Hi everyone, thanks again for your patience. Here we are, kickstarting the Iacon Relic Hunt arc. Here we got eight relics, one chapter for each, and things are gonna be crazy in each of these simultaneous missions as the Autobots and Black Knights fight the Decepticons for the potential doomsday devices. Will the heroes be able to prevail and get a concrete advantage of their vile enemies? Or will Megatron have the means to wipe out all resistance on Earth and claim it as his own? Find out right now.
Tunnel Vision
"Alright, we have our teams assigned for all eight locations." Lelouch said, clad in his Zero armor, standing in the bridge of the Ark along with Optimus, Ratchet, Ohgi and Euphie. "I'm transmitting the assignments now." He inputted the information on a data-pad and sent it out to get everyone organized as quickly as possible.
"Euphemia, you will remain here to help monitor Horai Island." Optimus instructed the former Britannian Princess. "The military forces here are now under your direct command along with Kaguya should it come under attack by the enemy."
"I understand." Euphie nodded.
"Hey Lelouch, Optimus, are you guys sure about this?" Ohgi asked. "I mean, we're stretching our ranks pretty thin here."
"Ohgi may have a point." Ratchet agreed. "Even with military and political support from the EU and Chinese Federation, we have yet to organize our coalition. Our own Black Knight and Autobot forces remain at a grave disadvantage number wise."
"Unfortunately, we don't have a choice." Lelouch said. "Based on what we've seen with previous Iacon Relics, any one of them could tip the scales of this war in either favor."
"Indeed, under these circumstances, swiftness of action is paramount." Optimus added. "This is one race that we absolutely cannot afford to lose."
Meanwhile, the Nemesis continued to hover in the skies above Paris within the cloud cover, so they would not be spotted by any human eyes. However, that was among the least of Megatron's concerns as he spoke with Soundwave as well as Shockwave, via monitor screen, on the bridge of his warship.
"Dispatching multiple squadrons will enable us to pursue all eight coordinates simultaneously." Megatron said.
"I have already organized my own forces within the Geass Order and are ready to be deployed on your mark, Lord Megatron." Shockwave added.
The door opened to reveal Knock Out with a team of Decepticon miners behind him. "Sir, I have assembled the mining detail you requested for the first set of coordinates. Although, I must question the need to employ Springload for this. That delusional Amphiboid is more of a threat than an asset." Knock Out sighed. "This be so much easier of Breakdown was still here."
"This mission is critical." Megatron walked over to Knock Out. "Delusional or not, Springload's archeological abilities will help you to retrieve the relic! This is not up for debate and I will not tolerate any excuses! Do you understand me Knock Out?!"
Knock Out chuckled nervously, knowing this wasn't up for debate. "Explicitly… Lord Megatron."
"However, you are correct in the fact that the unfortunate loss of Breakdown has left you vulnerable." Megatron said. "So, you will require appropriate support."
"I already have an assigned unit prepared for Knock Out's detail." Shockwave revealed. "Dark Knight Unit Orange will be deployed to the first set coordinates."
"Orange, huh?" Knock Out mused. "Ironic how that Pro-Britannian idiot was what started this whole mess with the Autobots and Zero back in Area 11, now he's our little puppet."
"Yes, irony indeed." Megatron sneered.
Geass Order
"Yes… Yes… look at it!" Arkveille laughed as he, Madd, and Bartley gazed up at the newly upgraded Dark Siegfried. "We have taken all the data from our Headmasters' battles with the enemy and successfully created a fully functional cerebral network!"
"The fact that this particular pilot is a cyborg himself makes it quite easier." Madd added. "He can literally plug the Knightmare into his brain, making this unit faster and more perceptive than even that trashy Lancelot Asplund is so proud of."
"Y-Yes, it's quite an engineering feat." Bartley stuttered. "B-But, I think we should test more to ensure that it's d-development isn't…"
"There is no time for testing, Bartley." A familiar voice spoke from within the Dark Siegfried. "The mission assumes priority, so I will be going now."
Inside the Dark Siegfried's central cockpit unit, was none other than Jeremiah Gottwald, his arms and legs mechanical along with his right eye. All four of his limbs were connected to machines and sensors while a series of cables connected to his spine and the back of his head to the rest of the cockpit.
"The time has come for my revenge, and I will not be denied this time!" Jeremiah declared with his cybernetic eye glowing bright red.
Meanwhile, from a monitoring station above the Dark Galahad, Joseph Fenette watched as he clutched the locket in his pocket. A serious, yet nervous look, was on his face as he watched the Dark Siegfried's deployment.
'So much is riding on this… let's hope our gamble pays off.'
Horai Island
Zero stood on the shoulder of the Shinkiro alongside Optimus Prime as they addressed the majority of their forces outside, preparing them for their deployment.
"We have our teams assigned for the retrieval of the Iacon Relics." Zero began. "Alpha Team will consist of myself, Optimus, Kallen Kozuki, Kaname Ohgi, Suzaku Kururugui, and Elita-One, we'll be departing for Antarctica. Beta Team, which will go to Paris is made up of Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen with Milly Ashford, Rivalz Cardamone, and Shirley Fenette acting as a 'face-team'."
"Delta Team will consist of the entirety of the Black Wyverns unit, Strongarm, Grindcore, and Sideswipe. You will embark for Egypt." Optimus continued. "Gamma Team consists of Ultra Magnus, Jazz, Cornelia Li Britannia, Prowl, Gilbert Guilford, Monica Krushevsky and Chigusa, and they will venture into the heart of the Australian continent."
"Theta Team is the combined unit of the Black Dragon and Aerialbots, and you will head along the Chinese Federation's Great Wall." Zero continued. "Sigma Team will consist of the Crimson Knights, along with Ratchet, Wizard, and Orpheus Zevon, and you will be heading to the Alps."
"Omega Team will consist of Ironhide, Rai Kururugui, Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Nonette Enneagram, Shinichiro Tamaki, Chromia, Warpath, and Hot Shot, all of whom will be heading for a small volcanic island on the Equator." Optimus began to wrap up. "Zeta Team will consist only of Grimlock, Cera, and Alice. You will be deployed to the ruined city of Chernobyl in the EU."
"Do everything you can to retrieve the Relics." Zero instructed. "If you are unable to retrieve them, then destroy them. We cannot risk them falling into enemy hands. Move out!"
With that, multiple Groundbridge portals began to open as the assigned teams began to depart. Most of the teams were already gone, save for Alpha and Beta. Zero quickly flew down from his Knightmare to address his three friends of the former Student Council who would be assigned with Beta.
"Remember, you three will be acting as 'face-men'." Zero told them. "Though the Autobots and Black Knights are well-known world-wide, we cannot risk civilians getting involved in this operation."
"Don't worry Lelouch, we'll run interference to make sure nobody gets in the way." Milly assured.
"Why do we have to go with the Robots in Disguise route again?" Rivalz asked. "Wouldn't the Cons have already blown a hole in Paris to get this Relic thing?"
"No, the Nemesis has already left the city." Zero replied. "More than likely they're using the subway tunnels."
"Makes things easier for us, I suppose." Arcee said with a shrug.
"Aren't those tunnels where they bury dead human bodies?" Smokescreen asked.
"No, but I have heard from Leila that the subway tunnels may be connected to the catacombs, but that's not important." Zero said before his mask opened, revealing his face before he addressed the brunette of the group. "Shirley, are you sure you want to go along with this mission?"
"I'm sure." She nodded.
"Because I need to know if your head is in this." Lelouch said. "Don't take this the wrong way, I'm happy for you, knowing that your father is alive. But right now, this mission takes priority. If you can't focus on it…"
"Lulu, it's okay." Shirley held up her hand to stop him, giving an assuring smile. "Trust me, I'm here one-hundred percent."
Lelouch felt somewhat unsure, but they were short on time, so he chose to accept it. "Alright, I trust you." He nodded.
