DARKNESS RISING PART 2 OF 5
Previously on Transformers Prime Shattered Glass
Airachnid: The Bots are back! Wild may be neck-deep in scarp!
Breakdown: No. (After seeing Wildspark's signal go offline)
Megatron: As of today only we twenty-three Decepticons remain on Earth.
Jack: This is amazing Miko. TALKING CARS! MYSTERIOUS TABLETS! IN JASPER OF ALL PLACES!
Miko: ARE YOU SERIOUSLY ENJOYING THIS JACK?!
Ravage: To cut a long story short, I've managed to get you two caught up in an alien civil war.
Miko: Why are you here?
Megatron: To protect your planet from Optimus Prime. But if his return is imminent, it could be catastrophic.
Optimus Prime: I have returned!
The Hyperion descended above a mountain which was in British Columbia, constantly sending Autobot miners in and out with piles of energon while they were protected by a lot of soldiers. On top of the mine, Ultra Magnus stood accompanied by Bumblebee and four other Autobots three of them had the same red eyes and the other one had green eyes: one of them was a black and orange Heavy Pickup Truck, known as Bulkhead, the second one was a black minicon named Undertone, the third one was a female purple and black minicon named Sundor who was on the shoulder of the last one, who could turn into an ambulance and had toxic green and white color was Ratchet, the sinister Autobot medic and scientist, known by the Decepticons as the Doctor of Doom. Ratchet seemed to be talking with someone.
"So, this is our largest energon mine?" A new visitor asked inside the shadows.
"Indeed, my liege. Of all the energon deposits that we have located on this planet during your absence, this one is by far the most significant." Ratchet explained.
"The drones have been mining without pause and we have amassed quite a lot of stockpiles. You there, fetch me a sample, now!" Ultra Magnus shouted.
"MAGNUS!" The visitor shouted in a very angry tone.
Then out of the shadows emerged Optimus Prime along with five other Autobots that took the forms of Dinosaurs, they were known as the Dinobots. Their names were Grimlock the Tyrannosaurus Rex and leader of the Dinobots, Slash the female Velociraptor, Sludge the Apatosaurus, Slug the Triceratops, and Strafe the female two headed pterodactyl.
Grimlock growled angrily at Ultra Magnus but Optimus gently stroked the Dinobot on his back to calm him down and back away as if Prime treated them like they were his pets. Then Optimus got in front of Ultra Magnus and grabbed his right shoulder tightly making him feel pain and pulled him closer to his face.
"Now that I have returned, I will issue the commands. Do not ever forget who is really in charge." Optimus said as he pushed Magnus back to the wall very aggressively and then walk up to the others.
Ultra Magnus growled angrily as he put his left hand over his right shoulder.
"I understand, my master." He said in a very silent angry tone.
"Heh, it seems that the party is over for him." Bulkhead said. "But it's good to have the boss back."
"In the name of all the Autobots on Earth, welcome back, our liege." Ratched added as he Bulkhead, Undertone and Bumblebee kneeled before their master while Sundor lowered her body and head and spread out her wings.
"We missed you so much, Optimus. We have remained loyal to your cause, some more than others." Bumblebee said, looking at Ultra Magnus.
"And I'm pleased to know that you're still the same like those who fought long ago against the same adversaries, so there will be deserved praise and rewards." Optimus said, putting a hand on Bee's shoulder.
"Then shall we ready the space bridge to bring forth the Autobot army you have gathered during your time in space?" Ratchet asked.
"My army will come, Ratchet." Optimus replied, stopping at the edge, before glancing at the ten Autobots over his shoulder. "But my time away has yielded a more...interesting means for materializing them." He diverted their attention to the glowing toxic green crystal in his servo, raising it in the process. "The solidified form of what the ancient texts refer to as...the blood of Unicron."
The Autobots were shocked when they heard what their master said. Then Unicron's theme from Transformers the movie 1986 began.
"Unicron? The bringer of chaos? But, I thought he was only just a myth." Ultra Magnus said surprised.
"Not anymore," said Sundor, amazed.
"The legend says that Unicron's blood is the Anti-Spark." Said Bulkhead.
