Thank you all who reviewed. ShadowStrike Rising now has 105 reviews, making my most reviewed story so far. I know you all think I'm evil for putting Jack through all the scrap I have in all my stories, but I've got a reason. Much like how LionFire 42 once said Jack was like "Wolverine" in the sense that he can take whatever we dish out at him, I can see Jack going through these things because of his similarity to Optimus Prime. I think we can all imagine that the road to being a Prime is not an easy one. I hope to make this chapter will signal a turning point in Jack's life in which he starts to become similar to how I portrayed him in the original version of Rising.

Chapter 15

In the Autobot base, Ratchet was hard at working trying to locate Jack, whose signal had disappeared from their monitors. This was no doubt the handy work of the Liege Maximo, who didn't want him to be found just yet. Meanwhile Arcee paced back and forth, her worry for Jack increasing by the moment. Bulkhead had recovered and continued to seethe in the corner, Miko too frightened by her friend's anger to try and comfort him. Everyone remained silent as they thought of how all of this came about.

The Liege Maximo had manipulated Jack, taking advantage of his insecurities over his worthiness to Team Prime and whether or not they cared for him. He twisted these feelings of inadequacy into feelings of malice and hate. He'd struck Miko, yelled at the 'Bots and attacked Bulkhead in his state of uncontrollable anger. Now, he was Primus knows where at the moment another Iacon artifact had been discovered. Optimus watched Ratchet intently, waiting for when the medic would find Jack.

During that time, Optimus looked back on the similarities between himself and Jack when he was still Orion Pax. As the data clerk, Orion was not very outgoing, often preferring to stay and work rather than socialize with others. As such, he had few friends outside of his workplace; they were Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz, and the data facility's head: Alpha Trion. It was not until he met the gladiator, Megatronus, that he became more social and more confident. That however, would only serve as a catalyst for the emotional traumas he would experience after becoming a Prime.

Optimus witnessed tragedy after tragedy, starting from Cybertron's destruction to the countless losses of worlds caught in the War. The Prime often wonder whether it was a wise decision to begin hiding supplies off world. This meant that no matter what, a planet had been pre-destined to become involved in their conflict. And Optimus doubted they would be as tolerable as the humans were (though it was not by much). The working relationship with the humans was made all the more difficult with the attitudes of his soldiers.

Ratchet never made any attempt to hide his frustration with the planet and its technology, which was light-years from what they had on Cybertron. The medic often griped about how helping humans was a waste of their time and effort when they could be finding a way to restore Cybertron. However, despite the medic's complaining, Optimus stood resolute in his quest to protect humanity from the Decepticons. What Ratchet could not seemed to understand was that Optimus could not abandon the humans to die at Megatron's hands, much like how he allowed many Cybertronians to due to his reluctance to accept his destiny as the next Prime. The medic remained blinded by his jaded view, but provided his support nonetheless.

Bulkhead was still use to being under a chain of command due to his extended time in service to the Wreckers, a Cybertronain equivalent to what humans called "Black ops". While most Autobots were not as disciplined as the human soldiers were taught to be, Wreckers were known for their outright defiance of authority. But Bulkhead was different, even if only just. His time with the Wreckers had given him a "philosophy" that anyone deemed a "jerk" should be left to whatever fate befell them. This notion often put him at odds with others, particularly Special Agent Fowler.

Bumblebee's childlike antics were a source of never ending stress for the Autobots. Optimus could certainly understand that Bumblebee did all he could to keep him from realizing just how bad their predicament is. Still, the scout needed to learn many things about war before he could ever become a full-fledged warrior. Still, Bumblebee proved to an asset on the battlefield, his speed and agility providing the 'Bots with the few edges they had in this war. Finally, there was his SIC, Arcee.

While she had not been very social to begin with, her torture at the hands of Airachnid caused her to put up a wall of ice around her spark. She may have been Optimus' "go-to-gal", but that didn't mean she was the perfect soldier. In fact, more often than not, she proved to be his most insubordinate, often breaking rank and jeopardizing missions. Her thirst for revenge made her all the more difficult to handle. This was made even more taxing by Cliffjumper's demise.

He had slowly managed to peel back the layers of emotion that Arcee hid behind and form a close partnership with her. He was certainly Optimus' most fierce soldier, but also among his most loyal. He never jeopardized a mission unless he had a good reason. The warrior never back down from a challenge and often came out victorious. But, after a three year stay from battle, that all changed when he was executed by Starscream.

