another Praxus. Destroyed in the crossfire between their two factions. He and the Autobots fought the Decepticons to a standstill but it was not a victory. Praxus was destroyed and thousands upon thousands of Autobots and Praxians died in the megacycles of fighting. He could not let Earth suffer the same fate. Humans were just as brave and committed as the Praxians had been and he had no doubt that they would fight with everything they had, but would it be enough?
It had to be and the next few joor would decide which way the war went. He knew it all hinged on himself and what happened next. Again he was left feeling as helpless and lost as he had those early days after losing Fort Scyk. Except this time there was no Jazz there to give him advice or get on his case about being indecisive.
Two massive doors swung open at their approach, the burnished gray metal glinting in the light. A massive Decepticon symbol had been etched into the surface. Optimus felt a chill race over his mesh as he walked through the door way. The throne room as massive, floor to ceiling windows overlooked the desert behind the dias. Optimus was halted just inside the door while Megatron walked down the colonnade to the throne. As he seated himself, Starscream, Soundwave and Knockout appeared each taking up position behind the throne.
"Soundwave, please make sure this goes out on all frequencies. I want the Autobots and the humans to see this."
Optimus found himself hauled forward, the restraints removed only for him to be locked in place by magnetic cuffs. He had a clear view of the entire room including Megatron. The tyrant was grinning down at him.
"Bring him in!"
Optimus turned too look and wished he hadn't. Alpha Trion walked into the chamber flanked by four guards. He looked more worn than Optimus cared to admit. He'd know that things on Cybertron were desperate. That Iacon had fallen, but he'd never expected Megatron to being Alpha Trion here. He met Alpha Trion's gaze but something there set his spark on edge. Was it a warning? He looked over at Megatron wondering what more the despot had planned.
"Welcome to New Kaon, Alpha Trion."
"Dispense with the facade Megatron. I have no patience for your posturing."
Megatron smirked. "So be it. Soundwave. Starscream."
Each bot decended from the dias. Soundwave to Optimus, Starscream to Alpha Trion. Optimus tensed willing himself to move, the field didn't give.
"Open a channel Soundwave."
There was a hum and short burst of static then a holoscreen appeared in the middle of the space. Optimus glared seeing himself projected for all to see.
Megatron rose from his seat and stalked over to Optimus. Unsheathing his dark energon sword he pointed it at Optimus.
"Today we will execute justice on this traitor, this pretender to the title Prime."
The gallery erupted in cheers as the assembled Eradicons and Vehicons applauded their leader.
"Death is too good for him. He should suffer as he has made us suffer. Robbing us of our home and our rightful place in the universe."
More cheering.
"He has sought to oppress us and bend us to his will, but we will not be cowed. Not even his destruction of our only means for restoring Cybertron will stay us from our quest to rebuild. We will rise and usher in the Age of the Decepticons both here and on Cybertron!"
Optimus closed his optics, his tanks roiling with nausea. As always Megatron twisted the truth to suit his own agenda. Just like with Tarn and Vos he'd orchestrated and manipulated events so that he could blame it on the Autobots.
"Not while I still live." He cut in on Megatron's speech, sick of the rhetoric. "You mean to enslave humankind and destroy their world as you destroyed ours by engaging in this endless war. I will not allow you to do so."
"You won't allow? You. Won't. ALLOW!" Megatron stalked over till he was scant inches from Optimus. "I spent how many megacycles as a slave? I broke those shackles with my own servos! I won't be enslaved to your kind again!"
"I have never sought to enslave you or anyone. I merely want peace, an end to this war and if that means I have to destroy you, I will. You rose from slavery only to turn around and enslave those you think weaker. You are a hypocrite and a fool."
The blow stunned Optimus, momentarily offlining his optics.
"I'm not the one who destroyed the Lock, or allowed the All Spark to be lost. Our race will become extinct thanks to you."
"It was your greed and insatiable desire for power that forced my hand."
Another blow drove him to a knee, the magnetic cuffs sparking as they held him in place. From the corner of his optic he saw Alpha Trion take a step forward only to be shoved back. The circuit wrenching cold of Megatron's sword pushed his head back, the tip digging into his neck.
"I'm not the one who stole the title Prime and with it the Matrix of Leadership."
Optimus opened his mouth to reply and gasped as the blade pressed harder, cutting a line in the cables of his neck.
"Enough of this Megatron!"
"You are right. It is enough." He withdrew the blade and turned to Alpha Trion. "Kill him."
"No!" Optimus surged forward as Starscream raised his arm ready to fire. "Stop!"
"Stop? Why? It's just one old bot well past his golden years. Why would it matter if he was offlined?"
"You-you can't! Alpha Trion, please . . . He-"
"Optimus, the age of the Primes has passed. We fought our great war. You have fought yours. It's time to move on."
"I will let him live on one condition, Prime."
