A/N: This battle originated in Chapter 14.
Down the Dirt Road
White Sands, New Mexico
A powerful wind blew across the soft sand, creating a battlefield with less than ideal visibility. Due to having infrared vision, Armordillo didn't have to contend with this obstacle, but the others struggled at times to see their enemy. Using his much appreciated skill, he zeroed in on Quickstrike and proceeded to engage in hand-to-hand combat. "Care to dance?" he asked, nailing the Predacon with a hard left punch. He continued to swing wildly at his opponent, and for a few moments he felt as though victory would be his. But Armordillo underestimated Quickstrike's resilience, and the final outcome would not be in his favor.
"Destroy first, think later!" Blitzwing shouted, as he unloaded another round of firepower from the air. His heat-seeking concussion missiles had already claimed the life of Geckobot, and nearly did the same to Armordillo earlier in the fight. If not for the Maximals' virtually impenetrable suit of armor, he would have surely perished. Strika, who had joined the team commander in the air, decided to take his fight instead to the desert floor. His all-terrain alt-mode raced towards his new target, Jumpstarter Top Spin, reaching a speed of nearly 150 mph. Top Spin noticed he had trouble heading his way, and began firing his twin ion impulse blaster, but it did little to slow down his aggressor. Strika's alloy-plated armor deflected the blasts, leaving him unaffected. Watching from above, Blitzwing was both impressed and jealous of his teammates abilities. "Show-off," he thought to himself.
"I'm tired of swinging in the dark," Springer roared to nobody in particular. Using his laser weapon as a tool, he produced a giant wind tunnel and caused the streams of airborne sand to be redirected. "That's better," he proclaimed, finding the Predacon trio of Gas Skunk, Slapper, and Dark Scream inching their way towards him. He reached behind his back and removed one of his helicopter blades, and instantly it transformed into a light saber capable of cutting through concrete. "Well, hello," he smiled. The Predacons paused, looked at each other, and decided against going any further. As they retreated to the background, Springer turned his attention up to the sky and found Blitzwing. "I'm going to enjoy this." He again used his laser, this time to disrupt Blitzwing's flying capability, sending the Decepticon crashing to the ground. Minutes later, they would do battle for the final time.
Quickstrike had taken the advantage in his fight with Armordillo, and refused to let up until his Maximal foe failed to function. "Just die and get it over with, pardner," the Fuzor taunted. "Ride off into the final sunset with all the other broken heroes!" Out of Quickstrike's view, MW Sandstorm began building up speed and had Armordillo's attacker dead center in his target-frame. Launching his boy with full force, he attempted to tackle the stronger warrior and buy Armordillo a chance to recover. That was the plan, anyway.
Quickstrike had pulled Armorhide up to his level, as to get one last look into his victim's optics. It was almost tradition for him to do so; he wanted those he defeated to gaze upon their conqueror and forever know who it was that had beaten them. This time, however, in doing so, Quickstrike saw more than a near-death Maximal before him. He noticed a reflection in his optics, and realized what was happening. At the last moment, he sidestepped out of the way and watched as MW Sandstorm plowed into his fellow comrade. The impact shattered Armordillo's already fragile torso and extinguished his life spark. A stunned and horrified MW Sandstorm was an easy target for Quickstrike, who quickly struck the Autobot down. And that is where he stayed.
Strika's showdown against Top Spin had become a two-on-two affair, as Sky Shadow and Twin Twist joined in. The Jumpstarters held their own, even when Quickstrike made it a three versus two confrontation. "This is how I like it," Twin Twist shouted, seconds after nailing Strika with a powerful kick that sank him several yards into a mountainous sandbank. "Pity the odds aren't more even... for their sake!" Before Top Spin could lecture his brasher ally for his youthful declaration, the vile Sky Shadow registered a direct hit with two turbo-missiles. Twin Twist watched in shock as Top Spin's body jerked violently, with sparks bursting through his armor. Finally, the pain eased as life escaped the fallen Jumpstarter.
A rage erupted from deep within Twin Twist, a rage comprised of disbelief and fury. He felt his logic sensors shut down; all forms of battle protocol were erased. Hatred at its most basic level is perhaps the most potent emotion, and brings with it a most powerful urge to lash out. Millions of years of programming and progressive forward movement gave way to the ancient yet intact directive of self-preservation. The urge to kill raced throughout Twin Twist's body.
Twin Twist didn't feel the lasers that hit his form. He didn't react to the venom that Quickstrike had sprayed across his right arm. Instead, he targeted each of the three one-by-one, and delivered an attack that would've been deemed criminal by Autobot Law. He reached through Strika's chest plate and crushed his spark containment device. Sky Shadow approached Twin Twist from behind and sliced deep into his circuitry, but Twin Twist simply turned around and did the same as he had done to Strika. The Jumpstarter's body was leaking lubricant and his optics were shorting out, but he forced himself to remain standing.
"I do believe you've lost your mind!" Quickstrike stated. Those would prove to be his final words, as seconds later Twin Twist struck the third and final target with his weapon. The force was so great that the scope of the weapon became embedded in Quickstrike's torso. As the trigger was pulled, Twin Twist watched, through weakening optics, as Quickstrike's body glowed a brilliant shade of blue and finally exploded. Twin Twist struggled to make his way towards what remained of Top Spin's body. Nearly depleted of energy, his weapon destroyed and now completely blind, Twin Twist found a spot next to his fallen friend and sat down. Moments later, he went off-line.
"Looks like it's just you and me left," Blitzwing stated, catching a glimpse of the carnage around them. He struck Springer with a blow across the chest, and scrambled to get off a shot from his gyro-blaster rifle. Sadly for him, he missed.
"Then I feel sorry for you," Springer responded. He lunged at Blitzwing, landing blow after blow of his own. Each one connected with more force than the prior one did, and it became obvious this battle was over. "Eat slag!" Springer roared, finally delivering the final blow. He got to his feet and looked around him. The bodies of his fallen friends silently called out to him, trying hard to warn him. Warn him of what was to come. Springer began his walk back to the shuttle in total disbelief of the total loss of life he not only witnessed, but also caused. By the time he heard the ghosts it was too late.
It came from a few meters behind him. "Left laser!" Where they had been hiding was unknown. Perhaps they buried themselves back in the sand. Maybe they simply flew away and returned when they assumed the battle would've swayed back to their favor. Wherever they had been was now irrelevant. The alternate universe trio of Slapper, Dark Scream, and Gas Skunk had returned. Springer turned around just in time to be struck across his right shoulder. The first blast came from Slapper, a second one followed, courtesy of Gas Skunk. Again he heard the two-word phrase, "Left laser!"
Springer dropped his weapons and fell to one knee. Dark Scream stepped out in front and fired the closing shot. "Center laser!" he sneered, as a powerful beam cut through Springer's body, freezing his internal fluids and encasing him in a shell of thick ice. With the Autobot no longer mobile, Dark Scream walked over and stood directly in front of the ice prison. Raising his sword forged from nearly indestructible ultranium, he initiated a 'Dark Sword Strike'; shattering the ice and all that was inside it. The trio stood proud as they claimed the final victory.
end of chapter 18