A/N: WHOO-HOO! I'm so pleased with my reader's responses in the last chapter! I'm so glad you found it exciting and engaging. Another HUMUNGOUS thank you to all of my reviewers, favouriters, and alerters. Here is the next part of the battle. I hope it satisfies you all with what I have planned.

Warnings: Violence, swearing, and character death.

Disclaimer: No, Transformers is not mine.

Turning Point – Chapter 27

Ratchet was waiting for him, in a little grove of tall trees that hid their robotic forms well.

When the medic turned, his expression immediately morphed to a raging ferocity once he spotted the tortured, unconscious mech in Soundwave's arms.

"The slaggers. If I didn't have to tend to Blaster, I'd be out there trying to kill Megatron," Ratchet hissed, taking Blaster's prone form from the telepath's arms.

Soundwave had no doubt that Ratchet would. The medic was stubborn and strong enough to do it in a rage. He knew that he was having trouble controlling his own vehemence at the present moment. The fire of justice roared within him, and he vowed to end this once and for all. There was no more need for suffering. Kneeling down to Ratchet's level as the medic began to seal off vital energon lines, he murmured, "I'll make sure we get him then."

Hard blue optics softened for a moment as he looked at them. "Then go. I'll make sure he lives to see a world of peace."

Nodding solemnly, Soundwave turned and ran back to the battlefield.

Blaster's confession of love echoed within his mind as he did, continuing to feed his determination.

Megatron shoved his enemy back, face contorted in malice.

Prime was being incredibly difficult to harm today. It made him furious.

And ever so slightly anxious.

The Autobot leader had never fought like this before. There was a new grace to his movements, more force in his blows, and a seemingly increased precognition in guessing what the next attack was going to be. Megatron didn't like it.

Nothing was going in his favour.

Half of the Stunticons were now subdued, held in cuffs by the side of the battlefield, Devastator had been unable to form, he had no Combaticons and his blasted trine was nowhere to be found! It was pitiful to see Autobot after Autobot cutting the drones released from the Nemesis down. It galled him that those little drones of Soundwave's managed to stay out of his visual reach, although he knew they were there.

Starscream, or rather, the lack of his appearance, also irritated him.

As a precaution, Megatron had gotten Hook to reinforce his helmet plating to make sure Starscream's scream weapon wouldn't leave him debilitated.

Still, it was unnerving to have him absent. The warlord had expected him to extract revenge by now.

There was the sound of pained cries dotted throughout the battlefield at irregular intervals as mechs got injured by weapons or got battered by their enemies. Megatron sighed, relishing in it.

As he and Prime turned to grapple once more, there was a clank that drew his attention to the entrance of the Nemesis. A fiendish looking Jazz threw a greyed, decapitated frame down at his pedes. It took only a moment for Megatron to notice who it was. His valued double agent, Counterpunch.

A triumphant, fierce voice said lowly, "Never, ever, betray me. It's a warnin' to ya all, or ya might end up like our traitor Punch here."

The Autobots took a moment to look before going back to their own battles.

Megatron felt more anger bubble up inside him.

Counterpunch had known the risk and had willingly agreed to become a Decepticon in full if he was handsomely rewarded. All the best energon and a large stock of credits, plus whatever Autobot as his slave when the Autobots were defeated had managed to sway the blue mech. Of course, it slipped both their processors as to the true, dark nature that Jazz could bring to the forefront if he so chose to.

His attention was once more caught by something other than battle, Megatron's frown turned into a smirk at the group of mechs coming out from behind Jazz. "Count the seconds until your death Autobot! My trine and the Combaticons are right behind you!"

The black and white mech only laughed, leaping down into the fray while Ramjet stepped forward and called out, "We no longer take your commands Megatron!"

The titanic grey mech stilled, wondering if he heard those words right.

The Coneheads took off, jetting to the skies to help a giggling Skywarp and a fearsome Thundercracker wrangle the triple changers who were trying (and failing) to successfully attack.

"RRAAAHHH!" bellowed Megatron, livid as he glared at the sky.

"That goes for us as well. You threw us aside like trash. You didn't even treat us like soldiers," commented Onslaught, speaking for the whole gestalt.