"Plucked from cosmic shores, gaze upon...Dark Energon." Optimus said.
"Impressive, a new power source that can open us a lot of possibilities. I can't wait to begin all kinds of research with this substance, especially on test subjects from this world." Ratchet said sinisterly.
"Oh no old friend, this power is only for my personal use. Unless you have my permission, no one would dare to experience the same power as I, understood?" questioned Prime.
"Of course, Prime." answered Ratchet.
"It is also said that it holds the power to...raise the dead," said Bumblebee.
"We only require a cadaver to see if that is true." Optimus suggested before turning to all the Autobots. "Which one of you is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice?"
Ultra Magnus chuckled nervously dry. He didn't fear much, but the thought of him being terminated brought back as...whatever he would be if the legend was true, unnerved him to say the least. Fortunately, he had an alternative mind. "That will not be necessary. If I may, my liege." Ultra Magnus said.
An elevator connected to the Hyperion descended down. Two Autobot soldiers were escorting a floating berth, which had a familiar object laying upon it; the lifeless frame of Wildspark, a hole in where Ultra Magnus had buried his hook.
"Consider it a welcome home gift." Ultra Magnus cooed. Optimus' reply was a malicious grin.
MEANWHILE IN THE NEMESIS BRIDGE
"And since you now know of our existence, I fear that as of last night, the Autobots know of yours." Megatron ended.
"Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles, call 911." Miko concluded. "Can we go now?"
"Are you insane? I'm living a dream here in Bot-swana, and I'm not going to allow you or anyone else to shatter it!" Jack warned.
"It is best that you three remain under our watch, at least until we can determine our enemies intentions." Megatron finished.
"Megatron, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here as anywhere." Starscream commented.
"Children?" Jack asked.
"Starscream has a logical point. The humans have no protective shell; if they get underfoot they will go…" Shockwave trailed off, attempting to find the appropriate word.
"Squish." Starscream supplied for him, taking a step to prove his point.
"Then for the time being, Starscream, Shockwave; we must watch where we step." Megatron concluded.
It was at this point that an alarm went off, causing Soundwave to turn to the computers.
"What on earth?" Raf asked with concern.
"Nothing to worry about. It's our short range comms, which tells us someone's hailing us. Soundwave?" Megatron said.
Soundwave then showed an image on his mask of a tall, dark-coloured man with black hair wearing a gray suit and a red and orange tie.
"Ah, Agent Fowler. Sooner than I expected." said Megatron.
"I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys!" Jack exclaimed.
"Special agent Fowler is our liaison to the outside world." Megatron began as he turned around to face the human trio. "He tends to visit only when there are issues."
"YOU THREE! GET OUT OF SIGHT! QUICKLY!" Starscream exclaimed, and the kids hid behind some metal boxes.
The Groundbridge opened and Agent Fowler entered the ship, he did not seem very happy.
"Landslides! Speeding motorcycles! Spider webs all over the road! And of particular note, rumors of a giant mountain lion!" Fowler said, looking at Ravage, before turning his attention to Megatron. "Anything you care to get off your tin chest, Megs'?!"
"We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler," said Megatron.
"They're back, aren't they?" questioned Fowler.
"If you're referring to the Autobots, I had doubts that they ever left. Your planet is too valuable." answered Megatron.
"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon." replied Fowler.
"Agent Fowler, we are your best, possibly your only defense against the Autobot threat." said Megatron.
"Are you sure of that?" questioned Fowler.
Jack wanted to get a closer look but Miko pulled him back while he shouted. "URF!" Which caught Agent Fowler's attention to the metal boxes.
"What was that?!" questioned Fowler.
Then Ravage blocked the metal boxes.
"Nothing!" answered Ravage.
"Oh, really? A shout is nothing is it?" questioned Fowler again.
"A shout? Maybe you should get your hearing checked, Fowler. It's just the Nemesis. It's old, you get odd noises all the time." Ravage explained.
"Oh, really?" Fowler questioned again, making Ravage a bit nervous.
"Oi yah deadbeat!" Breakdown cut in, getting Fowler's attention. "Did anyone come out hurt last night?" The Scottish Stunticon challenged. "Team Megatron knows when to use force." He grabbed hold of a mechanical arm and tore it off. "And how much of it to use." He declared, applying pressure to the arm until it broke, to make his point.
