CHAPTER 21, WE'VE HIT ROCK BOTTOM
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"We're supposed to be at a rock concert! But all I see is… rock!" I opened an optic at Miko's whining, but the sun was simply too bright so I closed it again, happily.
Jack sounded like he was yawning, "Relax, Miko. The show doesn't start for two hours."
"Do you know how long I've waited to see Slash Monkey?"
"Uh…"
"FOREVER!" Well, there goes my peace and quiet. "And it's their only US date!"
"There's a shock," Jack grumbled sarcastically.
My human nudged his shoulder playfully, "What my boyfriend means is, who doesn't love… obscure Bulgarian shriek music?" Clearly, Carly wasn't fussed on her best friend's music taste, either
"You're still coming with me, Carly." Jack started laughing at the unamused girls.
Ratchet had picked up on a faint Energon signal, and it may've been faint, but Energon in the vicinity still meant Arcee, Bulkhead and I had to scout it out just in case. And considering there was a less likely chance of the Decepticons picking up a faint signal - with how much Energon they likely already have in their possession - we decided to bring along our humans to enjoy a routine scout with any threats hanging over their helms…
…It wasn't the best 'first date' spot for Carly and Jack, but… they were already aware that they weren't going to have many normal moments during their relationship. They were okay with picking and choosing their moments.
There was an engine revving in the distance, so I zoomed my optics in on a vehicle approaching us - a familiar aqua blue off-roading vehicle. Aquastrike had offered to come meet up with us whenever her patrol ended. She'd come home early from whatever was happening with the away team, due to some weird malfunction occurring. Ratchet wouldn't address the situation anymore than that, but whatever happened, she had some involvement in it. …Oh well, it gave Sunburst a rest day, which he thought was deserved…
Aqua transformed and raised an optic ridge at Miko's pacing, "Ahh, whar's wrong Missy Miko?"
"Miko's whinging about some concert again." Miko looked like she was seriously considering giving Jack an audio full of… something.
I heard a scanner beeping behind me, so I turned my helm to Bulkhead and Arcee walking out of the mine. My partner looked very confused, "By all appearances, the mine's been stripped."
I climbed to my pedes, "But the scanner's still showing that we're getting a signal?"
"It's faint, but it's definitely Energon!" I could hear Miko gasping at Bulkhead's words.
Aquastrike stepped up to Bulkhead and took the scanner into her servo, "Ain' no way 'Cons would leave anythin' b'hind."
"Which is why it doesn't make sense. This operation's been abandoned four, maybe five years, and Decepticons never leave Energon behind."
I nodded at Arcee's assessment. Maybe there was a faint Energon signal to lure us here? And we didn't fall for it? I gave a shrug, "Trap, maybe? One that you guys didn't fall for?"
"Uh, guys." I glanced down at Jack, but he and Carly were pointing into the mine, so I looked at its entrance…
In Aquastrike's words, ain't no way…
"COOL!"
"She went in?!"
I raised a servo to my temple, "Unbelievable."
"Really? Have you… met her?" Jack had a point - it wasn't unbelievable. Just plain stupid.
Bulkhead groaned with frustration and sprinted into the mine, "Miko! Get back here!"
"Ahhh, better make sure Ol' Bulk don' let Missy Miko get too far." Aquastrike raced into the mine after them… a fair choice considering Bulkhead could never get too mad with Miko's antics.
I felt something tap above my pede, so I glanced down at Carly looking at me with a thoughtful expression, "It would be kind of interesting to see, you know, if it were-"
"Safe?" Arcee got in before I could. "A stripped mine could be structurally unstable, Carly."
"We promise to step lightly," Jack piped up behind my human.
I faced Arcee, who was also facing me. I could tell she was highly uncertain, but for what reason I was unsure of. On my servo, I wasn't thrilled about the idea, but considering Miko had sensed it was 'safe' and went screaming in there herself… I had a feeling Carly and Jack thought they'd get away with going in there just because Miko was. It was the way things worked sometimes; Reasoning was what would stop them, but if the opportunity was here…
I released a sigh, "Fine, but one small, unstable step, we're outta here."
"And just… don't tell your Mom." Miss Darby would lose her processing unit if she heard about us condoning this.
Jack took Carly's human servo into his and walked into the mine with her. I shrugged with Arcee and walked in after them. I hadn't gone into the mine like the others as they wanted someone to remind behind and guard the humans from doing in the first place, so I could only hope that the mine was more structurally safer than Arcee suggested…
NORMAL P.O.V
As the sun beamed down on the tranquil desert area, the silence was broken by aerial noises in the sky. Three jet aircrafts flew over the entrance of the abandoned mine, transforming into three Cybertronians that landed onto the ground with a strong stance, before turning to face the mine's opening.
"Lord Megatron, far be it me to question your intentions. But I don't understand why we've returned here after all this time," The silver Seeker known as Starscream wondered aloud, stepping up to his Lord. "Alone." The Warlord moved away from him, leaving him to glance at the purple and aqua blue Seeker shrugging indifferently, before rushing to follow the former. "Every last trace of Energon was extracted from this mine. There's nothing left."