As the tyrant heard those words, realisation began to dawn, and the urge to kill something in his frustration climbed to his pinnacle. With a roar, he powered his cannon and discharged it at the traitorous gestalt, only for someone to push them down and cover the five of them with a broad expanse of sleek, white wings. The shot sailed harmlessly over their helms.

Gaping in astonishment, Megatron watched as the proud optics of Starscream met his own, slightly afraid, but filled with a righteous spite and defiance.

Unable to resist, the grey mech smirked upon seeing that pretty body. He had almost forgot how good the Seeker looked. He looked even better when being filled.

"Protecting the weak, Starscream? Unlikely for a coward," he taunted, taking a few steps closer.

The flier narrowed his optics, retorting, "I'm no coward."

A backhand to his helm distracted the large mech from his destination, and he turned around and glared at Prime. Optimus growled, "Stand down. We have you outnumbered."

"Never," hissed Megatron.

Optimus's demeanour chilled towards his opponent, and to test the strength of the Decepticon troops conviction in both their leader and their cause, he called out loudly over the battlefield, "Any Decepticon that stands down now in the name of justice will be spared a lifetime in the brig. Cease your fire and you will be permitted to live freely and peacefully."

The fights paused, and the exhausted Decepticons listened to the Prime's call.

There was a few moments of complete silence before there was a clank as Hook dropped his gun, lowering his helm in admission of his stand down.

The rest of the Constructicons followed suit soon after, having conferred over the gestalt bonds and reaching agreement. They threw down their weapons, lowing their helms and raising their arms. Scrapper spoke for them all when he said, "Survival is what you offer us Prime, and so we accept. With Megatron lies only a slow road to deactivation and despair."

"Fools! You ingrates! How dare you submit to Prime's lies?" roared Megatron.

Astrotrain was next, hovering to the ground and following suit.

One by one, each and every Decepticon there placed their weapons down and acknowledged Optimus's call. The Stunticons, Reflector, Blitzwing, and all the other grunts involved in the Earth portion of the Con army. Megatron could only watch in astonished fury as he was left the only mech standing with his weapons ready for battle. His crimson optics travelled around, seeing the submission in each of his soldiers postures.

"COWARDS! YOU WILL ALL ROT IN PIT FOR YOUR BETRAYAL! You blindly trust the one who offers you sanctuary and promises of fuel. Did you forget how us, the lower classes, were used and abused by the higher classes?" the warlord called out.

"You have become what you were trying to rebel against, Megatron," said Optimus levelly. "Times have changed. I am the highest authority on Cybertron now, and yet not once have I desired to bring back the set caste systems, make anyone else a slave, or deprive a mech of his fuel. Nor have I gifted one mech with more energon than another based solely on how well I liked them or how many credits they had." He paused to let his wise words sink in, and then continued. "Surrender. We have a chance for peace. Four ex-Decepticons have managed to live in harmony with us for some time now, which has proved there is no need for any more animosity."

"Ha! The only reason those pathetic traitors fled to you is because I fucked them like the whores they were."

Soundwave, having just reached the battlefield at that moment, stopped in cold shock near Starscream. The Seeker, wings held wide in front of the Combaticons, began to tremble as optics turned to them both.

Flashes of understanding, pity, empathy, horror, and anger played about the expressions of Autobot and Decepticon alike, while Megatron's cruel sneer told all that he had no regard for the public fallout for himself.

Starscream suddenly screamed shrilly, "You BASTARD!"

With a whir of jet turbines, the tricoloured mech shot at the deluded, insane tyrant, fist outstretched and mouth open in a deafening scream.

Megatron was knocked to the ground, but much to Starscream's surprise, he didn't look like his processor had been affected by his scream at all.

"You thought I wouldn't take precautions once I knew what happened to Shockwave?" growled Megatron, rising and fixing the hovering flier with a murderous, yet lusty, glare. He tapped his helmet to illustrate his point.

Mechs stepped back, forming a ring around the two combatants, as Starscream sneered back at his enemy, "Regardless of any precautions you may have made, you will die by the end of today."

The grey mech only laughed.

This was his first mistake.