"Wait, I'm coming too!" Lelouch and most of Beta Team looked in surprise to see Nunnally running toward them with Sayoko right behind her.
"Nunnally?!" Rivalz exclaimed. "Y-You're coming?!"
"No, she is not." Lelouch insisted, narrowing his eyes toward his sister.
"Yes, I am!" Nunnally insisted back. "Lelouch, I know you're only trying to protect me, but I can help them!"
"You are not a soldier!" Lelouch stated.
"Neither are they!" Nunnally gestured to Shirley, Milly, and Rivalz. "I can also help them run interference to protect Bumblebee and the other Autobots. I promise, I'm not going to get involved in any fights."
"I was against this at first, as well, Lord Lelouch." Sayoko said. "But your sister was very insistent and would not take 'no' for an answer. So I will be there to ensure that nothing happens to her."
"I… I still don't…" Having Nunnally with them during their time in the EU was one thing; but sending her into a potential battle did not sit right with Lelouch.
"[Okay, about this? If the worst happens, I'll grab her and call for a Groundbridge and bring her right back, alright?]" Bumblebee offered, causing Lelouch to look up in surprise. "[She is your sister, Lelouch. Pretty sure she'll find a way to get involved even if you say no.]"
"And we'll help watch over her too." Milly added. "So, you can turn the 'overprotective big brother' switch off."
"Yeah, don't worry buddy, we got her back." Rivalz also said.
"She'll be safe with us, Lelouch. Promise." Shirley said.
Lelouch at first looked up toward Arcee and Smokescreen, the former shrugging her shoulders while the later just seemed to flow with it with a shrug of his own. He then glanced back to Optimus, hoping for some advice. But one look in the Prime's optics was enough to tell Lelouch that they didn't have any time to debate this.
"Alright." Lelouch relented, causing Nunnally to smile brightly, right before he pointed toward her face. "But, if something happens, you come right back! Do you understand?"
"I understand." Nunnally nodded with a smile.
Lelouch then glanced down toward Nunnally's legs, underneath her casual dress of civilian attire were her Cybertronian leg-braces that were probably almost finished healing her legs by this point.
"Those will come off soon." He said to his sister. "Just… Make sure you don't loose them again… or more…"
Nunnally leapt up to wrap her arms around her brother's neck in a hug. "I promise Big Brother, I won't do anything you wouldn't do, or that you would do." She joked, causing him to chuckle as he hugged her back before she pulled away and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Lelouch." Optimus got his attention. "We need to go."
"I know." The young revolutionary nodded back as his Zero mask went back up before flying back into the Shinkiro, powering it up and departing with Optimus, Elita, the Guren, the Lancelot, and the Gawain Nerion, right as Beta Team and their additional two members left as well.
Paris
A single Groundbridge portal opened in an alleyway between two buildings in Paris, allowing the vehicle modes of Bumblebee, Arcee, and Smokescreen to exit with their human companions before driving out into the street. Rivalz rode on Arcee with a helmet on while Nunnally sat in Bumblebee's passenger seat with Sayoko in the driver's seat, and Milly and Shirley sat in Smokescreen's driver and passenger seats respectively. Seeing how they were undercover like their Autobot friends, the four of the five humans were wearing casual clothes to better blend in.
Rivalz wore a black jacket with a white shirt underneath and blue jeans and black shoes. Shirley had a pink sleeveless shirt, a white skirt and white sandals. Milly wore a casual blue blouse over a light blue knee-high dress and white heels. Nunnally had a green dress with white sleeves, the helm stretching down to her ankles where she had white flats on her feet. Sayoko, however, appeared to have a trench coat over whatever it was she chose to wear for this mission that could not be seen underneath.
As the three disguised Autobots drove casually through the streets, effectively blending in, Nunnally couldn't help but look in amazement at the Europia capital, this being the first time she's seen it. Despite it undergoing construction and repairs, she was still in awe.
"Wow… this city… it's so beautiful!" Nunnally looked in awe.
"Looks like it's been through the wringer though." Rivalz pointed out.
"There was a riot here, courtesy of Steeljaw." Arcee reminded.
"But Leila was able to calm everyone down and get them to stop." Shirley recalled. "I even heard she even convinced the EU government to shut down the ghettos and provide the refugees with proper shelter."
"Yep, the Great Leila Breisgau!" Milly said dramatically. "She's pretty much the face of Europia now. I wouldn't be surprised if she was elected as its new leader once this was all over. Assuming she and Akito don't have plans of their own." She said with a teasing smirk.
"Why isn't Leila here?" Smokescreen asked. "Isn't this her hometown?"
"[She was sent with Akito and the others because their team is better suited for combat and we're trying not to cause a scene.]" Bumblebee answered.
"Yeah, having someone as famous as Leila here would definitely draw attention." Shirley agreed.
"So, let's focus on getting underground and finding that relic before the Cons do." Arcee got them back on track.
"But how are we gonna do that without being seen?" Smokescreen asked.
Sayoko glanced around for a possible solution and appeared to have found one. "Over there." She lowered Bumblebee's window, pointing toward a nearby construction site. The group drove closer, finding an opening that led into the underground subway tunnels.
"Construction." Milly smiled. "A fact of life in the big city."
The group was able to successfully infiltrate the underground subway system and began to traverse through the tunnels, the three Autobots now in their natural Cybertronian forms as there appeared to be no civilians in sight at the moment.
However, Shirley quickly noticed Smokescreen about to step onto the third rail of one subway line. "Smokescreen, stop!" She quickly stopped him, just as his foot was less than a few feet above the rail, where a small spark of electricity emitted from the rail and lightly touched Smokescreen's foot.
"What is it? Some kind of land mine?" The Autobot rookie asked.
"No, it's the third rail." Shirley explained. "It carries electricity to power the subway trains."
"One touch and zap! You're fried!" Milly said for emphasis.
"Okay… watch where you step… got it." Smokescreen said somewhat nervously as he carefully stepped over and around the rail, avoiding touching it.
"Perhaps however it could be useful." Sayoko said.
"What makes you say that?" Arcee asked.
"Under the right circumstances, anything can be a weapon." Sayoko said, causing Rivalz to look at her with awe.
"Hey, I didn't get a chance to ask before but… are you one of those lady ninjas?"
"The term you're looking for is a 'kunoichi' and yes, I have received their training." Sayoko confirmed.
"Nunnally, you have the coolest maid/bodyguard on the planet!" Rivalz praised.
"Well, present company excluded, of course." The young girl said, smiling up toward Bumblebee.
"[Oh? So, I'm a maid, huh?]" Bee joked.
"Change those yellow stripes to white and you'd look the part." Nunnally joked back.
"Pretty sure though we won't be able to find a dress big enough for him." Shirley added in on the joke, causing the group to laugh; save for Arcee, though she did smile and shake her head in amusement.
The Decepticon mining drill continued to burrow its way through the stone wall, with Knock Out and Springload monitoring the progress as the drill pulled away and allowed the Mining Vehicons to enter the hole.
"Could we please, pick up the pace?" Knock Out urged. "The humidity down here is threatening to corrode my undercarriage." He dusted his precious paintjob, only to gasp in surprise as Springload leapt to him.
"We cannot rush this delicate operation!" Springload exclaimed, getting into the red Decepticon's face. "This relic could be the key to finding Doradus, and I will not tolerate any interference in my quest!" He then leapt back to the site to monitor the Vehicons work. "Be warned, should this relic suffer damage, the spirits of Dorados will not be pleased, and I shall extend their wrath to you personally!"
Knock Out rolled his eyes. "Why Megatron choose to recruit him, I shall never know." A large shadow loomed over him, causing him to turn to the giant robotic form of the Dark Siegfried, which stood at twice his height, rivaling that of even Grimlock. "Must you hover?!"