"Breakdown, I just buffed that!" yelled Knock Out.
"Enough!" Megatron shouted before redirecting his attention to Fowler. "Military involvement would only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, agent Fowler. I, on the other hand, however, cannot."
"Then do us both a favor, Megatron, and handle this. Under the radar." Fowler said as he walked back to the groundbridge. "Or I will." He warned as he went through the groundbridge and then it closed.
Starscream walked up to Megatron's side and folded his arms across his chest. "Hmph, for a human, he has some pretty big bearings." The seeker commented.
"Agent Fowler is concerned for his planet, Starscream, as he should be." Megatron replied to his second in command.
MEANWHILE INSIDE THE ENERGON MINE, OPTIMUS WAS GOING TO TEST THE DARK ENERGON ON WILDSPARK'S BODY
"With the power of Dark Energon, YOU ARE REBORN!" Optimus decreed.
He then slammed the shard into Wildspark's chest and then it dissolved completely and the hole where Ultra Magnus plunged his hook reformed. Everything was silent until Wildspark's eyes started glowing toxic green, then four more eyes opened and then horns grew from both sides of his head that looked like the horns from Cliffjumper. Then four more arms sprouted with razor sharp claws and Wildspark's two regular arms grew razor sharp claws too. His lower jaw split into monstrous mandibles with a fierce roar that sounded like King Ghidoarh's roar from Godzilla King of the monsters 2019. From his mouth emerged a long-bladed tongue before breaking out from his restraints he stood up as the rest of his body changed, spikes grew from his back, his body turned to toxic green color, his legs changed into legs of a Corvicon in robot form, then he sprouted wings and a tail of a Predacon. He became the most dangerous creature ever known: a monster. He charge forward at a female Autobot miner and pinned her down as his tongue attached to her head and drained her of her energon then he inserted Dark Energon into her then he released his tongue and her visor started glowing toxic green and she began to change into the same form just like Wildspark and then they did the same to other six Autobot miners. While Ultra Magnus, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Ratchet, Undertone and Sundor were horrified Optimus and the Dinobots stood calm as Wildspark and the seven infected Autobot miners dragged the last two Autobot miners away into the darkness to be drained of their energon and have it replaced with Dark Energon.
"That's your plan?!" Bulkhead asked terrified. "Bring Decepticons back from the dead so that they can attack us again and have them drain our energon and replace it with Dark Energon to turn us into those things?!"
"No Bulkhead. Those 'things' are no longer Autobots and Decepticon." Optimus said as Wildspark and the nine infected Autobot miners came crawling out from the shadows. "They are now just mindless creatures, with only one instinct; turn anything that stands in their way into their own kind."
The creatures charged forward at Optimus and the other Autobots and the Dinobots but unfortunately the Dinobots charged at the creatures. Grimlock breathed fire at three of the creatures which killed them, Slash lept onto another one and began to eat away at it's spark chamber separating its link to the Dark Energon, Slug stabbed two more creatures with his horns, Strafe ate two more creatures with her two heads and Sludge crushed the last one with his foot. Seeing what the Dinobots did to his kind, Wildspark charged at Optimus, but the tyrant was fast enough to cut Wildspark in half with his sword, making the creature fall off the ledge.
"There, Autobots, rise the indestructible seeds of my army: Terrorcons. The ultimate weapon." Optimus explained.
The zombie upper half was still hooked to the ledge, but then Optimus kicked it off down to a lower level of the cave.
"Once I learn how to control it." Optimus finished.
AT THAT MOMENT IN THE NEMESIS BRIDGE, THE COMPUTER SHOWED AN IMAGE OF WILDSPARK AND A PULSE.
"By the Allspark! Megatron, Wildspark's life signal has appeared back online!" Wingthing reported, shocking the Decepticons and confusing the humans.
"Who's Wildspark?" Miko asked.
"How is that even possible Wingthing?" Megatron asked, surprised.
"I don't know." she said.
"There may be a chance Wild's still alive. Soundwave doesn't make mistakes." Airachnid said, hope blooming in her.