His evil laughter was abruptly stopped when something bitter and chilling took a hold of his consciousness. It felt like wires were alive in his mind, slithering through and tapping into his weaknesses. Involuntarily, he turned himself around, attempting to resist the hold on his mind. As he turned, he met the hard scarlet line of Soundwave's visor, glowing fiercely and brightly in rage.

"How dare you," snarled Soundwave, having found within that sickened mind just how Blaster had gained injuries and what the grey mech had been planning next. It was enough to purge his tanks but he ignored it for the time being, making sure his mental claws gripped the twisted consciousness tight in its grasp.

Frame shaking with anger, with the slightest shame apparent as well, Soundwave growled, "You couldn't leave it alone? You could have let us rest in peace with our secret, and yet you must air it out like bad energon so everyone knows. Look around Megatron. None think you mighty for this."

"If I'm alone and going down, I might as well bring something down with me," Megaton retorted with a sickening smirk.

Starscream took the opportunity to belt the larger mech across the helm. "You know what is truly pathetic Megatron? That for all your supposed strength and mightiness, you were so incredibly stupid to turn those that could do the most damage towards you, against you."

The spectators watched as Megatron attempted to growl, to turn and reciprocate with a strike to the flier, and yet he couldn't, immobilised as he was by Soundwave's telepathic prowess.

A surge of malice came over the Seeker, and while his enemy was unable to move, he rained down blows upon the thick armour, relishing in each dent. It was slightly hollow, but also freeing, as he finally managed to harm the one who had broken him up so completely for so long. It was only when he saw energon on his hands from a few broken energon lines in the less protected sides of the warmonger that Starscream stopped, panting slightly. He nodded to Soundwave with a slight smirk.

"Your turn."

"Hm," Soundwave acknowledged. He gathered up his mental reserves, knowing if he truly had to make Megatron feel this, he would have to push through the barriers of black, diseased, horrifying thoughts. That is the memories of his own rape, along with Starscream's, the memories of torturing others and of murder, of domination. He would need to fortify himself.

"Justice," the navy mech breathed as he gathered his thoughts into a mental lance, and sent it speeding past the outer layers of consciousness.

Getting through Megatron's mind was not easy. The dark thoughts were like quagmire. If you slipped, you would be dragged down, never to return. He persevered, dodging the blocks a desperate Megatron tried to throw up to derail him.

He almost succeeded when the warlord flashed an image of his rape.

It was painful and humiliating to see, just for that split second, but Soundwave broke past it with a grunt, finally reaching a part of his consciousness which was empty, which he could control. There, for a moment, the telepath lamented. There was no part of Megatron that anyone could pity. He had once been fair. Only for the hunger for power to warp his core in such a way that sympathy had no hope of being applied.

"You will feel my pain…my despair," he whispered into all facets of the evil mind, hearing it reverberate within his own psyche.

Everything that he felt when he first arrived at the Ark after his abuse he slammed through Megatron's mind, calling up his pain and searing it through his enemy's body like Megatron had been the one to experience it.

For the first time in a long, long time, Megatron screamed in pain.

The mechs watching flinched back, none wanting to know exactly what Soundwave was doing with his telepathy. To the viewers, they were both standing, looking forward, but not really seeing.

In Megatron's mind, Soundwave pushed another barrage of emotion forth, of shame, of despair, letting the black hole of depression threaten to engulf the warmonger like it had threatened to engulf his own self.

"You did this," he murmured.

The grey mech only snarled, trying to push the telepath out of his mind.

Soundwave switched and called up other techniques of causing mental pain.

One moment Megatron felt like he was being stabbed a million times, the next he was being ripped apart by a variety of mechs, and the next he was overwhelmed in black fire, surrounding all of him, making him melt away into nothingness. And yet more was in store for him as Soundwave extracted his revenge for himself, for Blaster, for Starscream and his trine, and for all who had suffered under the tyrant. He made the grey mech feel as if he was being dissected by humans, having his spark ripped out and eaten, suffocated to death, and a myriad of other demises, none of which would never seem fitting enough for Soundwave.

At long last, he pulled out of Megatron's mind, wishing not to be in contact with it anymore.

It appeared his objective was achieved.