"I must ensure the acquisition of the Relic, as per Shockwave's instructions." Jeremiah said from inside.
"Then go scout the area, make sure the Autobots and their Black Knight buddies don't get in the way." Knock Out told him, waving his hand as he turned around. Anything to get this annoyance out of his way.
Within the cockpit, a smirk formed on Jeremiah's face. "As you wish." The Dark Siegfried transformed into its Knight Giga Fortress Mode, resembling a hovering sphere with spikes along its sides. The spikes rotated as the Dark Siegfried moved further into the tunnels.
Meanwhile, the team of Autobots and Black Knights continued to make their way through the subway systems, but have so far encountered nothing as Arcee held the device in her hand to guide the way.
"How long have we been down here?" Rivalz asked. "Feels like we've been walking in circles."
"Yeah, we gotta be close by now, right?" Smokescreen also asked.
"Triangulating the coordinates is one thing but figuring out how to reach them through this maze is another." Arcee said.
"Wait, stop!" Sayoko raised her hand, halting the group. "Does anyone hear that?"
They all tried to listen for whatever kind of sound Sayoko may have heard, but Nunnally was the first to pick it up. The sound of echoed drilling. "I hear it… It sounds like drilling."
"We gotta be close, but where is it?" Shirley asked.
Bumblebee glanced backwards, finding a smaller maintenance pathway that led from their subway tunnel to another on the other side. "[Over here!]"
"It's coming from down there." Milly observed.
"It's too small for us to fit through." Arcee said.
"For you guys maybe, but we can scout ahead." Nunnally replied, referring to herself and her friends.
"[Nunnally…]" Bee tried to speak.
"Only scouting, and we'll let you know if we find something. I promise." Nunnally assured.
"I'll make sure they don't get into trouble." Sayoko said, stepping up. "You have my word."
"It does sound like the Cons have already started digging, so they got a major head start on us. I say we let them." Smokescreen said.
Arcee and Bumblebee exchanged eye-contact and they both knew they probably had no choice. "Fine. But you only scout, got it?" Arcee told the kids.
"Aye-aye, ma'am!" Rivalz saluted.
"No trouble from us at all." Milly added as the five humans entered the smaller tunnel.
It didn't take long for the group to reach the other side and into the adjacent subway tunnel, but it was incredibly dark and almost impossible for the group to see.
"I can't see anything!" Rivalz said. "Anyone got a flashlight on them?!"
Suddenly, a massive light shined down on the group, causing them to squint before they all looked up with a gasp to see the hovering Dark Siegfried, still in its Knight Giga Fortress mode looming over them.
"Is that better?" The pilot inside asked.
"Hang on… doesn't that voice sound familiar?" Shirley asked.
Milly gasped as she recognized it. "Yeah, it's from that Pureblood who tried to frame Suzaku way back when!"
"My name is Jeremiah Gottwald!" The cybernetic pilot inside said as he saw each of the five people through his eye and optic plugged into the Knightmare. He happened to recognize the brunette girl. 'Shirley Fenette… what are the odds I'd find you here? Your father's hunch of being with the Black Knights was spot on, it seems.' His eyes then set on the youngest of the group, but the second they did, his eyes widened, pupils shrinking as his face wavered with absolute shock.
"That face… Those eyes…" He had seen those features before. From a beautiful woman with raven black hair and violet eyes, and her adorable little girl with sandy brown hair and those same eyes. From a time that had long past, from a person he'd never thought he'd ever see again.
'Princess… Nunnally…'
A series of Energon guns appeared all across the Dark Siegfried's body and opened fire in all directions, creating smoke and chaos as the group screamed, trying to run back and find cover in the tunnel they came by.
"Let's get out of here!" Rivalz exclaimed.
However, a hatch in the front of the Dark Siegfried opened as something shot out from it. It landed with a thud in the middle of the group, breaking them apart and scattering them throughout the dust cloud.
Nunnally coughed and waved the dust away as she laid on the ground, only to gasp as she saw the cybernetic Jeremiah standing in front of her, gazing down at her with a seemingly stoic expression, though his eyes continued to shake as he saw her.
Her screams caught everyone's attention as Sayoko, Shirley, Rivalz, and Milly saw the dust clear, revealing Jeremiah holding the struggling Nunnally in his arms. "Stop! Let me go!" She exclaimed as he leapt back up into the open cockpit of the Dark Siegfried, which quickly closed with both of them inside.
"Nunnally!" Shirley exclaimed as Sayoko was the first to run forward, throwing away her trench coat to reveal her current attire. She was dressed almost completely in black, like a professional kunoichi with silver armored shoulder pads, arm and leg braces, and the Autobot-Black Knight emblem engraved on both shoulder pads. She leapt toward the Dark Siegfried, pulling a kunai to jam it into the cockpit and force it open, but an electrical surge shocked her off, knocking her down where Milly and Rivalz attempted to catch her, only to be knocked down.
The Dark Siegfried spun its spikes again as it dug its way through the wall near the pathway they had just emerged from.
Arcee, Smokescreen, and Bumblebee were caught by surprise as the Dark Siegfried emerged from the wall. Before the three Autobots had a chance to react, it shot its way toward them, forcing them to dodge and skid across the ground as the Dark Siegfried flew further away.
"Guys! Guys!" Milly called for the Bots as she and her friends ran out from the hole the Dark Siegfried made.
"What in the scrap was that?!" Smokescreen questioned.
"It's that Jeremiah guy from the Purebloods!" Milly exclaimed. "And he took Nunnally!"
"[What?!]" Bumblebee exclaimed.
"Orange boy again?!" Arcee also questioned. "How many times do we have to get rid of that guy?!"
"We'll go get her…" Smokescreen tried to speak, but Sayoko interrupted him.
"No, you'll retrieve the Relic, we'll rescue Nunnally!" The kunoichi stated.
"You kids, against that?!" Arcee questioned. "Not happening! We're calling reinforcements!"
"No, we don't have time!" Shirley shouted. "How about this? Bee, you said you would help watch over Nunnally, right? So you help us get her back! Arcee and Smokescreen, you guys go through that hole he made and get the Relic! If we move now, we can get both of them! So, no arguing! Not now!"
The entire group, including her former classmates, looked toward Shirley in surprise. She was so direct and firm in her tone that it almost sounded like she was ordering them, in fact, that's probably exactly what she was doing. And they all knew she was right; time was not on their side and they stood a better chance if they split up. Milly found herself smirking toward Shirley with pride.
"[Alright, let's go.]" Bee said as he transformed, honking his horn as all four of his car doors opened.
"Well, you all heard the lady! Let's get going!" Milly directed as she, Shirley, Rivalz, and Sayoko quickly got into Bumblebee's vehicle mode before the blonde looked up at the two remaining Autobots. "Leave Nunnally and Orange boy to us. Most of us may not be fighters, but we got a few tricks up our sleeve. Just you wait." She smiled and gave a thumbs up before the door closed and Bee drove off with his passengers inside.
"Are we sure about this?" Smokescreen asked Arcee. "I get Bee and even that ninja-lady, but those kids…"
"They're not kids, anymore." Arcee said, feeling a sense of pride in each of them. "They're Black Knights. They got their job, and we got ours. Let's move."
Back with the Decepticons, the Miners had managed to clear away a large portion of debris to reveal the Relic they had been sent to retrieve.
"Well? Let me see it already!" Knock Out ordered. They stepped aside to allow Knock Out to see the container that had been used to transport the Relic off Cybertron, with the potential weapon of mass destruction still inside.
However, Arcee and Smokescreen had also arrived on the scene, hiding behind the wall that was around the corner of the intersecting tunnel, both Autobots had their Energon blasters primed and ready.
"Lock and load." Arcee said in a whisper.