"Shockwave, prepare sick bay, we may need it." Starscream said and the Decepticon nodded.
"Hey!" Jack shouted to Megatron, getting his attention. "What can we do?"
"Remain here with Shockwave." The gladiator said, causing Jack to groan while Shockwave nodded.
The Decepticon scientist activated the ground bridge.
"Decepticons, transform and rise up!" Megatron called before all of them ran and transformed into vehicle form, driving into the vortex.
"What just happened?" Raf asked, amazed.
"I transported them to the designated location via the ground bridge." Shockwave told him.
"What's a groundbridge?" Miko asked, curious.
Shockwave was more than happy to explain. "It's a scaled down version of space bridge technology. It allows us to connect two destinations across the universe and creates a tunnel enabling two way travel. But since we do not currently possess the means or the energon required for intergalactic travel…"
"You're stranded here on Earth?" Miko said.
"Correct. So Soundwave and I constructed the ground bridge to enable travel from here to anywhere on your planet." Shockwave said, looking at the ground bridge vortex.
"Wow, does it work on humans?" Jack asked, astonished.
"Naturally, you three would be the first to venture through should you ever choose to." Shockwave said.
"You mean I can just shoot on over and visit my parents in Tokyo?" Miko asked.
"There, or as I said before, anywhere on your planet within moments." Shockwave explained.
THE GROUNDBRIDGE OPENED, AND THE EIGHT DECEPTICONS EITHER DROVE OR FLEW OUT OF IT, AND ALL TRANSFORMED, ACTIVATING THEIR WEAPONS
"An energon mine?" Starscream said as he saw the entrance of the mine.
"Of course the Bots have their claws in every energon deposit on this rock and for its size, the Bots have been here for a while." Knock Out deduced.
The Decepticons hid behind some trees to make sure that they didn't get spotted.
"Airachnid, how many Autotroopers are there guarding the entrance?" Megatron asked.
"I count seven Autotroopers." replied Airachnid.
"An' there's gonna be a lot more inside." Breakdown commented.
"Breakdown, Airachnid, take out those Bots," said Starscream.
Breakdown and Airachnid nodded and charged forward, then two of the Autotroopers spotted them.
"Hold up...up there." said the first Autotrooper.
"DECEPTICONS!" shouted the second Autotrooper.
"GET THEM!" shouted the third Autotrooper and all the other Autotroopers began to fire at Breakdown and Airachnid.
"'Ere we go again," said Breakdown.
Airachnid webbed the first Autotrooper and Breakdown blasted the second Autotrooper with his shoulder cannon. Then Airachnid saw the third Autotrooper trying to contact for back up.
"G4-RY to command, Commander Bulkhead, please respond!" said G4-RY.
"Oh no you don't." said Airachnid.
"We are under attack. I repeat we are under att-ack!" said G4-RY as he was kicked in the face by Airachnid and then she webbed him on the ground.
The fourth Autotrooper was behind Airachnid ready to fire at her but she webbed his legs causing him to fall down and then she webbed him on the ground.
Meanwhile, Breakdown punched the fifth Autotrooper into a pile of energon rendering him unconscious. Then he grabbed the sixth Autotrooper behind him and threw it at the seventh Autotrooper knocking them both out.
Then the other Decepticons came sliding down and met up with them and entered the mines. Once inside they took cover behind some rocks, and observed the scene before them. Dozens of Autobot miners drilling away at the crystalized energon.
Megatron stood up. "Let's find Wildspark." He declared as the other Decepticons followed him.
The miners noticed the intruders and armed themselves with their blasters, as did the Decepticons. Sure enough, a fight broke out. Some of the miners started to use the drills themselves as weapons.
One driller vehicle made the mistake of charging towards Breakdown, who converted his right fist into a hammer and smacked the vehicle, putting it out of commission permanently.
Airachnid charged toward the enemy, blasting away. She performed a spin to avoid being hit while still firing, hitting a couple of miners. She once again leapt in the air and dived down toward a miner. Locking her feet around his helm, Airachnid twisted the head clean off the body.