Megatron was huddled on the ground, rocking back and forth and groaning in pain, hands clutched to his helm.

"Death will almost be too good to you," Soundwave and Starscream said, having had the same thought as they looked at his form.

Starscream stepped forward, slapping energon cuffs on Megatron's wrists.

Soundwave gently caressed the Seeker's mind with a tendril of thought, seeing the murderous impulse warring with how he had changed over time with the Autobots. As much as he empathised – he too wanted the mech before them deactivated – he knew that it was not right. As much as he and the flier had reason and just cause…it would undo all that they had achieved. Quietly, he murmured to the Seeker, "If we kill him now, we are no better than he is. We should let Prime decide."

Starscream's optics met his with a blank look, underneath which was a hidden look of disappointment and understanding.

They turned, leaving Megatron huddled in the dirt, humiliated and beaten in front of his surrendering troops and before his enemies. They approached Optimus as one, and they could tell he was impressed with their restraint.

"What should we do?" Starscream asked quietly.

Optimus considered the two brave mechs, and then Megatron, defeated. The Matrix pulsed at him, the knowledge of Primes past giving him thoughts. They were all unanimous.

Deactivation will finally stop the war.

He agreed, but it went against his most cherished belief. 'Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.'

However, another part of him argued, there would be no freedom if Megatron was still alive.

Optimus surveyed the gathered mechs from both armies. He noted that the other Decpeticons except for Megatron looked starved, tired, like they hadn't had a good recharge for months. It rankled at him that the warlord would treat his soldiers this way. He studied his own precious Autobots, his family, regardless of all the craziness they could go through sometimes. They were ready for any order.

"Sir?"

Prowl's soft voice caught his attention and he nodded at his loyal SIC. The mech had Ravage trailing behind him, the feline looking supremely pleased with his feat.

"Yes Prowl?"

The Praxian's doorwings twitched before he said, "If I may place forward a solution? It is obvious to me that it is the greatest wish of a majority of the mechs here to see his deactivation, and yet, we cannot know who is the one to kill him, as it will go against our beliefs. So…the only viable outcome is that we all cause his deactivation."

Mechs nearby started muttering, and some nodded, while others frowned.

Jazz sauntered up behind his mate then, energon covering his frame. He piped in, "Like what? We gather in a circle around that bag o' bolts and we all close our optics and shoot him? So no one knows who precisely killed him and so we can't assign blame?"

Prowl smirked, optics flashing as he stole a glance toward the grey mech who was still looking at the ground in his stupor. "Of course. It is most logical. We cannot do as we did with Shockwave, with spark stasis. Megatron has caused this war. He has sacrificed our planet and it's mechs. He is cruel. There is a chance for peace if he no longer lives."

The great red and blue Autobot leader said to all the mechs, "Who agrees with Prowl's reasoning?"

To Optimus's surprise, a great deal of the mechs raised their hands. Even a subdued Motormaster, who looked very regretful (and had expressed as much to his gestalt once Megatron let slip of the way he had abused his mechs) raised his hand. The only mechs who didn't raise their hands were Beachcomber, who was simply laying down, resting and listening, and Perceptor, who looked a bit nervous at the thought.

He nodded, and held his large black plasma rifle in front of him, aiming it squarely at Megatron, who had now raised his helm and glared at all the raised hands.

"The public has spoken. We will all participate in the last barrier to possible peace for all Cybertronians," Optimus rumbled in his great voice. "Circle around, hold your weapons straight and true."

It was the first act of unity for the both factions as Autobots and Decepticons alike moved into an expansive circle around Megatron, who was growling and cursing all the while, and extending their weapons.

Soundwave extended his sonic cannon.

He knew in the moment his shot would hit, there would only be one regret.

That Ratchet and Blaster weren't here to take their own shots.

Starscream and his trine lined up to the side of Soundwave, null rays at the ready, turned up to their highest degree. The tricoloured Seeker looked on with grim determination, Thundercracker having drawn the symbol for 'reassurance' on his wing. He was glad to have his trine here. Thundercracker looked vindicated, glad for having the chance to inflict damage on the one who hurt his lover. Skywarp was smirking. He joked to his trinemates, "I'm aiming for his mouth."

