(To the rescue! Let's join the Autobots in this rescue to bring Ally home.)
Chapter 19
Rescue
The moon was quiet and still. The black sky above showed stillness as well, for no comets, or asteroids shot through. Everything seemed to be frozen in time. The basse was also quiet and still. The Decepticons all stood and waited for any sign that Optimus and his would show up with the Crest of Primus.
"We're already on the last day, and still no sign of those doobie heads." Cyclonus told Demolisher.
"Yeah, maybe they gave up." Demolisher suggested and the two goons laughed, but were silent as Megatron sneered at them.
"Optimus is not the type of warrior to back down on the life of a child. However, he has not made any progress whatsoever on retrieving the artifact. It is only a matter of time before he arrives and will offer me an alternative." Megatron told his team.
"Um, what alternative might that be, my lord?" Thrust asked his leader.
"It's simple. He will offer his life for the child." Megatron grinned, and the others looked at him, dumbfounded.
"Are you saying that Optimus Prime will give up his life for the youngling?" wheel Jack turned to his leader.
"And why not? Starscream begged to have the punishment to be upon him when we caught him trying to free the youngling. So, if Optimus is willing to take the same risks that Starscream took, I will end up taking away his life, with a greater reward than that defected brat." Megatron explained and stared up at the black sky, more confident than ever.
Just then, from inside the base, the alarms sounded, and the Decepticons came inside, looking up at the projected screen.
"Status!" Roared Megatron.
Cyclonus zoomed in on the location, and the camera revealed the vehicle forms of all the Autobots about a mile south of the base.
"It's the Autobots. About time they'd showed up." Cyclonus snickered but stopped when Megatron growled at him.
"Men, we will meet up with the Autobots. Thrust, you stay here, until I contact you. When the Autobots show the artifact, I'll contact you to get the child and bring her to us. I will kill her, with or without the Crest of Primus." Megatron ordered everyone, and the group departed, leaving Thrust to stay put and wait for the command.
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Now, before the screen zoomed in on the image of the Autobots, what the Decepticons didn't see was that there were two semi trucks, identical to each other, and that one of them departed to the left side of the area. That truck was Optimus Prime, while the other that stayed with the other Autobots was none other than Jetfire, disguised as him with the full-body image changer.
"Here they come. Remember Jetfire, stay in character. Anything unlike Optimus is enough to blow your cover." Red Alert reminded Jetfire.
"I have it under control." The second in command spoke in Optimus's voice, and no sooner had he spoke the Decepticons arrived, with their weapons ups, all except Megatron. The Decepticon leader stepped forward and stared at the disguised leader.
"You certainly haven't lost your touch, Optimus. Bringing your own men to keep you company as if I was going to destroy you if you were to come alone." He grinned.
"it is none of your concern. We have the Crest of Primus, now where is the child?" Jetfire in Optimus's voice said in anger.
"The child is of no use to me, but show proof that you have the relic and I will have her brought to you." Megatron ordered.
"Hot Shot," The fake Optimus commanded the young Autobot and Hot Shot came forward with a wrapped cloth containing the artifact. Megatron then had Demolisher take the cloth and examine the artifact.
"It's the Crest of Primus, just as we asked for, uh, what you asked for, my lord." Demolisher replied to Megatron.
"Let me see it!" He growled as he grabbed at the artifact, making Demolisher yelp and back up as he looked it over himself. It did look like the artifact; the texture was clean and smooth, the large crystal shining like a diamond. Maybe this was the Crest of Primus, and if so, Megatron was going to see if it was.
He chuckled as he held on to the artifact and looked up at the fake Prime. "I suppose you know of the Crest's power, Optimus. Why not prove it. Wear it and show me it's power...by destroying your men, and in return the child is yours."
The Autobots faked a look of surprise, for the knew that the artifact was not as it appeared to be. The Fake Prime replied by saying, "I shall, but, you must prove that the youngling is alive. Bring her out here, and I will do as you wish."
"Very well." Megatron smiled wickedly.
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Back at the base, Thrust stood along the wall, feeling very bored and tired. He sighed as he waited until he heard his com link activate and heard the voice of his commander.
-Thrust, the Autobots have the artifact. Bring the child, alive.- Megatron ordered from the com link and Thrust acknowledged.
"it's about time, I have been getting tired of hearing that little brat screaming her head off as much as anyone on this pit forsaken ship." Muttered Thrust as he left and entered the hallway that lead to the cell room, unaware that he was being followed.
As he came to the cell room, Thrust took out a small key that would unlock the lock, and turned the key, slowly opening the cell. The small, delicate figured of Maria sat in utter sadness and defeat, her head hung over and her optics faintly glowing.
"Wake up, youngling. Megatron is requesting your presence." Thrust ordered as he freed her from the chains and grabbed her arms and held her up and they moved out of the cell.
However, as they walked a couple steps, Maria felt one last once of strength in her, and she struggled to free herself.
"Stop fussing, you brat." Thrust said sternly.