Three miners were firing away, hoping to hit their targets. But Knock Out, Stinger and Steve flew into the air in their alt modes. They transformed in midair with Stinger and Steve shooting all the way down while Knock Out retracted his blaster in favor of his buzz saws. The three Decepticons crashed down on their enemies, finishing them off with their respective weapons.
"Woah!" Knock Out exclaimed as he, Stinger and Steve barely moved out of the way from an incoming driller.
But said driller went toward Megatron, who used his brute strength to smack the vehicle out of the way before charging forward unopposed. One miner decided to foolishly go for the Decepticon leader, but Breakdown in his alt mode slammed into said miner.
Starscream tore his way through the enemy, using his two swords to slice the enemy in half. He effortlessly dodged a lazy claw swipe from a miner before using his swords to make a slash at the enemy. He then delivered a powerful kick to another miner's chest before finishing him off with a missile.
Soundwave was doing extremely well against his current opponents. Every punch, claw swipe or kick they would send Soundwave's way, the Decepticon would either dodge or block every blow. Soundwave then decided it was time to end his attackers, and did just that by ejecting Laserbeak, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Ratbat, Buzzsaw, Garboil, Wingthing, Howlback, Glit, Enemy, Flipsides, Overkill and Slugfest from his chest.
MEANWHILE AT THE NEMESIS BRIDGE
"What's this?" Jack asked, referring to a piece of equipment.
"Something that requires repairing. Please do not touch it." Shockwave requested. Jack then went to touch it again. "I mean it." He said without even looking at him, causing Jack to move his hand away.
Raf walked up to join Jack. "Is there anything we can touch?"
Shockwave didn't answer him as he was attending to the computer system when Miko went up to him.
"Hey, Shockwave, what are you doing?" Miko asked, causing Shockwave to look down at her.
"Can I see?" Miko asked.
"Of course you can." replied Shockwave as he kneeled down and held out his hand to let Miko climb on and then he lifted her up and set her down on the console.
"So what exactly are you doing?" questioned Miko.
"Clean up." answered Shockwave.
"Sometimes we get spotted. You humans put everything on 'the web', so Soundwave and I remove any evidence of us." he explained.
"So, you're checking social media?" Miko asked.
"Yes. It can be useful for intel' too, the Autobots are less careful than us or they just don't care." explained Shockwave.
BACK AT THE ENERGON MINE
Breakdown brought his hammer upon an incoming driller vehicle, causing the operator to fly forward, allowing Megatron to shoot him out of the air. The Decepticon leader deactivated his fusion cannon as his friends came to join him. Yet another wave was coming, so they decided to travel by fast way.
"Maximum overdrive!" Megatron said as he and the other Decepticons changed to their alt modes and passed through all their enemies.
They reached the center of the mine, so they changed form again and hid behind some crates. They could see several levels ascending high above, and more Autotroopers patrolling those levels.
"Quite an operation they have here." Breakdown said before they were bombarded by Autobot snipers, but they began to fire back.
INSIDE A ROOM IN THE HYPERION, OPTIMUS STOOD BEFORE AN ENTIRE CHUNK OF DARK ENERGON
"Blood of Unicron." He began to croon, gripping the railing that surrounded the tube. "How might I fathom the depths of your mystery? Become worthy of wielding your astonishing power?"
"Optimus, intruders have been detected in the mines." Bumblebee said through a communication terminal.
"Decepticons?" questioned Optimus.
"Yes and Megatron is with them too." added Bumblebee.
Optimus stood up away from the railing. "I need more time to organize an appropriate reception for my old friend." He said before turning his attention back to the screen. "Prepare the ship for departure."
"But all the energon we've mined, the Decepticons will seize it." Ultra Magnus shouted.
"Then blow the mine." Optimus responded.
INSIDE THE MINE THE GUNFIGHT WAS STILL GOING ON THEN THE EVACUATION ALARM SOUNDED AND SOME OF THE AUTOTROOPERS, SNIPERS AND MINERS BEGAN TO RETREAT THE AIRACHNID SPOTTED A FIGURE LYING ON THE THIRD LEVEL
"I think I see Wild, on the third level." Airachnid exclaimed.
"We'll cover you! Go!" Starscream shouted.