It was still for a few moments, all the mechs steadily trained on their target.

"Three," Optimus called out, beginning the countdown.

Mechs cocked their weapons, ignoring the ranting warlord in the centre of the circle.

"Two."

Anticipation mounted.

"One…FIRE!"

The battlefield was filled by a simultaneous series of 'BOOM!'s, the clicking of weapons, the discharge of rounds. They all headed towards the figure at the centre, like a firework imploding, the smoke trails coming from each weapon making the advent of destruction almost beautiful.

In that split second before the projectiles from different weapons hit, each mech closed their optics, not wanting to know which shot hit first.

With a thundering 'KRACKA-BOOM!' an explosion worthy of Wheeljack lit up the area, swallowing up the figure of Megatron within its epicentre. The shockwave from the amount of firepower made some mechs stumble, but they opened their optics to see the fiery destruction of their collective, ultimate enemy.

The fire roared, and some thought they could hear a strangled cry, but it was soon snatched away by the crackle of flame that seemed to last forever. It kept burning and burning, until finally it began to die down.

Jazz was the first to move towards the receding flames. Inferno decided to help out, shooting a jet of water out of his hose hand towards the blaze.

The saboteur approached, seeing something hulking and smoking in the centre, following the blast lines.

Silence reigned once more, and all watched as Jazz poked at something, before grabbing hold of it and dragging it out so all could see.

"We did it!" he cried out jubilantly as all could see what he saw.

All that was left of the former warlord was a twisted fusion cannon, a charred arm, and half his torso, blackened, with scorch marks and was half melted in places. Towards the spot where Megatron once kneeled, they could all see the melted slag of his helmet and other body parts.

It took a few moments for the fact that Megatron was dead and gone, no longer alive to terrorise and harm, to sink in.

Suddenly Sideswipe let out a whoop of joy and tackled his twin in a hug, yelling, "No more worrying about if you're going to come home!"

It broke other mechs.

Gestalts turned to each other to hug and laugh, letting their guards down with their gestaltmates.

The Coneheads rose up and circled each other in joy, the triple changers and Aerialbots joining them in zipping through the sky in jubilation.

Starscream was literally glomped by his trinemates, who were grinning at him. They let go of him soon after to rejoice in their own way. By kissing the life out of each other. The tricoloured mech could only smile endearingly at them. It was good to see them happy. A large presence came up behind him, and a hand gently stroked his wing. Without turning around, Starscream knew it was Skyfire. With the death of Megatron, something had vanished deep within him. His wariness and fear had lessened, and it felt so right to accept the touch from the large shuttle.

Leaning back into the comfort, Starscream asked, "Was that as gratifying for you as it was for me?"

"Yes it was," murmured Skyfire happily, smiling at how the smaller flier accepted his touch without any hesitation.

Starscream turned then, optics sparkling with delight. He activated his thrusters so he could get up to Skyfire's height without having to strain himself, and gave him a simple kiss on the cheek. Arms wrapped around him and held him close, and he felt his spark hum in contentment.

He was safe.

Around the battlefield, Decepticons tentatively began to talk to the Autobots, feeling awkward after so long of animosity.

Optimus went around, assuring that they would be safe under his leadership, and that they would be fed and housed. He met with the leader of each gestalt, shook hands with the other mechs, and felt tears of happiness pooling in his optics. A fresh start had been all that they needed. This was a new beginning. He hoped it was the beginning of a new Golden Age for Cybertronians, a time of equality and peace.

It was all that he wished for his people.

Prowl had taken Jazz into his arms, both content with each other and feeding each other pulses of love through their bond. The thought that they may no longer have to fear that the other half of them would never return from a mission was a blazingly happy thought.

Soundwave watched all this happen, and smiled beneath his mask.

Surrounded by his creations, seeing the end of the war if all went well, the only thing that would make this moment sweeter, was to have his friend and romantic interest by his side.

A few days later…

It was cool, the air smelt clean, and he was laying on a berth that was nowhere near as soft as his own. Slowly booting up, Blaster gradually unshuttered his optics to see the familiar bright colour of the Ark's ceiling above him.

More specifically, in the medbay.