"PILLAGERS!" Something shot down from the ceiling above to kick back Arcee and Smokescreen, revealing it to Springload. "The unworthy shall never claim Doradus!" He shot his tongue at them, forcing them to separate as his corrosive saliva melted the ground they were standing on before they opened fire on the crazed Amphiboid, who leapt along the walls and ceiling to avoid the Energon blasts.
The resulting firefight alerted Knock Out and the Vehicons, causing them to run back into the main subway tunnel to see the scuffle. Smokescreen continued to shoot at Springload as he leapt up to the ceiling and leapt down to deliver a kick and knock the rookie Autobot back. Arcee tried to grab a hold of him from above, wrapping one arm around his neck as she drew her blade in her other arm, but Springload leapt upward, crashing Arcee into the ceiling and forcing her to let go before he landed on the ground.
"Attack, already!" Knock Out ordered the Vehicons, who ran to join the fight in response.
Arcee noticed the incoming Decepticons. "I'll get the Relic!"
"I got this guy!" Smokescreen replied as he opened fire at Springload again, who leapt backwards to avoid the blasts. "Hold still, you jumpy little…!"
Arcee ran toward the Vehicons as they opened fire on her, but she was quick to avoid the blasts while she returned fire herself. She gunned one Vehicon down, jumping from his falling body to land a kick to the face of the second with enough force to cave his whole head in before rushing the final Vehicon to decapitate it with a slice of her arm blades, flipping and landing on her feet.
However, this also left her open for Knock Out to strike her from behind with a slice from his buzzsaw. "You have lovely features. Perfect for a little procedure I call the 'nip and tuck'!" He lunged his saw at her again, but Arcee swerved around to deliver a kick to his back, one strong enough to knock him into the wall.
"Dodge and kick." Arcee smirked before running into the tunnel to find the unearthed Relic. She tried to grab the container and pull it out, but it seemed stuck in its place.
Springload shot his tongue out again, but Smokescreen dodged it as the tongue hit and took down a light on the wall, causing it to flicker and add some dramatic effect onto the scene. Springload leapt to deliver a headbutt to Smokescreen, knocking him into the wall. Smoke moved to dodge a kick that would have likely caved his chest in and was able to deliver a punch to Springload's face and push him down. But, right as Smokescreen made an advance, Springload pulled back his rear legs and struck them both at Smokescreen, sending him crashing and skidding along the ceiling before falling to the ground, being knocked unconscious in the process.
Arcee tried her hardest to yank the container out, but it still wouldn't budge. She gave a sudden, pain-inducing yell, as Knock Out jammed his electric prod into her back, shocking her and knocking her unconscious as well.
"Shock and drop."
Meanwhile, the Dark Siegfried was parked outside a tunnel that led into the ancient catacombs throughout Paris' underground. Nunnally was dropped on the ground, where she backed away as Jeremiah stood forward. She tried to put on a brave face but being alone with a dangerous cyborg who endangered her friends, combined with the fact she was in a dark tunnel that was lined with hundreds of human skulls, was enough to make anyone more than a little nervous.
"The Catacombs of Paris." Jeremiah began. "A tomb underneath the EU capital where thousands upon thousands were laid to rest. It's rather small, perfect for us to have a conversation without being interrupted by any Autobots or Decepticons."
"What do you want with me?" Nunnally questioned, standing up as she glared defiantly at her captor.
"I have questions that I would like answers to." Jeremiah replied.
"I'm not telling you anything!" She would never sell out any information about her brother and friends.
"You misunderstand, this is not an interrogation." Jeremiah spoke in a civil term. "I merely have honest questions that I would like answers to… Princess Nunnally vi Britannia."
Her eyes narrowed. "Let me guess, you want to know why a member of the old Royal Family is working with the Autobots and Black Knights, enemies of the old Britannia?"
"That is one question, yes." Jeremiah confirmed. "But my first one, is how you are able to walk and see again? The last time I saw you, you were confined to a wheelchair and traumatized with blindness. Your condition was so extreme, not even the most advance Britannian medical sciences could restore what you lost."
"That's not your concern." The former princess replied.
Jeremiah's cyborg eye lit up as he began to scan her and noticed what was attached to her legs. "I see… Cybertronian nanotechnology, being used to repair the damage to your legs and rebuilding the fatigued muscles from their lack of use these past eight years. Not too different from the technology currently inside me, but unlike with you, my body isn't healing but rather being used as a living weapon. I suppose that is the fundamental difference between the Autobots and the Decepticons. But still, why would they go out of their way to heal a member of the Royal Family even though they declared war on her father?"
"If I'm being honest, I stopped considering that man my father the second he banished my brother and I, throwing us away like we meant nothing." Nunnally said. "I may not celebrate his death or anything, but I am glad he's gone, knowing he can never hurt anyone else I love ever again! Optimus Prime has been the one who has been like a father to me!"
Surprisingly, Jeremiah remained composed. One would think such a declaration against the late Britannian Emperor would send a Pureblood into a fury. "The way you talk of your brother suggests he is alive, is it true? Does Lelouch vi Britannia still live?" Nunnally remained silent, glaring even further. "You're not denying it, so I must be correct. Has he sided with the Black Knights and Autobots as well?"
"Why would I ever tell anything to you, after what you did to Suzaku!?" Nunnally exclaimed. "You framed him! You would have had him killed for a crime he didn't commit!"
All her shouts, not just from Jeremiah's actions against Suzaku, but even her own disdain toward her late father were from her own inner anger. Despite smiling during the time, she was confined to a wheelchair, and the happy times she had with her brother, there was indeed anger and resentment buried underneath, just like her older brother. She was angry at her father for banishing her and Lelouch, she was angry at whoever took their beloved mother away from them, she was angry at most of the world for their non-stop fighting and bloodshed, countless people dying every day because they couldn't find the time to sit down and talk things out and spearheading it all was Britannia. She only kept her anger inside because she didn't want to burden her brother with it, even though she knew he felt exactly the same way. But now, she and Lelouch and so many other people are working to fix the world and make it better, and she would do everything she can to see that it happens, and they can all be truly happy again.
"I don't care what you do to me, I am never going to tell you anything!" Nunnally said with determination. "I'll help stop Megatron and build the kind of world that he and Britannia would never even dream of creating! A world where we can all live in peace and happiness!"
Before Jeremiah had a chance to even reply, a series of smoke bombs were thrown, creating a smokescreen around the pair. As Nunnally covered her face, she felt some arms around her.
"Nunnally, it's okay. It's us." She heard Milly's voice, revealing it to be her, Shirley, and Rivalz.
"We're getting you out of here! Let's go!" Rivalz said as the three led Nunnally through the smoke and out of the catacombs.
"Don't think a simple smokescreen will be enough to stop me." Jeremiah's cybernetic eye converted his vision to infrared, but the only thing he saw as an incoming foot to his face that knocked him back. The smoke began to clear to reveal Sayoko running directly at him, drawing a kunai to jam at him, but an arm-blade from his right arm appeared to parry that kunai, seemingly leaving him vulnerable for her to drive a second kunai into his shoulder, but all it impacted was metal. He swung his blade at her, but she jumped backwards to get some distance.
"You're more machine than man, I see." Sayoko observed.
"And I have Shockwave to thank for that." Jeremiah's second arm produced another arm-blade as he readied himself for a fight as Sayoko charged him, kunai in both her hands, clashing and parrying blades rapidly.
"Cyborg or not, your exposed human parts are vulnerable!" Sayoko tried to strike at whatever human vital part she could find, but Jeremiah was quick to anticipate and block each of her strikes, save for both her feet that struck his face to push him back.
"Your skill in martial arts is impressive." Jeremiah granted her. "But it won't impede Jeremiah Gottwald."
"Save your flattery!" Sayoko tried to rush him again, but as he swung his arm-blades, she ducked and slid underneath his legs before running toward the exit of the catacombs, prompting Jeremiah to give chase.