She used her spider mode to avoid the laser shots while the others managed to make a path for her. She used her webs to swing and reach the third floor. She saw Wildspark missing his lower half and she also saw wings and spikes on his back along with horns on his head. Some shots of the Autobot troopers hit the pillar supporting the floor, making it collapse.
"Wild!" She managed to grab him with her webs. "Hold on partner, we'll get you home."
He looked at her, but his face was now very terrifying that she lost grip of him and his remains fell into a spike full of energon, killing him instantly. There was a maniacal laugh, coming from Ultra Magnus, who has a bomb in his hand.
"Megatron! I would like to stay but I have urgent business, so I left this present for you." He said activating the bomb and dropping into the pile of energon while he went aboard the warship's elevator.
"It's a bomb, the timer it's almost out!" Starscream said.
"This place is going to blow!" Knock Out added.
"Decepticons, let's get out of here!" Megatron ordered as all the team transformed and began to get away from the incoming explosion. "Soundwave, bridge us back. Use the arrival coordinates, now!"
Soundwave opened a ground bridge portal and the Cons got through in the neck of time. Shockwave, Jack, Miko, and Raf watched as the Decepticons came in at high speed, followed by the explosion. As soon as Megatron was in, Shockwave deactivated the portal.
"Whoa/wow." Jack and Raf said in awe, while Miko had an amazed look on her face.
"Cutting it a bit close." Shockwave stated. "Where is Wildspark?" He knew the answer when his fellow Decepticons lowered their helms in sadness.
Jack then ran up to them. "What was that explosion? Was there fighting? Can I come next time?" He asked excitedly.
"Look…" Airachnid said angrily.
Fortunately before Jack could say another thing Miko cut in. "Hey Jack, let's go see what the Cons hide in the back storage."
"Seriously?" Jack said as Miko began to drag him away.
"Airachnid, what did you see?" Megatron questioned.
"Not Wild. At least, not anymore." Airachnid began, distressed. "He was mutated, butchered. Something like those Bot experiments back on Cybertron." She then fell, supporting herself on a crate and started coughing and wheezing.
"Airachnid! Are you hurt?" Steve asked worriedly.
"No...I feel...sick." She said while coughing and wheezing in between.
"Robots who get sick?" Jack asked.
"Robots with emotions." Raf added.
"Robots...who can die." Miko finished.
Knock Out's diagnostic drone EDE scanned Airachnid with a blue light all over her body, and suddenly he got a red reading on her right hand.
"What is this?" Knock Out asked, observing a strange, steaming, toxic green ooze.
"I don't know Knock Out but Wild was covered in it and he was leaking it too." Steelstrike answered as Shockwave came over with an experiment blade.
"I want to know what this is, allow me to take a sample." The scientist requested. Airachnid nodded and allowed Shockwave to scrape the ooze off.
"You better take a decontamination bath. Stinger, give me a hand." Knock Out said.
Stinger nodded and helped Knock Out walk Airachnid over to the sickbay. That is when Miko spoke up.
"Uh Megatron, I hate to bug, but, no bars." She said, holding up her phone.
"A security precaution: the Nemesis can isolate all radio waves, prevents our enemies from locating us." Laserbeak explained.
"Well, if I don't call my mom like now, I'm pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me." Jack said.
"Have you broken the law?" Starscream asked.
"Uh, no, curfew. It's after ten pm." Jack answered.
"I better get home too, or I'll be grounded for a year." Raf expressed.
"Earth customs." Megatron said, chuckling a bit. "I hadn't considered. But your safety remains our top priority. Breakdown, accompany Rafael home. And maintain covert surveillance, in vehicle form."
"Curbside duty. Got it liege." Breakdown said as he transformed into his alt mode and Raf got in while Soundwave opened the groundbridge.
"Ravage, you will watch over Miko." Megatron said.
"With pleasure, lord Megatron." Ravage said as she and Miko looked at each other, then Ravage transformed into her tablet form and Miko caught her, then Miko got in Breakdown and they went through the groundbridge to get back to Jasper.
"Knock Out…" Megatron began.
"I'm busy helping Shockwave with his analysis." Knock Out said.
"Airachnid, you'll accompany Jack." Megatron called since she finally returned from the bath.
