My Brother's Keeper
Honey Island Swamp, Louisiana, 45 minutes from New Orleans...
The hawk-like Divebomb, a member of the original Predacons known for his aerial assaults, locked up with Swoop of the Dinobots. "Once when we met in battle, I took your name," he gloated. Years ago, on Cybertron, the two engaged in a ferocious battle. The end result was Swoop, then known as Divebomb, losing his name to his conqueror. It was something that had haunted Swoop every day since, and something that Divebomb enjoyed flaunting in his presence. "This time, I plan on taking your life!" Swoop, whose alt-mode was that of a pterodactyl, answered the challenge by nailing him with a powerful punch to the head.
Sludge found himself surrounded by each and every Terrorcon, a five-on-one situation. To his credit, Sludge, a giant mechanical brontosaurus, was able to hold his own for several minutes. It was like watching a nature film, albeit with robotic forms and not earth creatures. The Terrorcons would encircle the Dinobot warrior, and then one or two would lunge at him, only to be knocked away with force. Hun-grrr, the Terrorcon commander with a two-headed dragon alt-mode, began to grow tired of the situation. He watched as Cutthroat, a being when transformed could only be described as a 'winged creature' got taken down by a laser blast? Blot, a purple-toned monster looking somewhat like an exotic ape, failed to make a dent in their target? Rippersnapper and Sinnertwin, respectively an 'amphibious creature' and another two-headed dragon, were repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to knock Sludge off of his feet. "Enough of this!" Hun-grrr roared. "Terrorcons-combine! Form Abominus!"
The remaining Predacons- Razorclaw, Tantrum, Rampage, and Headstrong, tangled with Dinobot, Slag, and Snarl. The commander of the Dinobots, Grimlock, set his optics on the much smaller Vice Grip. It was a quick battle, one that in another time and place, the insect-bot would've stood a good chance of winning. Vice Grip carried a pulse-weapon, one that discharged explosive balls of electricity capable of shorting out any and all Maximals in a 20-mile radius. Luckily for Grimlock, he was immune to its effects as he wasn't a Maximal. While it was true that Maximals and Autobots shared a number of similarities in programming, there was still enough of a difference to allow Grimlock to suffer little of the usual discomfort. However, while Grimlock was unaffected, Dinobot was not so lucky.
In the midst of delivering a fatal blow to Tantrum, a powerful Predacon that transformed into a ferocious bull, the electrical bursts from Vice Grip's weapon caused internal damage to Dinobot. The brave Maximal warrior froze in his tracks, unable to move and fully aware of his surroundings. Seeing an opportunity present itself, Headstrong and Rampage distanced themselves from the other Dinobots and combined their firepower on the disadvantaged soldier. In the aftermath, Dinobot fell to the ground, his optics black and his body motionless, with whatever final words he spoke lost in time. Several feet away, Grimlock disposed of Vice Grip by slicing him in half with his energo sword. A short lived feeling of satisfaction left his body upon inspecting the devastation around him.
His optics found the fallen body of Dinobot, a comrade he had known only for a short while, but one he greatly respected. They shared many things in common, and both lived by the strict ethics of the Warrior's Code. His spirit deserved to be honored. In the background, he could see Abominus having his way with Sludge. Under Razorclaw's orders, the Predacons had regrouped and merged into Predaking, a most efficient killing machine, one without equal. The combined forces of Predaking and Abominus were proving to be too much for the Dinobots. A fire began to build inside Grimlock, one that he would use to push himself to gain an advantage, and like he had done many times in the past, eventually save the day.
Grimlock's building rage was quickly replaced by total horror; his optics fell upon the motionless body of Swoop. Evidently, Divebomb had delivered the fatal blow in their confrontation. The Dinobot leader lowered his sword and headed towards his defeated friend. Grimlock had long held a special relationship with Swoop, a cross between a mentor and an older sibling. Each step Grimlock took seemed to be in slow motion. At that moment, the only two beings in existence were himself and Swoop.
Grimlock didn't see Snarl ignite into a massive ball of flame as a result of combined firepower. He didn't hear the terrifying screams belonging to Slag as he was literally torn in two by the juggernaut known as Predaking. He didn't feel the ground shake violently as Abominus toppled Sludge with his sonic concussion blaster. All he saw before him was Swoop.
He knelt down beside his friend and looked at his body. Exposed circuits shot out quick bursts of smoke; his torso scorched to the point his Autobot symbol was unable to be seen. "Friend Swoop," Grimlock sighed. "You go to better place now." He reached underneath the lifeless body and lifted him up, holding him tight against his chest. Swoop's arms dangled effortlessly. Turning to face the enemy, Grimlock offered one final saying to the heavens. "Today is good day to die."
And shortly thereafter, in the shadow of giants, he did just that.
end of chapter 21