Chapter Twenty-One

Next Step

Meanwhile on the Decepticon Warship, The Nemesis, after Megatron had returned, he was furious to have discovered what his second-in-Command Starscream had been doing.

If there was one thing the Warlord couldn't stand, it was when Starscream did things behind his back.

It wasn't a surprise to the Warlord or to any of the Decepticons that Starscream would do anything or try anything to prove that he could be on the same level or even higher than Megatron.

But each time Starscream tried, he failed, and once again he was suffering the punishment at the servos of his Leader and Master.

Starscream tried to explain himself, but each time he did, Megatron struck him hard sending him a few feet away.

"Please Lord Megatron! I meant no..." Starscream was cut off as he was pounded in the face and sent flying.

Shaking off stars, he got up to his knees and wiped away the Energon that leaked from his mouth.

As the other soldiers watched, they winced or just stood and observed, Soundwave being one of them being the eyes and ears of the Decepticons.

Some felt sorry for Starscream, yet many didn't as they knew Starscream deserved his punishment, and they knew Megatron beat him like this in front of them to show that they would suffer the same or worse if any of his orders were disobeyed.

"I ordered you to await my command!" Megatron growled as the larger Mech clenched his fists and lashed out at his second in command again making him yell out in pain and several sparks were seen as Megatron's blows collided with Starscream's armour.

"Instead, your mindless agenda resulted in the disabling of my ship and the delay of my plans!" Megatron bellowed angrily as Starscream looked up and hastily pulled himself off the floor, away from Megatron.

Yet the damages Megatron had already inflicted upon him were taking their toll and rendering him unable to stand thus he attempted to crawl away backwards as Megatron continued to advance toward him, vaguely hoping that his honest explanation might spare him from more pain.

"My intentions were pure, Master. I only wanted you to be rid of Optimus!"

He was once again cut off and he cried out in pain Megatron's pede smashed into his upper body and he felt his chassis cave in from the sudden force.

He started to wonder if Megatron was really going to crush him under his heel as he could it difficult to move and his armour was denting under the pressure.

"No one rids me of Optimus Prime, but me! Do you understand?! Do you?!" Megatron yelled as he applied more pressure and Starscream felt the heat of more sparks cover his body as he felt his body getting crushed.

"Lord Megatron…" Starscream shouted in pain and desperation "I will make things right, I swear! I know how to set your plans back on course!"

He felt the pressure instantly disappear and he only had a few seconds of relief before Megatron grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

Starscream stared up at his torturer in fear as his body shook and sparked from the damage his leader had inflicted and he could feel some trails of energon running down his arms and legs.

The Warlords's eyes were no longer poisonous purple, but rather blood red, very much like the blood he had seen on Fowler when he tortured him.

"Explain Starscream, quickly." Megatron commanded and Starscream saw no reason to disobey this order.

Back at the Autobot Base, Optimus Prime was looking at the screens along with the Ratchet and Donatello.

Leonardo had also gone over to observe whilst Kemeko sat with Pandora waiting for her to regain conciousness.

From the look on the Prime's face, both turtles could see the news was bad.

"So, what is it Megatron plans to do?" Donatello asked in a worried voice.

Optimus looked down at the Purple Masked Turtle grimly.

"Megatron plans to send a cluster of Dark Energon through the Spacebridge and reanimate the Fallen to pass through to this planet." He explained.

"He what?!" Leonardo cried.

"What the shell?"

"Oh Gods no!"

"This is bad!"

Optimus and the other Autobots looked over to the Hamato Clan and April and Casey who had overheard what was said.

"You're joking right?" Michelangelo asked in a hopeful tone.

"Yeah! Please tell me we didn't hear you right?" April begged.

"I'm afraid what you guys heard was correct!" Ironhide confirmed.

"If Megatron succeeds in sending Dark Energon through his Space Bridge, the dead of Cybertron will rise, swarm through the Spacebridge's vortex."

"And invade Earth, bending Humankind to Megatron's Twisted rule!" Optimus ended.

Michelangelo went pale and already thoughts of zombiefied Cybertronians invading the earth and destroying the planet came to him.

"Oh no..." he said, "We're doomed!"

"Shut up Mikey!" Raphael snapped yet he too sounded scared hearing that news.

"You're serious?" Monalisa gasped.

Ironhide nodded grimly.

Monalisa turned to Raphael and the couple looked down at Pandora who was still unconscious on her mattress.

"This is very serious." Splinter sighed "Yet what can be done about it?"

Optimus was about to answer when a coughing noise made him look down and he saw Pandora stirring.

At the same time, Monalisa and Raphael looked down at their daughter as she opened her eyes and sat up with a jolt.

"Mum! Uncle Leo? Dad!" she cried "Leave them alone you big metal bastard!"

Everyone was shocked at Pandora's outburst, yet Monalisa quickly grabbed her hands.

"Geisha! Sweetheart! It's okay!"

Pandora blinked and looked to her mother then looked around to find herself back in the Autobot base.

Donatello and April ran over to check the Hybrid as Monalisa calmed her daughter down, Raphael rubbing the hybrid's shoulders.

"Mum? Dad? What happened?" Pandora asked.

"You had an accident sweetheart." Monalisa said "You had a shock through Mr Swinger when you attacked Starscream."

"Starscream?" Pandora asked "Did...did I hurt him?"

"From what I saw, you did." Bulkhead confirmed "You struck the wires in his ankle."

Bumblebee bleeped in agreement.

"Yeah! That cowardly con got caught off guard because of your actions." Arcee added.

"Just what were you thinking!?" Raphael shouted, "Didn't you remember that electricity travels through metal!?"

Pandora looked at her hands which had burns on them, yet they had healed slightly, and she touched her hair feeling it was bushy.