"Oh, I'm still dizzy." She said.
"You're fine, don't think of any excuses." Starscream reminded.
Later that night Jack and Airachnid were on their way to Jack's house while zooming through the town.
"WOOOOOO!" Jack cheered until they came to a stop in front of his house.
"That's it. My house." Jack said.
"OFF!" Airachnid yelled as she threw Jack off her set.
"Woah!" Jack exclaimed.
"Now that's what I call a ride! Have you ever thought of racing?" Jack asked.
"Nope." Replied Airachnid.
"I'm an Insecticon warrior, not some supercilious velocitronian athlete." She explained.
"But…" Jack began.
"Just get the garage door open." Airachnid interrupted.
So Jack opened the garage door and Airachnid whooshed on into the garage.
"But we'd make a great racing duo! Ooh I'd love to see Vince's face when he and his gang eats our dust!" Jack explained.
"If you think I'm going within a klep of another human you've got another thing coming. You three kids are bad enough! But a gang of spotty adolescents...Urg...I feel my armor itching just thinking about it." said Airachnid.
"Aww, come on, we'd win every time!" Jack said as he put down the garage door.
"There is no we. Ravage and Breakdown might be fine with babysitting, but I'm only here because Megatron asked." Airachnid exclaimed as she transformed into her robot mode.
"You just stay on that side of the room and we'll be fine." she said.
"Fine, fine, I'm not moving. What is an Insecticon anyway?" Jack asked.
"Some cybertronians turn into animals rather than vehicles. Insecticons are beast-forming cybertronians with multiple eyes and many legs in beast mode. We turn into shapes resembling the animals you call arthropods...Err...Spiders, Scorpions, Crustaceans, Insects, Centipedes, that sort of thing." Airachnid explained.
"But...you turn into a bike, not a bug. And you've only got two eyes." Jack said.
"I've got 159 optics in three optical clusters! What do you think the yellow glowing thing in the center of my helm is? Pretty decoration?" she said before she sighed.
"I used to turn into a spider. A proper spider, not the half-form I do now. I was an Arachnicon, or at least I was." Airachnid said.
"Was?" Jack asked.
"My sister, Blackarachnia, and I were forged as part of the Insecticon hive, warrior's sworn to protect our queen. When our hive collapsed during the war, we traveled to the old colony world of Athenia. It's an old world full of caverns and ancient caves, perfect for our kind. We wanted to find somewhere safe, somewhere we could establish a new hive, away from the war. Instead we found an Autobot science station. They were attempting to weaponize the rust plague, or at least a modified form of it. The Bots working there were immune to it as they'd developed an antidote. Realizing they were discovered, the Bots abandoned the base and the plague into the facility. I survived...My sister didn't." She explained.
"My god, I'm sorry. How did you…" Jack began.
"She- Blackarachnia- found a small sample of the antidote the Bot's had left behind. She used some on me, kept the rest for the Decepticons to replicate. Only the fateweavers know how many lives she saved. As for me, the rust had done critical damage to my original transformation cog and other core systems. I needed new parts and the only suitable donor they could find was a two wheeler. Diabla, I think that was her name. She'd been shot down during the battle on the Hydrax Plateau. A transplanted T-cog, new kibble and well here I am." She finished.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry...I...Er...I just want to say that I share your pain." Jack said.
"Why do you say that?" She asked.
"When my dad died, that was the hardest time in my life. My family was a mess, but my mom? She had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by my dad." Jack said then he sighed.
"I'm gonna tell you something crazy. I never told anyone this before, but honestly? I'm not sure I can remember what my father looked like. It really seems like my whole life, mom's been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my dad, mom's is the only face I can picture. And, well, I know what It's like to lose a family member." He finished.
"I guess we've all lost someone." Airachnid said then lights shined through the garage door windows and Jack knew who it was.
"IT'S MOM!" He exclaimed as he opened the garage door while Airachnid transformed into her alt mode. Once the garage door was open a white car stood in front of Jack.
"Jack?" June said getting out of the car.
"Mom." Jack chuckled as he approached his mother. "Don't freak, I can explain."
"Can you?" June inquired before shaking, then proceeded to walk toward the motorcycle. "Jackson Darby, we've talked about this."