Megatron paused and turned around, "Indulge me, Starscream. Won't you?"
"Come, Starscream." Slipstream barged past her twin Seeker amusingly, smirking at him, "For what reason could have you become so… alarmed?"
Watching his twin follow after his Master, Starscream timidly trailed behind them, fearful because Megatron didn't bring his soldiers alone to secluded areas for no reason…
"Ol' Missy Miko?!"
"Miko?! MI-"
"Check it out!" The young teenager popped out from behind a rock formation, immediately making her worried guardian and his friend turn to her. "Now this would make an awesome rehearsal space!" Miko held out her arms at the inviting area. Hello! Hello Cleveland!" Her voice echoing, she ran deeper into the open space, "Are you ready to rock?! WHOO-HOO-OW!"
The scanner beeped in Bulkhead's hand, making him share an intrigued glance with Aquastrike, "Arcee, Windswept. We found something."
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
My audios started twitching with a weird fuzzy feeling, like someone was trying to contact me through the comm-link. I raised my servo to my audio, "Bulkhead? You copy?"
"Aquastrike, do you read?" I looked over at Arcee trying to do the same thing as me, but I could tell she was getting a similar response, "Scrap." Her optics flicked back and forth at our surroundings. "The mineral composition down here is causing interference."
"Should we leave?" Carly was glancing up at me with worry.
"Not yet." I wasn't too worried, because interference with our communication links happened often when we were in mines. I just hope the others haven't gone that far deep into this one though…
NORMAL P.O.V
"Okay maybe the acoustics aren't perfect."
Aquastrike shrugged, "Ahh, we'll meet up with 'em soon." She stepped to Bulkhead, overlooking the beeping scanner. "Ya know what? We should be diggin' inta some rock for Ol' Grouch back home."
"'Ol' Grouch'," Miko giggled.
"Ratchet's gonna want a sample," Bulkhead nodded with agreement.
The former Wrecker followed the direction the beeping made on the scanner, arriving at a large rock formation. Upon it beeping insistently, he deactivated it before activating his wrecking hammer. He began smashing his weapon into the rock to find the answer he was looking for.
Large footsteps continued along the open pathway, before halting to a stop at what appeared in the open cavern ahead of them. Drilling equipment sat idly in the distance, ready to use if need be. The owner of the large footsteps turned his head over his shoulder, "How intriguing."
Upon the sight, Starscream gasped fearfully in realisation. He immediately twisted his features into a frown and curled his hands into fists, growling with forced annoyance, "Incompetent fools!" He stomped ahead of his Master. "This mining equipment should have been relocated! Why is it still here?!"
"A most valid question." The silver and red-highlighted Seeker flinched at Megatron's musing.
"Perhaps, my dear twin, you could present a solution to pair with your examination." He spun around immediately at Slipstream's suggestive tone, needing no split-spark bond to know that she was already aware of his attempts to be oblivious.
The Seeker exhaled, focusing his attention to Megatron, "My apologies, master. I believe Soundwave was in charge of coordinating transport." His Master exasperatedly growled. "But in fairness, during your interstellar travels, all had to assume additional responsibilities. Clearly, mistakes were made."
"Yes, clearly." Megatron slammed his fist into the rock wall, much to Starscream's horror. Feeling something within his grasp, the Warlord curled his fist around it to pull it out. A large chunk of untapped Energon sat in his grasp. "Every last trace of Energon extracted?"
Slipstream's jaw was agape in horror, her denta beginning to grit with anger as she faced her twin, "Starscream?!"
"Lord Megatron, I can explain-!"
"Explain what? That you've been hoarding an extra supply of Energon for your personal use?" The Warlord dropped the Energon to the ground.
"No! Not exactly! You see I-"
Megatron crushed the Energon in fury, "Do not take me for a fool, Starscream!" He watched his soldier whimper, beginning to step away. He was quick to step in tandem with him. "I have been wise to your transgressions from the beginning. Not only did you pluck the Dark Energon from my chest in a failed attempt to snuff my spark, but you tried to raise your own undead warrior with it! It's no secret that you lost an arm in the process, which you've since had replaced!"
"You know about that?!"
"Soundwave is quite competent in surveillance and Slipstream is most loyal, I can assure you." Starscream looked around his Master to his twin sporting an indifference face to him. "The fact is, Starscream, despite your treachery, I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in following your string of failures! But you've finally become tiresome! Predictable!" His Master's arm cannon was aimed at him. "You've hit rock bottom."
Slipstream's optics lit up excitedly, watching her twin whimper and cower away from the charging weapon, "Master! Please! Give me one more chance! I BEG OF YOU!" A sadistic grin crashed over her face as she watched her twin beg for mercy on his knees, already aware that no pleading of forgiveness would allow him to escape what was about to occur.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"I can't be the only one hearing all those echoing voices?"
I shook my helm at Carly. There were definitely a lot of noises coming from somewhere down this tunnel, "You're not wrong." But… it didn't sound like the others… which had me highly concerned. No one else was here, that we knew of; they must've arrived after we had gone into the mine.