His death had left the Autobots, Ratchet and Arcee especially, questioning the value of protecting humans. Arcee once again proved to be his most insubordinate soldier when she recklessly involved two human boys in a battle. Even after all they had been through, Optimus' men had only changed a little since the humans' involvement and perhaps, he was partially to blame for that. He never used a loud, condescending tone with his men and never gave them the feeling like they could not come to him with their problems. He allowed his men freedom to do as they pleased so long as they would follow orders and do as instructed when the time came.

To some, that may have seemed weak, but the Prime did so to further any similarities with Megatron. Whereas Optimus was calm and quite, Megatron was loud and brash. He oppressed those under his command, only showing respect to those who clawed their way to the top. This respect proved to be fickle, as he would have no problem extinguishing the sparks of those who made attempt at his position. Indeed, Megatron's ruthless approach to leadership may have kept some in line, but it often drew others away, leading to in-fighting among the Decepticons.

"Optimus," Ratchet's call drew the Prime from his thoughts.

"Have you located Jack?"

"Yes," the medic replied. "And he seems otherwise engaged. I'm reading several bogeys on the monitor."

"Lock on to the coordinates and activate the ground-bridge," the Prime ordered.

ShadowStrike Rising

Hate. Malice. Rage. That was all that was surging through ShadowStrike's mind as he descended onto the battlefield, ready to face the 'Cons and the Foot. Anger like he'd never known fueled him as drew his blade to attack.

The Liege Maximo had amplified his anger and forced him to voice his insecurities to the 'Bots. He'd let anger dictate his actions and it cost him greatly. He was certain that everyone hated him now. Ratchet, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Miko, Raf, Fowler, his mother, Optimus, and Arcee. After so many years of being on their own, Jack and his mom had finally found a family in the Autobots.

A rather unusual choice, but one that they were happy to have made. Since meeting the 'Bots, Jack had found himself learning new things everyday about things most people could never comprehend. He'd learned how the 'Bots used energon and conserved it for later use. He learned how their recharge was no different from sleeping. And he learned that energon was like gas and could be set on fire (a fact that had saved his life on a few occasions).

The Autobots weren't all that different than a family on one of those old time sitcoms Jack enjoyed. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead were like the three siblings. Ratchet was like the grumpy uncle you didn't like at first, but grew on you; though he often filed the role of mother (the thought of the medic in an apron was amusing indeed). And Optimus was the wise and caring father who strived to keep the family together.

Then they had adopted Jack, Miko, and Raf, into their lives, making things all the more interesting. The adventures they took together, whether it'd be on the battlefield (when Miko dragged Jack and Raf along) or joining the 'Bots on an energon hunt, Jack could not help but noticed how quickly it became a routine for him. He may not have wanted in at first, but now he couldn't imagine his life any different. He enjoyed hanging around base, talking with Arcee about Cybertron and its customs. He enjoyed seeing Ratchet's horror when one of his devices was destroyed (followed by the always funny "I NEEDED THAT!).

And most of all, he loved to go riding with Arcee and watch the sunset, the flurry of colors reflecting off her armor. This only added to beauty that she already carried with her. More recently, Jack had found himself admiring Arcee more and more, forgetting his rather childish crush on Sierra. Jack could watch her for hours and never grow tired of the sight. He didn't want to think about what it meant, fearing the conclusion would ruin their partnership (though it was a moot point now thanks to recent events).

Now, it was all ruined thanks to the Liege Maximo and Jack's weakness. ShadowStrike closed his eyes and saw the hurt in Arcee's optics, his words like a knife through the heart (or spark in this case). The ninja was pulled from his thoughts when he noticed the Foot Ninja attacking him, their swords drawn. They quickly circled him and attacked. ShadowStrike caught all of their blades with his own before disorienting them.

He kicked them away and punched and kneed them, all the while he could still hear the Liege Maximo laughing his aft off. How in the world could someone so vile ever be one of the original Primes? He kept clashing blades with each of the ninja, pushing them back only for them to keep coming. His thoughts kept swirling, keeping him from coming up with an actual plan. Suddenly, his head began to swirl, the ninja's eyes glowing red like 'Cons eyes or his own.