"No! I won't go! Let me go, Squid Head!" Maria grunted as her hand curled into a fist and punched Thrust as hard as her strength could muster. She punched the Decepticon in the mid section. Thrust gasped and hitched, his breath knocked out of him.
After his breathing returned to normal, he looked at the femmling and snarled, "I've had just about enough!" He said and grabbed the child by her shoulders and tossed her against the wall, and she moaned and cried in pain. But her cries stopped as she gasped, for the barrel of Thrust's weapon was right in front of her face plate, and it was charging up to full power. "Alive or not, you are going even if I have to blow your face off!"
Just then, a horn blared through the cell room. Thrust turned but at that moment, he saw his face reflected off of the rims of a familiar semi truck, and was hit head on. It was Optimus Prime, in his vehicle mode, and he charged at Thrust as soon as the Decepticon pointed his gun at his adoptive daughter.
The impact was massive and hard, as Thrust was hit and was sent flying into the wall, leaving him implanted on the surface, his optics swirling in dizziness.
"Hi, mommy. I want a kiss for my boo boo." He said in a slurry, disoriented voice, as he then fall to the ground, face planting to the floor. He had fainted.
The red truck soon transformed and the proud figure of Optimus Prime stood before Maria, and she could hardly believe what she saw. Was she dreaming? A vision? She could not figure it out.
That is, until Optimus turned around, that she saw that gleam and shine in his optics, that told Maria that is was him, it was her new father.
"Daddy!" She shouted happily as she got to her pads and ran to him, and Optimus immediately ran to her and scooped her in his arms, hugging her and rocking her.
"Oh, Maria. Oh, Maria! You're okay. Oh, Maria!" Optimus said in happiness and utter relief as Maria pushed her face plate into his chest, rubbing her face plate in affection as tears fell from her optics.
"I thought you would never come!" Maria cried.
"Of course I would. I would never leave you. And it would not have been possible, if it weren't for your friend." Optimus said as he turned his head, and Maria's head followed. Coming to them was the mini-con, Swindle.
"What?" Maria was puzzled.
"Starscream had planted a communicator in his mini-con, so that he could tell us where the Crest of Primus was as well as the blue print of the full-body image changer. I may be here, but the one that Megatron is speaking with right now, is none other than Jetfire." Optimus exclaimed. Maria however, did not pay attention. She was much to happy at what was going on; Optimus Prime was here, and her friend, Starscream had helped her.
"Let's get out of here." Optimus said after a brief silence, but Maria stopped him.
"Wait. What about Starscream? He helped us, and is my friend. Shouldn't we free him?"
Optimus thought about this. Kind of think of it, Maria did have a point. Starscream did help out in almost all of what was happening. If it weren't for him, they would have never found the Crest of Primus, and Maria would have perished. But, he was a Decepticon. That was the problem. If he were to free him, Starscream might go back on his word and attack, or would he?
But, he just could not say 'no', when the optics of the little child looked at him, begging him.
"Very well. Let's see where he is." He said, and the mini-con, Swindle beeped and showed the way. The mini-con lead them to one cell and inside was Starscream, chained to the wall, and his mouth was covered with a slate of metal, almost like a gagged prisoner.
"Maria, get back." Optimus Prime told Maria and she and the mini-con backed up, and watched as Prime kneeled down on one knee joint, his hands holding each other, and he pulled them back, and to the childs amazement, rings of energy began to form around the Prime's hands. After about a second, Prime shot out his hands and the energy blasted forward and the cell walls were hit, destroyed.
Optimus Prime then entered the cell and used his strength to free Starscream from the chains, and removed the metal plate from the Decepticons mouth. All the while, he kept his gaze on him, making sure that the Decepticon Seeker would not attack him.
Surprisingly, Starscream did not reach over and unsheathed his sword, but, instead, he stood up and said, "Thank you."
"Starscream!" Maria giggled as she ran over to him and hugged him. Starscream only patted her head and a small smile was seen briefly on his face plate.
"No, Thank you, for everything." Optimus spoke to the Decepticon. Starscream only nodded.
"Now, we must evacuate. As soon as you return to your team, you can leave the moon and return to Earth safety." Starscream said.
"But, what about you? You should come with us. Sure, the others may not like it, but only when I tell them that.." Maria interrupted, but Starscream spoke up.
"I know what you are getting at, little one. But, I cannot. I only want you and your father safe, as well as your team. It may be several stellar cycles before I have the bolts to join you and your team. But," He said, as she held the youngling's cheek plate. "..I will think about you. I will never forget you." He finished, and kissed her cheek plate. Optimus was a bit hesitant at first, for he thought Starscream was going to harm the child, but the thought was gone when he heard the kiss.
Soon, the Decepticon, Autobot Leader, and youngling and mini-con left the cell room and made their way out of the base, but what they didn't know was that Thrust was waking up and had realized what had happened, and opened the com link, sending the message of the escape to Megatron.
(Maria is saved, and Starscream is going to help her and Optimus get out of the base. But, will they make it out alive? Will Megatron find out? And if so, what is to become of the Autobots? Find out in the big battle in the next chapter. Sparkling Lover out)