Optimus slowly turned his optics to Megatron dreading to hear what he knew was coming next.
"Give me the Matrix."
"Listen to me Optimus, I have lived my life, I have watched our civilization grow and flourish and fall into decay. From decay must come new life. With destruction comes rebirth. Primus chose you, do not forsake that."
Optimus lowered his head. How could he chose between one of the Thirteen and the Matrix? Without Alpha Trion, one of the very founders of their civilization how would they move forward? The Matrix was pulling at him again, its warmth almost becoming a burning sensation. Did it want this? Did it want to be released? Would he lose himself again if he did so? Lose everything he'd fought for and gained in the time he'd possessed it. Getting to his feet he looked at Alpha Trion for a long moment. The familiar face doing little to settle his nerves.
"You have your request Megatron. I will surrender the Matrix to you."
Megatron didn't say anything, his knowing smile all that needed to be said.
"Optimus, please! Don't do this!"
"I don't have a choice."
###
One of the soldiers had wrapped June in a blanket. Her broken sobs muffled by the fabric. "I wasn't supposed to leave him. I was supposed to stay right by his side! Now he's alone with Megatron."
"June, you can't blame yourself. Megatron has tricked us all." Arcee laid a gentle servo across her back trying to comfort her.
"Guys, you need to come see this." Ratchet's worried tone had everyone looking over at him. He was pointing to the computer screen where he'd been monitoring the news feeds. Every channel had been preempted. "We've got a problem."
"By Primus . . ."
Human and bot alike stared at the screen as the scene unfolded. Megatron filled the screen, his jagged smile shaking them.
"Greetings humans. I am Megatron. Your new ruler. My kind have been on this planet for some time, waging battles with our oldest enemies the Autobots. They have infiltrated your society, but I will not allow them to destroy your home as they destroyed ours. As a gesture of my good intentions I will now allow you to witness the final surrender of my greatest enemy. Optimus Prime."
The camera angle changed to show Optimus, immobilized by a device only the 'bots recognized.
"Optimus . . ."
"Get the children out of here." Ratchet growled at Arcee and Bumblebee.
"What are they going to do?"
"They can't hurt Optimus!"
"Ratchet! Why can't we stay."
Ratchet turned on Miko. "If you want to stay and watch Optimus get his still pulsing spark ripped from his chest, far be it from me to stop you!"
Miko's eyes widened as she paled. Bulkhead quickly grabbed her up shielding her from the medic's wrath. His soft murmurs to the sobbing child lost as Megatron spoke again.
"Today will mark the end of a war that has raged for millenia across galaxies and solar systems. Today, we will know victory."
He turned away from the camera and approached Optimus. Optimus met his gaze, optics bright.
"You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over Megatron. Your treachery will be revealed."
"Enough. Hand it over."
Optimus narrowed his optics but after a moment bowed his head. He murmured something too soft for the camera to pick up. The angle changed to show a wide angle shot of him and Megatron.
Ratchet and the other Autobots gasped as Optimus' chest panels opened revealing his spark along with the Matrix. The Matrix was pulsing widly, arcs of energy curling around his interior.
"What is he doing?" June knew the answer but didn't want to believe it. "He can't give up the Matrix. Can he?"
"The Matrix is not something your can just possess, you have to earn it. Primus himself gave it to him. May Primus help him now." Wheeljack put a hand on Ratchet's arm as the medic turned away from the monitor overcome with emotion.
June was shaking. This couldn't be happening. Not after everything they'd been through, suffered through. It couldn't end this way. Pulling the blanket closer around her she shut her eyes against the scene before her. Primus, please help him. You promised you would protect him. We need him. Please keep him safe. That glowing warmth she'd started associating with the Matrix was pulsing. She realized with a start that something was happening. Something big and nothing she herself was doing.
"What is that!"
She looked up at Arcee's exclamation. Optimus was bathed in light. Megatron was shielding his optics and backing away.
There was a sound like a clap of thunder and a large 'bot she'd never seen before materialized between Optimus and Megatron.
"Nexus . . ." Megatron growled. "You dare-"
"Not just I, but Vector and Alchemist as well. You are not worthy of the Matrix, you never will be. Optimus' willingness to sacrifice himself has only shown beyond doubt that he is the True Prime. He will be the one to restore Cybertron. Not you."
Megatron raised his cannon and fired. The screen went dark soon after that.
"Well . . . That didn't go like Megatron planned." Wheeljack said into the sudden silence.
A round of nervous and relived laughter had them all feeling better.
"As if there was ever any doubt Optimus is a Prime at spark and not just in name . . ."
"Yes, but we still have to get him back. Megatron won't stop until he's dead."
"Well if three of the thirteen original Primes are watching over him, I think he's in good hands." Ratchet leaned into Wheeljack.
"Um guys . . ."
Everyone turned to look at June who was emitting a light much like the Matrix had.
"How do I turn it off?"