However, the second he entered the subway tunnels again, he was forced to jump backwards to avoid the Energon blasts shot at him by Bumblebee. "Accursed Autobot." He growled as he ran back towards his stationary Dark Siegfried, quickly leaping into its cockpit, where the plugs and mechanical parts all automatically attached to him, the Knight Giga Fortress re-activating. He glared through the outer optics at Bumblebee, before zooming behind him to see the glaring Shirley, Sayoko, Milly, and Rivalz, all surrounding Nunnally.
"Tell me, Autobot. Do you consider yourself worthy to protect Lady Nunnally?" Jeremiah questioned Bumblebee specifically.
"He knows about you?" Shirley looked toward Nunnally in surprise.
"Yeah, he must have recognized me." The former princess confirmed.
"Answer me, Autobot!" Jeremiah demanded.
"He's a far better friend to her than someone like you!" Rivalz exclaimed, pointing to Jeremiah.
The pilot of the Dark Siegfried glanced briefly at the student before looking directly into Bumblebee's narrowed optics. Even though they were different species, Jeremiah recognized the expression on the Autobot scout's face. The expression that silently said this Autobot would lay down his very life to keep those around him safe, particularly Nunnally. He didn't quite understand at the time he first encountered the Autobots, but now he did. These were not metal monstrosities, but true warriors. He was too blind by his own personal vendetta and bigotry to realize it, but no longer.
"You are named Bumblebee, correct?" Jeremiah addressed the scout as the Dark Siegfried transformed into its large humanoid appearance. "I, Jeremiah Gottwald, challenge you to a duel! Let me see for myself if you are truly worthy of protecting the princess!"
Bumblebee stood straight, glancing back toward the humans, to Nunnally in particular. He gave her an assuring nod before drawing his katana, facing the Dark Siegfried directly and making a hand gesture to bring it on.
Jeremiah smirked before seven slash harkens fired from the Dark Siegfried's chest all at once, but Bumblebee slashed at the three on the left with his katana, avoiding the remaining four as he moved in closer to slice at its right leg, but the Dark Siegfried stepped back to avoid the swing just as it threw its right fist toward Bee, but he swerved around the strike and slashed at the legs, bringing the Dark Siegfried down. However, Jeremiah was not out yet as he moved quickly to strike Bumblebee with a swipe of the Dark Siegfried's right arm knock Bee down to the ground.
"Bumblebee!" Shirley cried out as she and her friends continued to watch the fight.
However, Bumblebee quickly recovered and rolled out of the way of a stomp from the enemy Knightmare, running backwards while keeping his optics trained on his opponent.
'I see what he's doing. He wants me to follow him and keep the princess and her friends out of harm's way. Very perceptive.' Jeremiah thought, sounding impressed before advancing on the smaller Autobot. He swung the Dark Siegfried's fists at Bumblebee, but he was swift to dodge all the strikes, swinging his katana at the Knightmare's side and causing some damage, but the Dark Siegfried quickly reacted to catch the katana Bee tried to thrust it forward. Jeremiah threw the weapon away before kicking Bumblebee into the wall, the Scout appearing knocked out.
The Dark Siegfried walked over and picked Bumblebee up by the arm. "Is that truly all you can do? I may have overestimated you." Jeremiah said, sounding disappointed. But Bumblebee was only faking it as he quickly brought his Energon blaster to fire a charged shot into the right shoulder joint, forcing the Dark Siegfried to let Bee go and allowing the black and yellow scout to rush the Knightmare and deck a series of punches across its body before delivering a cartwheel kick to its head unit and knock it back before Bee fired more shots directly into the right shoulder he already damaged and weakened, causing it to break and fall off
Jeremiah grunted, feeling the loss limb of his own Knightmare, like his own right arm had just gone limp. But despite that, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Feigning defeat to exploit a potential weakness… Now that's more like it!" Jeremiah grinned.
"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Rivalz cheered.
"Show him whose boss, Bumblebee!" Milly also cheered.
"You got this, Bee!" Shirley cheered as well.
However, while Nunnally was happy to see Bumblebee doing so well, she couldn't help but get this odd feeling about Jeremiah. Based on what she heard, he had been transformed into an obedient cyborg in service of the Decepticons, but based on her interaction with him, he seemed to have a will of his own. Even now, this fight seemed more like a test than an actual fight to the death. Just what was it that Jeremiah was planning? What did he hope to gain from this?
Bee quickly recovered his downed katana as the downed Dark Siegfried tried to close the gap, but as it tried to strike with its only available arm, Bumblebee rolled underneath its legs before thrusting his katana into the back of its left knee, slicing to completely sever the joint and bring the large Knightmare down on its knees. Acting quickly, Bumblebee impaled the katana into the back of the Dark Siegfried's head, effectively shutting it down as he pulled out his sword and watched the enemy Knightmare collapse.
"Dude, Bumblebee! Way to go!" Rivalz cheered. "Way to show Orange whose boss!"
"Wait." Sayoko stopped all celebrations. "It's not over yet"
The cockpit hissed open as the cybernetic Jeremiah stepped out, landing on the ground where Bumblebee aimed his Energon blasters directly at him, and Sayoko had her kunai prepared, standing in front of Nunnally.
"Guy's as stubborn as rock, I'll give him that." Milly commented.
"Lady Nunnally…. I must know… where is your brother? Where is Lelouch vi Britannia?" Jeremiah questioned.
"What do you want with Lulu?!" Shirley exclaimed, standing in front of Nunnally as well. "What does he have to do with this?!" She did her best to hide his identity as Zero.
"Is he with the Black Knights and Autobots too?" Jeremiah continued to question. "Why would you two betray your homeland? Your distaste for the late Emperor was one thing, but to make an enemy out of him… out of the most powerful man in the world…"
"Because my brother is Zero!" Nunnally shouted, causing Jeremiah to gasp as everyone else looked to her in surprise. If he was so dead set on knowing, she might as well tell him. They've already disabled his Knightmare so they could take him prisoner. "It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. Our mother was murdered, and he didn't do a thing to stop it! He threw us away and left us to die!"
"I know… I remember because I was there too." Jeremiah revealed.
Nobody expected that; not Shirley, not Rivalz, not Milly, not Sayoko, not Bumblebee, and especially not Nunnally.
"[What?!]" Bee bleeped in surprise.
"Y-You were there…?" Nunnally stuttered.
"My first assignment, to guard her… Lady Marianne… Whom I loved and respected!" He fell to his own knees, his frustration over his past failure coming to the surface. "But I failed to carry through with that loyalty! I just wasn't able to protect her!"
"That must be why he founded the Purebloods…" Milly said in realization.
"Lady Nunnally… everything is becoming clear now…" An emotional smile formed on Jeremiah's face. "Your brother… Master Lelouch… became Zero for your sake and your mother's sake… didn't he?"
"W-Wait, is he crying?!" Rivalz questioned as he saw tears in Jeremiah's only organic eye flowing down his face.
"Why…? Why are you…?" Nunnally didn't know what to say to any of this. "What are you trying to do?"
"I don't serve Megatron… I follow only one… It's Lady Marianne." Jeremiah continued to cry in relief. "I may have failed her… but I won't fail her children!" He quickly produced his right arm-blade and used it to impale himself in the side.
Everyone gasped at that, even Bumblebee's optics widened in shock as Jeremiah painfully wrenched his blade out to pull out some sort of Cybertronian orb-like device, which he grabbed with his free hand and crushed it in his mechanical grip, before falling to his hands and knees, holding his wound as a blood-Energon hybrid like fluid leaked out from his wound.
"What did you just do?!" Shirley exclaimed.
"Look toward the stars as we have done…" Jeremiah grunted, causing Shirley's eyes to widen as her pupils shook emotionally. "That was the message your father passed on to Anya Alstreim, who passed it on to your friends, and now I pass that same message from him to you… Shirley Fenette."