"What's the matter fleshling?" the sinster rasp of the Liege Maximo emanated from all of them at once. "I can feel the anger boiling inside of you. Let it out and show them the power you possess." ShadowStrike's vision continued as he kept blocking attacks from ninja. One of them charged, his blades swinging down. ShadowStrike blocked it, forced the ninja to turn around, and impaled him with his sword. Once again, the sound of bones crunching against metal filled his ears.

Just like with that MECH grunt, the ninja fell to the ground, dead. ShadowStrike had little time to consider what he'd just done as he found himself on the defense again. Two more ninja begin slashing and kicking at him. ShadowStrke spin kicked one in the head, knocking him away. He quickly slipped past the other's defenses and cut him through the shoulder to his heart.

Blood spurted everywhere, staining the ground as the ninja fell. ShadowStrike felt a stabbing pain as his stomach was cut by a ninja. He quickly dealt with him and began slashing about the rest, his anger at the Liege Maximo's taunting boiling over. Besides, it wasn't like he had the Autobots or anyone to tell him it was wrong and there was another way.

"That's the spirit!" Liege exclaimed with a sickening glee. And where was Zangetsu? Did Liege trick him into leaving again or did he too think that killing was the only way to get the latest artifact? It didn't matter as ShadowStrike cut down ninja after ninja, the bones crunching against his blade, their blood covering the ground and him. Suddenly, ShadowStrike was thrown back by the force of an energon blast; he looked up to see the Vehicons charging, a familiar silver alien jet flying overhead.

"I don't have time for this," ShadowStrike said, his eyes glowing red and his voice different. It was only slightly lower (not the baritone voice of Opitmus, but lower). With inhuman speed, ShadowStrike slashed the Vehicons attacking him. He moved like a purplish blur, cutting them down and spilling their energon. He landed on the shoulders of one of them and sent his blade though the 'Con's throat.

ShadowStrike pushed his sword through, metal screeching against metal, and finally decapitated the Vehicon. He jumped off and found himself sent into a tree by another energon blast. He looked up, expecting to see Megatron, and saw Decepticon with a blue and gold color scheme, wielding a cross between a fusion cannon and minigun. His red optics narrowed, "Killing our men. An impressive feet for a human, but you'll find that I am not so easily disposed of."

"And just who are you?" ShadowStrike growled.

"I am called Dreadwing," he declared. "I am Lord Megatron's 1st Lieutenant and the one who will retrieve the artifact in his name."

"And where is the mighty Lord Megatron?" the ninja asked.

"He watches from above. An insect like you is of no importance to him," Dreadwing opened fire again. ShadowStrike dodged and hid behind a tree, his cover quickly being incinerated by Dreadwing's weapon. He kept moving, just barely avoiding the gun's attacks.

'I've gotta find a way to-' his thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sharp pain across his chest. He fell to the ground and saw none other than the Shredder towering over him.

"We meet again," he rasped. "I don't much care for you when you are involving yourselves with these machines, but attacking my Foot ninja peaks my intruige as to the extent of your abilities. Luckily for you, your fate has been given to another, for now." The Shredder turned to leave, ShadowStrike grabbing his foot.

"You carry yourself like some kind of ninja overlord, but in the end you run like a coward!" he spat.

"Do not mistake my intrigue for cowardice, boy!" he snapped. "I merely wish to see the extent of your potential." Shredder quickly disappeared, leaving ShadowStrike at the mercy of Dreadwing. The ninja struggled to his feet, the blood from his chest pouring.

"Any last words?" Dreadwing took aim. Suddenly, a ground-bridge portal opened to reveal the Autobots. They quickly charged at the 'Con, their blasters firing. Dreadwing jumped back, landing a considerable space away. ShadowStrike collapsed as Arcee rushed to his side.

"Jack! Are you okay?" she looked him over and saw the cuts on his body. "Optimus we need to call Ratchet have him prepare-" she was cut off by powerful blaster shot burning a hole in her stomach.

"ARCEE!" ShadowStrike cried.

ShadowStrike Rising

A/N: A cliffy! I hope you enjoyed. I won't be able to update since I'm heading down to Florida and won't be back until Saturday. Hopefully, I won't miss the new TF: Prim episode. Next time: Arcee lies on the verge of death. What can be done to save her?