"I guess I didn't think at the time." She said sheepishly.

"That's the problem Pandora!" Raphael said, "You don't think!"

"That's a fact!" Kemeko agreed.

Pandora glared.

"Well, I wanted to save mum, Fowler and Uncle Leo!" Pandora argued "Just like the rest of you did!"

"And you did so my child." Splinter said softly walking over "But your actions were dangerous."

"Indeed they were young Pandora." Optimus spoke up as he looked down at the hybrid who looked up at him.

"Your heart was in the right place, and I commend your bravery and fearlessness when you attacked Starscream."

Pandora felt proud as she looked at the Prime who praised her actions.

"Thank you." She smiled.

"However." Optimus added "Your actions were foolish, and it could have ended very badly, and resulted in your family suffering a great loss, as we did not so very long ago."

Pandora swallowed hard and she felt guilty, especially when she saw the looks of Arcee who looked dolefully at the ground and Bumblebee gave a sad whirr.

She then looked at her own family who nodded and agreed with Optimus's speech.

"I understand." She said, "I'm sorry..." she said looking at everyone "But it's all part of what we do?"

"That it is Geisha." Raphael said, "And you've gone through so much, why should it be any different now?"

He hugged his daughter.

"But you've always come out on top, and I can only wish it continue that way." He added aside.

"Yeah! For sure kiddo!" Michelangelo agreed "You're a rockstar!"

Pandora grinned at her uncle.

"I'll say she is!" Ironhide said "Taking on Starscream like that!"

Pandora smiled at them.

"Thanks guys." She said then looked around "Hey, where is Mr Swinger?"

As she said that, Bumblebee whirred slightly as he shuffled on his feet, then he looked over at Arcee and bleeped before transforming into his vehicle mode and opened his door.

Arcee then knelt and reached into Bumblebee's back seat where she pulled out a long chain with a sharp dart and spiked ball on each end out.

"Ah! You managed to pick it up Bee?" she asked then stood up and held it out to Pandora.

"Is this your Mr Swinger?" she asked.

"That's him!" Pandora cheered "Thanks Arcee! Thanks Bee!" she said taking her weapon and holding it close gratefully.

"No problem kid!" Arcee smiled and Bumblebee whirred and bleeped giving Pandora a salute.

A cough from Ratchet then got everyone's attention.

"As much as I am glad that Pandora is alright." He said, "What are we to do about our current situation?"

Optimus looked over to the medic, as did everyone else.

"I've pinpointed the location of Megatron's spacebridge." Ratchet reported gesturing his servo to the screens "High in Earth's orbit." He added with a defeated sigh.

"Out of our Reach." Optimus vented in disappointment.

"But guys!" Kemeko cried as she went to the railings on the raised platform "Can't you just ground bridge there?"

"Yeah!" Michelangelo countered "Why not?" he pointed at the Ground bridge generator.

Ratchet groaned as he had already explained before how the Ground Bridge worked.

"The Ground Bridge has limited range!" he said, "Stretched all the way into orbit, it's vortex could snap and scatter us to the stars!"

"That doesn't sound good..." Casey said.

"No shit." Raphael muttered.

Optimus narrowed his eyes.

"Since Megatron is likely already in transit, I'm afraid we must take that risk!" he stated as he looked at the ground bridge "Reaching the spacebridge first is our only means of stopping him!"

"Sometimes, one must take a risk if it means saving the world." Splinter spoke up "You make a good point Optimus."

The Prime looked over at the rat and gave a small smile, feeling rather proud that the rat believed in him.

"I agree!" Pandora said, "And I believe in you!"

"Me too!" Michelangelo agreed.

The other Autobots felt a wave of confidence as they heard that then looked to Optimus who vented and squared his shoulders.

"Autobots, prepare for departure." He commanded.

"Good luck guys!" Pandora called "Be safe!"

"Be seeing ya?" Raphael said to Arcee as she nodded at him and joined her teammates.

"Be careful out there!" Michelangelo said.

"Yeah! Please be careful!" Kemeko agreed to which Bumblebee bleeped and whirred at her and gently stroked her cheek with his digit making her smile.

Bulkhead meanwhile looked at the Hamato clan and held up a digit.

"Do not even think about following me this time!" he warned.

"Don't worry Bulk!" Ironhide said "The Earthlings know they can't breathe in space!"

"That we can't!" Donatello confirmed "We're staying right here!"

Ratchet walked over to the controls and activated the ground bridge which roared to life, and he typed in the coordinates to the space bridge.

"Optimus." Ratchet said looking over at the Prime "If you leave me stranded on a planet teaming with humans and mutants, I will never forgive you!" he warned.

"Oi!" Pandora cried indignantly.

"Cheek!" Michelangelo said.

The two mutants looked at each other, then at Ratchet, then at each other again as they shared a look.

Optimus meanwhile fought back a grin as he faced the Ground bridge.

"Until we meet again old friend." He replied before his battle mask slid over his mouth and he turned to his teammates.

"Autobots, roll out!" he commanded and at once, everyone transformed into their vehicle modes and drive through the ground bridge.

"Maximum Overdrive!" Optimus's voice was heard as they disappeared through the vortex.

Everyone watched anxiously, as did Ratchet as he watched the screens hoping they made it through.

"Good luck!" Pandora and Kemeko shouted.

"Go save the world!" Michelangelo cheered.

"I hope so..." Donatello muttered.

Splinter whispered a Japanese Prayer for the Autobots, and April and Casey held each other in comfort, as did Raphael and Monalisa.

"We believe in you." Leonardo prayed "Please make it, stop Megatron, protect our planet, and please make it home safe..."

Pandora has woken up and she's okay thank goodness, another near death experience to add to her list!

And now the Autobots are ready to face the final frontier! Best of luck to them!