Everyone looked toward Shirley as her body quaked and shook. "M-My father… how do you…?"
"He is held captive in the Geass Order…" Jeremiah began to explain as he pushed himself to stand up on his own two feet. "As you already know… I have been turned into a cyborg by the Decepticon scientist named Shockwave and made into an obedient drone. However,… Joseph Fenette was able to help restore my free-will and we worked with young Anya to devise a plan to not only escape… but cripple Shockwave's entire operation. I know where to find the Geass Order, as well as all the Thought Elevators under Decepticon control."
"But what did you just rip out? Was it like your power core or something?" Rivalz questioned.
"Something like that." Jeremiah continued. "You could say it was my mechanical heart, but it also carried a signal that showed Shockwave my location, no matter where on Earth I'd be. However, in addition to restoring my free will, Joseph was able to install a back-up core to keep my systems functioning, one that wasn't connected to the Decepticon network."
"[I get it… you want the Decepticons to think you're dead.]" Bumblebee said. "[This way, we can get a surprise attack on the Geass Order and the Thought Elevators.]"
"Exactly." Jeremiah confirmed.
"Wait, how do you understand Bumblebee?" Rivalz asked.
"My implants allow me to understand even Cybertronian code." Jeremiah replied, he turned to look directly at Nunnally, who still seemed unsure with this whole development. "Lady Nunnally… I understand that my previous actions, especially before I was turned into a weapon against my will, were dishonorable and heinous. I won't ask for your forgiveness, but I swear to you… if you will allow me… I will serve you and your brother with the utmost of loyalty and respect." He kneeled before her, much to her shock and that of all her friends. "Though I am far unworthy compared to the Autobot who stands before me, I will give anything and everything to see your dream of a better world fulfilled, even at the cost of my own life."
Nunnally really had no idea what to say. She could tell that every word he spoke was the truth, perhaps it was a natural ability that developed with her during her time when she was blind and confined to a wheelchair, or perhaps it was a special kind of intuition she shared with her brother and further grown by the influence of Optimus. But she knew that he meant everything he said. If it was all true, not only could they learn the location of the Geass Order and all the Thought Elevators, striking a decisive blow to the Decepticons, but they may even be able to rescue Shirley's father. For that reason, she decided to trust him.
"Jeremiah, right?" Nunnally walked toward him as he lifted his head to look at her in the eyes. "If you're serious about helping us, then help us with our mission now. Help us get the Iacon Relic, and then we can talk."
"I understand, and I thank you for this chance, your majesty." Jeremiah bowed his head humbly.
"Lady Nunnally, are you sure about this?" Sayoko asked.
"Yeah, maybe he's still programed, and this could be a Decepticon trap." Rivalz added.
"But he knew the message… my father's message! The same one Anya told us!" Shirley stated. "I don't think this is a trap!"
"I don't think it is either." Milly agreed. "Plus, if he's right… we could get a major victory over the Cons!"
Nunnally glanced up toward Bumblebee, wondering what he would have to say. Though the Autobot scout was unsure if he could trust Jeremiah, he knew he could trust Nunnally. So with a serious expression, Bumblebee gave a single nod in confirmation.
"Alright." Nunnally said, offering Jeremiah a hand, which he graciously accepted and stood up. "First things first, who are the Decepticons with you?"
"Aside from the mining detail, there are two to be concerned of." Jeremiah explained. "The Decepticon scientist and medic, Knock Out; and a delusional Amphiboid named Springload."
"We already know Knock Out, but who exactly is this Springload?" Shirley asked.
"A Decepticon who is obsessed with finding something called Dorados." Jeremiah answered.
"Dora-what?" Rivalz asked.
"[Dorados.]" Bumblebee answered. "[A mythological Cybertronian land and home to the Fountain of Energon, granting eternal power and energy to whoever finds it.]"
"Sounds like a real Atlantis." Milly commented.
"Springload however believes it to be real and has allowed his mental stability to degrade from his obsession, up to the point where he claims to be guided by the so-called 'Spirits of Dorados'." Jeremiah said.
Nunnally then began to think, she knew who Knock Out was from her brother and his closest Autobot friends, and now she knew who this Springload was. Maybe there was a way they could use his obsession against him. She also recalled passing by a train depot with her team just after they entered the subway tunnels, and there were several empty trains stationed there.
"I have a plan."
Smokescreen and Arcee's unconscious bodies were laid on the ground as Knock Out and Springload loomed over them.
"Heretics! Pillagers! Unworthies!" Springload exclaimed to the two unconscious Autobots. "They shall pay for their attempt at desecration!"
"And I think I know the best way to do just that, my amphibious-friend." Knock Out held the Iacon Relic container, opened it and pulled out Relic inside. It appeared to be a small circular device with four claw-like blades pointing outward. "By seeing what our new weapon of mass destruction can do with a little on-site experiment."
Suddenly, Bumblebee's vehicle mode arrived on the scene, kicking in at maximum overdrive to slam into both Springload and Knock Out, sending the former flying and crashing along the wall while the later was pinned underneath Bumblebee's rear-wheels, which he purposely drove on to leave skid marks before transforming to snatch the Relic that Knock Out had dropped, and turned around to face the recovering Decepticon pair.
Knock Out looked with a gasp to see the tire marks on his chest. "Hey, watch the finish!"
Springload attacked first, shooting out his tongue toward Bumblebee, who rolled to the side and opened fire with his Energon blasters. Before they had a chance to retaliate, Arcee and Smokescreen had also recovered and opened fire with their own Energon blasters as well.
"[Smoke, catch!]" Bee through the Relic toward Smokescreen, which he caught. "[Head back the way we came! Arcee, follow me! I know where to find Dorados!]"
That got Springload's attention as he gasped from his perching-position on the wall.
"Dorados? Bee, what are you…?" Arcee questioned in confusion but got a quick call on her communicator.
"Arcee, go with it! Trust us, we have a plan!" Milly's voice said on the other line. "And we found Nunnally, so don't worry about her!"
Deciding to go along with it, Arcee nodded to Bumblebee. "You heard em, Smoke! Get the Relic out of here! We'll secure Dorados!" She and Bumblebee both transformed and drove back the way Bee came.
"No! You will not pillage Dorados! Its secrets will belong to me!" Springload quickly transformed into his own vehicle mode and sped off after them.
Knock Out was about to protest Springload's actions, but quickly turned around at the sound of Smokescreen transforming and saw him speed off in the opposite direction with the Relic in tow.
"Ugh! At least Breakdown knew how to prioritize!" Knock Out growled as he transformed and drove after Smokescreen.
As Smokescreen continued to drive through the subway tunnels, he received a transmission from one of his human teammates. "Smoke, are you there buddy?"
"I'm here, Rivalz. Mind telling me what's going on?" Smokescreen asked. "Is there really a fabled Energon fountain here on Earth?"
"No, that's just part of our plan. Is Knock Out with you?" Rivalz asked.
"Right behind me." Smokescreen confirmed as his rearview mirror spotted the headlights of the incoming Decepticon.
"Good. Lead him back to those trains that we found when we first came in here." Rivalz told him.
"You got it." Smokescreen said, deciding to put his trust in his friends as he called out to Knock Out. "You want this Relic? You're gonna have to try harder than that, slowpoke!" Smokescreen sped up, leaving Knock Out in his dust, literally.
"Oooh, I'm going to enjoy peeling your features off!" Knock Out growled as he increased his speed as well, trying to close the ever-increasing gap between him and his quarry.
"Smokescreen's on his way!" Rivalz said as he, Jeremiah, and Shirley were in one of the trains that was stationed and currently inoperative. The train cars were all lined up, facing outward toward the tracks with three tunnels splitting off in separate directions.
"Okay, I think I got this!" Shirley was underneath the controls of the train car, working to hot-wire it. There was a spark when she brought the wires together, which seemed to power up the large vehicle. "I got it!"