"Yeah, I know and-"
"You don't know." June cut him off, walking back to her son. "I worry about you enough when you're not here. Now I have to worry about you driving a motorcycle?"
"I'm sixteen, I can't ride at ten speed forever." Jack stated as he passed his mother.
"How did you even afford this?" She demanded.
"Uh, it's used. Abused, really. It needs a ton of repairs." Jack began. "But the point is, I may have been a kid when I bought this." He continued, walking over to a table which had a gray helmet. "But I'm not anymore. You always tell me to make responsible choices. Well, I-I chose her." He pointed to the motorcycle and walked toward June doing the same. "And I'll be responsible. Promise."
"Her?" June blinked a few times. "I didn't think you'd be bringing girls home just yet."
"Uh, I like to think she brought me." Jack said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, I'm glad you finally have a reason to wear your helmet every single time you ride." June said, conceding. She then headed for the door, her following. "You will take me for a spin every once in a while."
"We'll see." Jack said, looking back at Airachnid. "She's kind of temperamental."
With that said, Jack pressed a button on the wall, turning off the lights and closing the garage door, leaving Airachnid alone for the night.
The next morning, Jack was startled awake by the familiar sound of a motorcycle engine revving up.
"Are you crazy?!" Jack demanded after he flung the garage door open. "You'll wake up my mom!"
"Grab your helmet, it's go time." Airachnid declared.
"It's Thanksgiving." Jack sighed.
"Don't be mad, you can watch cartoons back at the Nemesis with Stinger."
Jack scoffed. "Cartoons, I'm sixteen." He then closed the door to go get his things.
"And leave a note for your mom, she worries!"
Aboard the Hyperion, Optimus Prime and the other Autobots along with the Dinobots who were in their robot modes were standing in front of the Dark Energon.
"I don't think you need to worry about further Decepticon interference, master. And not with Megatron gone." Ultra Magnus said.
"What makes you think that, Commander?" Bulkhead asked.
"I destroyed the mines as our liege instructed, and there is nothing which can survive that kind of explosion."
"I'm not sure Megatron is gone." Bumblebee said.
"Bumblebee is right; Megatron is not so easily destroyed. We have millennia worth of battles behind us to prove it, but the next time he comes, I'll be there to confront him again." Optimus said while he contemplated the Dark Energon.
"Maybe you should take a break, my liege. Maybe too much contact with the Dark Energon might allow its properties to greatly affect you." said Swoop the female Pteranodon.
"Or perhaps, I have not permitted myself contact enough!" Optimus said, ripping off a piece of Dark Energon.
"No!" Bumblebee said knowing what was inside his master's mind.
"Are you mad?!" Grimlock shouted.
"Optimus, wait! Not your spark chamber! Dark energon has never been fully studied, its properties have never been unlocked. You don't know what it will do!" Ratchet said, but it was too late.
Optimus stabbed himself with the Dark Energon spark, as it began to kick in causing the Autobot leader to roar as his eyes began to turn into toxic green.
Meanwhile in the Shockwave's lab on the Nemesis, Shockwave was finishing his analysis about the toxic green substance.
"Hmmm, 45% energon, 15% cosmic radiation and 40% unknown. The base elements are completely anything I have ever seen. Must have been extremely concentrated to affect Airachnid so fast. Perhaps minor decontamination will yield more profitable results." Shockwave recapitulated as he used tongs to pick up the glass that contained the substance. "Unfortunately, complete results are slow coming without the use of proper diagnostic tools! Thank you very much, Breakdown!" He finished, referring to the piece of equipment Breakdown destroyed earlier.
However, Shockwave failed to notice that a drip of the substance slid off the slab and landed on the same piece of equipment, which was surprisingly still on the floor. It glowed for a few seconds before twitching, coming to life. It grew multiple sharp spider-like legs, and had a singular toxic green optic. It wandered around for a bit, before dashing off into the base.
To be continued…
DEATHS
113 Autobot Workers
9 Autobot Worker Terrorcons
1 Male Vehibot
7 Autobot Snipers
Dark Energoned Wildspark
Blackarachnia
Johnathon Darby