He took a moment to catalogue his injuries and how well they had healed. All his minor damage had healed, but he could feel an ache in his joints where Counterpunch had broken them. His shoulder also throbbed dully, but it didn't matter. It was repaired. His face was fully repaired too, and for that he was even more grateful.

Blaster smiled. "Aw, Ratchet, you're a gem," he murmured out loud.

"He is, isn't he?"

The soft voice startled Blaster, and he shot up, images not calibrating right in his optics as he sat up with too much force. Gentle hands laid on his shoulders, pressing him back down. "Ease," the smooth, calming voice said.

Blaster only smiled wider. He could recognise that voice anywhere. "Hey 'Wave," he croaked out, vocaliser hissing static.

When his vision cleared, he saw the unmasked face of his love, looking down at him in concern from that gorgeous ruby visor. The red mech would do whatever Soundwave wanted, as long as it eased his stress.

"Blaster…I am so glad you are awake," said the blue mech softly, taking one of his friend's hands securely in his own, squeezing it in comfort.

"Mmm, me too. Tell me, what did I miss?"

There was a small smirk on Soundwave's face, free and unhindered. It made Blaster perk up a bit. This had to be good news.

"In short, you missed the end of the war."

Blaster gaped. "Are you kidding?"

Soundwave shook his helm, saying, "No. The war has ended. There is no more 'Decepticon' any more. Merely Autobot and Cybertronian as a group. Megatron is no longer living and we are all free."

The tone was so relieved, so joyous, that Blaster attempted to sit up again, wanting to throw his arms around the mech in his own joy. "This is awesome! No more fear! Only hope! So tell me, how did it happen?"

The telepath managed to get Blaster laying down once more, and told him. About the rescue, how the Decepticons had gotten tired of the illusion that Megatron portrayed for them and how they joined in with the Autobots in aiding Megatron's defeat and deactivation. Finally, he told the prone mech about how the mechs were getting along quite well, all circumstances considered. Optimus had won the ex-Con's allegiance by treating them all fairly and by giving them, as promised, fuel and shelter.

"Wow…figures though. I miss out on the end of the war," Blaster mock-pouted.

Soundwave turned serious for a moment, and murmured, "I would rather you miss out on the war than miss out on life. You didn't…you didn't get to experience what Megatron had planned for you…I saw it in his processor. He truly went insane."

The boom box reached out to Soundwave's face, caressing it.

"My hero," he murmured.

The visor seemed to focus on him more intensely, and Soundwave asked quietly, "Do you remember the last thing you said before you fell into unconsciousness?"

Blaster paused, recalling those hazy moments of consciousness. Seeing Soundwave coming for him like an angel from the heavens, seeing that face twisted in anxiousness for him…and then…those simple words he had whispered. He blushed, looking up into that visor. There was no rejection, no wariness. Just open acceptance. Hope bloomed within him, and he smile a small, happy smile. "I said I love you. Never doubt it Main Machine. I care about you so, so much."

Soundwave smiled then, brightly, and Blaster knew that he had chosen the right choice in deciding to be upfront in his feelings.

Just when the blue mech opened his mouth to say the words in return, a grumpy looking Ratchet bustled into the room, cursing softly under his breath.

"…slaggin' twins underfoot. Can't give me a bit of personal space lately…"

And like that, the moment was broken, although Soundwave allowed Blaster to hold his hand close, allowing that intimate contact.

The medic snorted, "About time you booted up. You had your cassettes, Soundwave, and Soundwave's cassettes worrying over you. I thought Prowl was a bad worrier, but this about takes the cake I tell you." Blaster snickered at it, but willingly hushed when Ratchet used his patented glare on him, and let him do his job.

He had turned his helm to look at Soundwave the whole time, hoping to communicate with his optics just how much he loved the mech.

A/N: Before anyone panics, NO, THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!

Okay, there we go ;D

Please review! I so love your reviews! I hope you found Megatron's demise satisfactory and that the battle scenes were good. I suck at battle scenes most of the time, so I'm hoping I hit the spot with this one. Happy new year guys! 2012 is going to be big!

P.s: OVER 450 REVIEWS! I bet by the end of this fic, we can make it to 500….who's with me?