"Very impressive." Jeremiah nodded. "I never thought a Britannian high schooler would know how to hot-wire a vehicle, never thought they had a need to."
"Because we were such law-abiding citizens while the so-called Numbers were all common criminals by birth?" Shirley said with a glare as she got up.
"I deserved that." Jeremiah nodded.
"We're putting a whole lot of trust in you, pal." Rivalz told him. "If this plan of yours to bring down the Geass Order is gonna work, the Cons can't see you, cause if they do…"
"They'll know I'm alive and betrayed them, which will prompt Shockwave to re-locate the Geass Order and strengthen security around the Thought Elevators, disregarding the element of surprise that is absolutely necessary for the plan to succeed. I understand." Jeremiah said.
"Good… because I want my father back." Shirley said. "And I want to stop the Decepticons, if we have chance to pull it off… I'm willing to take the risk. But you're going to have to earn our trust."
"Of course, that was my intent from the beginning." Jeremiah replied.
Arcee and Bumblebee's respective vehicle modes continued to race through the subway tunnels with Springload close behind them. Once they passed a certain area that was close to the entrance to the Catacombs, Bee dropped a flash bomb from his trunk. A bright and piercing light shined throughout the tunnel, causing Springload's own vehicle mode to stop, where he held his hands in front of his eyes.
"Ugh! My optics!"
The light soon vanished, revealing the two Autobots he had been chasing had vanished completely; or so it seemed as they hid behind the broken remains of the Dark Siegfried further down the tunnel.
"Marauders! Show yourselves!" Springload called out. "You could not have possibly found Dorados! Only I am worthy of its treasures!"
"Unworthy….!"
"Wha…? Who said that?" Springload looked around for the source of this ominous sound, which sounded an awful lot like two young females speaking simultaneously.
"Unworthy...!"
He heard the sound echoing from the entrance to the Catacombs and looked closer, only to gasp in shock as he saw what appeared to be a severed head slowly moving along the ground around the walls of human skulls, coming closer toward him.
"The Spirits of Dorados have decreed…! You do not deserve the treasure…! You are unworthy…!"
Springload backed away, fear and despair filling his eyes. "No! I've worked hard… tirelessly…!"
"And you're long overdue for a rest!" He turned around to see Arcee strike with a flying kick to knock him down to a rail-track, his head being awfully close to the third rail, but not quite close enough. Before he had a chance to pull himself up, Bumblebee came in with the severed arm of the Dark Siegfried and pressed it down on his throat, with Arcee helping to push it down further as Springload struggled against them. It proved to be a struggle for both parties, until he frantically shot his tongue upward, which was what they were hoping for.
"[Sayoko! Now!]" Bee announced.
Letting herself fall from her hanging position in the ceiling, Sayoko brought down a rod with a kunai tied to the end and pierced through Springload's tongue, imbedding it into the third rail. Sayoko flipped back as Bee and Arcee leapt backwards as well, just in time for the electric charge to travel from the third rail, up the rod and into Springload's pierce tongue, electrocuting his entire body from the inside out.
After a few seconds, the Amphiboid's body collapsed, smoke and sparks of electricity emanating from his body before his red optics went dark forever. Springload was now dead.
"Shock and drop." Arcee said as Nunnally and Milly stepped out from behind the Knightmare head and left the catacombs. "Nice ghost impression. Milly's idea, right?"
"Actually, the whole thing was Nunnally's." The blonde said as she wrapped her arm around the younger girl in congratulatory fashion. "She's really picked up on her brother's devious nature, it's actually kinda frightening."
"I'm just glad this part of my plan worked." Nunnally said. "Now let's just hope the other half also works."
Smokescreen continued to soar through the tunnels, trying to get his assigned destination as fast as he could with Knock Out right behind him. The Decepticon's vehicle mode was able to catch up with the rookie Autobot, banging his side against Smokescreen's, who banged back in response before Knock Out transformed and stuck out his leg to trip up Smokescreen, but this resulted in both of them tripping and rolling over each other, with Smokescreen losing his grip on the Relic, which bounced along the track before coming to a stop.
Fortunately, they were right where they needed to be; at the intersection between three tunnels with the unmanned trains stationed in front of them. Knock Out growled as he got up and made a break for the Relic, with Smokescreen coming up from behind to tackle as they wrestled for the Relic.
Inside their car, Shirley, Rivalz, and Jeremiah were all set, but they happened to see the struggle occurring outside, and it didn't seem like either Smokescreen or Knock Out noticed them.
"The engine is prepared; we must go now!" Jeremiah urged.
"No, Smokescreen is still out there!" Rivalz exclaimed.
Shirley accessed her comns so that Knock Out couldn't hear her. "Smokescreen, get out of the way!"
"Not without the Relic…" Smokescreen replied as he crawled on the ground to try and grab said Relic, but Knock Out grabbed him by the foot and tried to drag him back, only for Smoke to kick him back and knock him down.
However, during their struggle, the Relic appeared to have activated as it glowed slightly and emitted a pulsating high-pitched noise. As Smokescreen reached for it, the Relic somehow attached itself to his wrist, much to his surprise as he stood up to examine it.
Knock Out drew his buzzsaw and prepared to strike from behind, something the humans in the train noticed.
"Smokescreen, behind you!" Rivalz warned, causing Smokescreen to turn around in time as Knock Out sliced his buzzsaw, only for it and Knock Out himself, to phase through Smokescreen's whole body like he wasn't even there, much to everyone's surprise. Even Jeremiah was completely caught off guard with a gasp as his cybernetic eye attempted to scan Smokescreen for the source of this unusual anomaly.
"Whoa…!" Shirley said in surprise.
Knock Out looked confused for a moment, but his expression turned into frustration as he transformed his other hand into a drill and tried to impale Smokescreen, only to get the same result of the drill phasing through the young Autobot without any damage.
Getting an idea, Smokescreen smirked before proceeding to taunt his enemy. "That all you got? Starscream can hit harder than you?" He mocked as he walked backwards slightly, causing Knock Out to glare in rage as he continued to try and attack Smokescreen, but all the attacks still phased through him. "Come on, you hit even worse than how your paintjob looks!" He said as he positioned himself just in front of the train his human friends were inside.
"Oh, that tears it!" Knock Out lost all sense of self-control at that, trying to lunge straight at Smokescreen with both his weapons, but he still phased through before Smokescreen quickly took off the Relic from his wrist and dealt a punch to Knock Out to knock him face-flat on the ground before reattaching the Relic to his wrist, which activated upon contact.
"Guys! Do it now!" Smokescreen exclaimed.
Having already deduced what had happened with his cybernetic eye and brain, Jeremiah activated the train's controls and pressed hard to send the train forward at full speed, much to Shirley and Rivalz's shock.
"Whoa! What are you…!?" Rivalz tried to stop him, but he and Shirley covered themselves as it appeared they were about to crash into Smokescreen, but they and the whole speeding train phased through him like what happened with Knock Out. Before they had a chance to react to it, the recovering Knock Out gasped in shock as the train slammed into him.
Knock Out tried to push back against it, digging his feet into the ground, but Jeremiah pressed on the controls, making the train go as fast as it could. This caused Knock Out to trip up, slamming on the ground face first as the train pushed him further, grinding and dragging him through the ground and metal tracks that scrapped against his body, yelling in pain the whole way. Jeremiah tried to push the train even further, but Knock Out's Cybertronian body was more durable than the train could handle. Already its engines began to smoke and overheat from the intense pressure Jeremiah was putting on before it totally shut down and came to a grinding stop. However, they had still made quite a distance, about four hundred yards in total from where they emerged.
Shirley and Rivalz pulled themselves up and looked out the cracked window to see Knock Out, lying face-flat on the ground before quickly making their way to the other side of the train car, stepping out from the exit door, but Shirley quickly turned to Jeremiah.
"Stay here and stay hidden for now." She told him, to which he nodded in return as he went into a small maintenance closet to avoid being seen.
"Smoke… dude…!" Rivalz exclaimed as he and Shirley approached him, with Bumblebee and Arcee's vehicle modes arriving on the scene as well, carrying Sayoko, Nunnally, and Milly before they stepped out, allowing the Autobots to transform. "H-How are you…?"
"The train went right through him!" Shirley told her newly arrived friends. "And I mean literally! Like he wasn't even there!"
"All thanks to this little thing." Smokescreen showed the Relic that was still attached to his wrist.
"Phase Shifter." Arcee explained, recognizing the Cybertronian tool. "Handy when you need to pass through solid objects, or vice-versa." She put her own arm through Smokescreen's body for emphasis, much to Milly's, Nunnally's and Sayoko's surprise.
"Impressive." Sayoko nodded.
"Now that is a cool Relic." Milly grinned as Smokescreen removed the Shifter from his person. "Oh, the pranks we can pull with that."
Knock Out struggled to pull himself up, using the train car for support. But as he did, he noticed his reflection in the broken window. His paintjob was so horrifically scared and scratched, he was barley recognizable. Though the damage to his body was at most cosmetic, it was the absolute worst-case scenario for the narcissistic Decepticon.
"No…. NNNOOOOOOO!"
The three Autobots and five Black Knights turned around to see Knock Out push the train back, looking at all of them in rage.
"You scratch my face, I scratch yours!" He declared vengefully, but Bumblebee lightly caught the train car as he, Arcee, and Smokescreen aimed their Energon blasters at him.
"Yeah, I don't think so Doc." Milly shook her head with a smirk, crossing her arms.
"Why don't you leave while you can still save face… ooops, what face?" Rivalz cracked with a laugh.
"Go crawl back to Megatron in disgrace." Nunnally told him, before she smirked exactly like her brother would. "But then again, do that and your paintjob will be the least of your problems."
The only response Knock Out could give was a slight stutter and a frustrated growl before transforming and driving away, though one of his wheels managed to get dislodged and fall off as he disappeared and left in defeat.
"Welp, that's it then." Smokescreen dusted his hands. "We got the Relic, time to go."
"[Not quite]" Bumblebee bleeped. "[We do have one more surprise]"
"What kind of surprise?" Arcee asked somewhat suspiciously before realizing something. "What happened to Orange boy?"
"I'm right here." Jeremiah stepped out from the train. Arcee and Smokescreen immediately aimed their Energon blasters at him.
"Whoa, whoa, it's okay! He's on our side now!" Rivalz exclaimed as he and the other humans immediately stood in between them and Jeremiah.
"Wait, seriously?!" Smokescreen questioned in surprise.
"Our side? Yeah, right." Arcee didn't seem convinced.
"It's the truth." Nunnally said. "I understand why you don't trust him, but he knows about me and Lelouch." That caught the two Autobots' attention. "He used to work with our mother before she died, her was her personal guard."
"My father sent him!" Shirley revealed, a definite shock for Smokescreen and Arcee. "Jeremiah knows where the Geass Order is and all the Thought Elevators!"
"He even ripped out his own mechanical heart just so Shockwave wouldn't be able to track him!" Milly added.
"If he knows where to find the Geass Order and the Thought Elevators, we could not only get a huge victory over the Decepticons… we can even make sure the power of Geass never falls into the wrong hands again!" Nunnally stated.
"There is a risk here, yes. But with what we have to gain from it? I would say it is worth it." Sayoko added.
"[I agree]" Even Bumblebee was on-board. "[Besides, we already have several former Britannians on our side, many were just as 'pro-Britannian' as he was, what's one more?]"
While Smokescreen looked somewhat convinced, Arcee still remained skeptical. It was only natural as she was one of the few Autobots who actually knew Jeremiah's character before his transformation into a cyborg, and it certainly left a bad impression on her.
"I will make no excuse for my actions." Jeremiah stepped forward to address the Autobots. "I knew full well what I was doing at the time, I understand the fact that my actions could have ended the lives of innocents. I will not ask for forgiveness, only a chance to prove my worth and loyalty. I have already sworn it to Lady Nunnally, I will swear it to Master Lelouch when I see him. And if I must, I'll even swear it to Optimus Prime. Though the word of a Britannian Knight may not mean much to you given our Empire's history, for me, my word is a vow that I will not break." He kneeled before the Autobots. "I, Jeremiah Gottwald, pledge my services, my loyalty, my very life, to the Autobots and the Black Knights."
Arcee could only look in shock. She could tell that he was being totally honest, and while she has seen others humbly accept their past sins and even beg for a second chance; but to see someone actually bow and pledge their very life to a cause was something she did not expect.
"Welp, I'm convinced." Smokescreen said with a shrug.
Arcee lowered her guard and spoke to Jeremiah directly. "You'll have to talk with Optimus and Zero about what you have to give, but for now… we'll be taking you with us."
"I thank you." Jeremiah nodded, remaining in his kneeling position, but gasped gently at seeing a hand extended toward him.
"Stand up, Jeremiah Gottwald." Nunnally said with a gentle and encouraging smile. "You want to prove yourself? I'd say you've done a good job so far. So, let's go save the world, okay?"
Jeremiah looked toward the kind and noble girl with an ambitious and gracious smile. "Indeed, yes your majesty."
"Look at you, Nunnally." Milly said as Sayoko looked toward the young girl with pride. "Making daring and complicated plans, giving people a second chance… you're a Zero all your own!"
"I learned from the best." Nunnally beamed.
"[Welcome to the team, Orange boy.]" Bumblebee said as Nunnally helped him to stand up and they began to walk away.
"Hey, if he's Orange and now part of the Black Knights… wouldn't that make him the Orange Knight?" Rivalz asked, causing Shirley and Nunnally to both giggle while Smokescreen openly laughed.
"Orange Knight, that's a good one!" Smokescreen chuckled.
If he heard being called that a year ago, it would have driven Jeremiah up the wall, but this time was different. Having now joined the children of his late beloved Marianne and pledging himself to their cause, he felt like he had a true purpose again. And now hearing the name that was originally meant to humiliate and discredit him, made him feel empowered, as though it was the best complement one could give him.
'The Orange Knight…' Jeremiah mused internally. 'That does have a nice ring to it.'
Arcee looked toward the Phase Shifter in her hand. "One Relic down, seven to go. Let's hope the others are having similar results."
Done.
I had fun with this chapter; the Autobots and Black Knights had managed to recover the Phase Shifter, killing Springload and messing up Knock Out's paintjob in the process (the whole thing planned by Nunnally of all people, but it's to be expected given she's Lelouch's sister and has been working more closely with him in his revolution than in the canon).
But the heroes may have just gained something even greater: Jeremiah Orange Gottwald has joined them! And he knows the location of the Geass Order and the Thought Elevators, destroying his own tracking signal and tricking Shockwave into believing he's dead so they can catch him by surprise and hit the Geass Order before it can move again. I wanted to give his moment of defection to Nunnally instead of Lelouch this time around because I thought it would be an interesting twist instead of repeating what happened in the canon, and I'm satisfied with how it turned out.
Just letting you know I didn't put Lelia and the former W-ZERO gang here in Paris as you thought, because that team is more suited for combat, and this operation had to be handled discreetly as to not involve any civilians; so it was only logical that Lelouch would use this team to do it, and not the most famous young woman in the EU.
We'll be covering the heroes' assault on the Geass Order after we've recovered the other Iacon Relics, so you'll just have to wait and see what I've got in store there. What kinds of Relics are the others going to work at retrieving? All I can say is not all these missions will end in victory, the heroes will experience loss of all kinds throughout this arc.
Until next time, stay safe and stay healthy out there. Love you guys.