"You have ceased to be of use to me, Starscream." …Why was that voice so familiar… I was forced to stop suddenly at Jack and Carly suddenly freezing in front of me. "So you shall simply cease to be."
I stepped around the corner to the cavern where Jack and Carly were looking into… By the All-Spark, it was Starscream… on the ground… with Megatron pointing his weapon at him… with Slipstream nearby… like this was some kind of execution and she was here as a witness. And we had just walked into the middle of it.
"My niece." My optics shot up to Megatron. He seemed infuriated by our arrival.
He suddenly fired upon us… Carly and Jack. I immediately dashed to my human friends and scooped them up to move us to the other side of the tunnel opening. I could feel the vibrations of the firepower from Megatron hitting the rock pillar as I sat my friends down.
Arcee rolled to join us. "Stay down!" She peered around the corner of one side of the pillar.
I looked around the other side and activated my blaster. Megatron fired again, making me hide back around the pillar.
"I advise you to come out to join our execution, dear Windswept." Slipstream's voice was taunting me. "You can be the next one to fall." Not gonna happen.
I leapt out from the pillar again and fired at Slipstream, who was narrowing in on me. On her other side, Megatron was also closing in. In between them was Starscream, who looked as if he had gained a second chance at life. He started sprinting down another hallway with a cry.
"Starscream?! You dare abandon me?" Megatron snarled and pointed his weapon to fire down at the hallway.
Slipstream activated her sword and charged at me so I deactivated my blaster and followed her movements. Our swords clashed against each other. I struggled to keep her force at bay; she was clearly angered by us interrupting them about to take out Starscream. Suddenly, rocks began to fall on us, one hitting Slipstream, and it must've hit her hard, because she fell to the ground in an instant.
I looked up at the roof of the cavern; rocks were falling all around us, and they weren't just small… it was pieces of the roof of this cavern… coming straight down on us. I turned away just in time to see a large rock land on Megatron.
"Primus…" The ground began to shake underneath me, no doubt reacting to the large roof section that just landed on Megatron. It was cracking underneath my pedes… fast…
…Carly and Jack…! They needed to get out of here!
Through the dust, I could hardly see my friends. I could hear Arcee muttering something, but the noise was so loud I could barely make out what it was. I began to race towards her…
…Just as the floor gave way and swallowed me into the ground…
NORMAL P.O.V
The roof of the cavern above Bulkhead, Aquastrike and Miko began to shake and collapse, raining small rocks onto the trio that began to grow larger, much to their confusion.
"Uhhhh…?"
A rock pillar snapped near them, falling towards Miko. She immediately reacted by dropping into a crouch. Aquastrike moved to stop the pillar from falling, and copped a hit onto her head, sending her plummeting to the ground, unconscious.
"Aqua!" Miko screamed, instantly reaching out to her friend.
Another section of rock began to fall onto the pair, making Bulkhead move in an instant to protect the pair. He fell to his hands and knees as more rocks slammed into his back, the roof caving in all around him…
Starscream continued his attempt at fleeing the collapsing mine, flying between the gaps of falling rock and dust. At the end of the tunnel, he could see the light of day through the chaos. A large chunk of the roof collided with the wing of the Seeker's aerial form, spinning him out of control. He returned to his Cybertronian form, face-planting onto the ground.
He looked up as the roof of the mine continued to collapse around, closing off the only exit he could see, "What?! NO!"
His voice echoed throughout the mine as the dust began flying above the ground, shockwaves of the collapsed mine sending it swarming through the trees surrounding the area.
Rocks continued to spit down in the aftermath of the mine collapse, what was left of the cavern was now bathed in pitch black darkness and a wave of scattered broken rock boulders and pillars. Through the rubble, a small human hand rose up from the rock, quickly followed by another before the dust-covered Jack Darby appeared. He coughed and sputtered as he climbed to his feet and slid down to a flatter part of the flooring to take in his surroundings.
"Arcee?!" The boy yelled for his guardian, falling rocks being his only response, "Carly!? 'Swept?!" His voice echoed through the collapsed cavern, eyes locking onto an opening ahead of him.
"Jack?!" The small, but familiar voice quickly made the boy turn his head to his right, discovering a pair of hands clambering onto a large rock.
He moved immediately to the area where the person began to pull herself out of the rocks attempting to keep her trapped. Upon hearing him come closer, Carly Esquivel looked up in relief, and stuck out her hand to his awaiting one. He pulled her out of the rubble in an instant, grabbing her shoulders to convince himself what he was seeing was real.
He gently pressed a finger to the side of her head, a small, jagged and bloody line running parallel to her eyebrow, "Are you okay?"
"I-I think so," Carly replied wearily, palm cupping the side of Jack's face, "What about you?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm okay." Jack laughed suddenly, making a confused feature appear on Carly. "Well, scrap. This wasn't how our first date was supposed to go."
The girl immediately saw his humour, laughing quietly, "I think you already forgot that nothing is ever going to go our way in this relationship."
Jack nodded in remembrance, "Right." He turned back to the opening in the cavern, and squeezed Carly's hand to direct her attention to it. "Go slowly." He began to climb over the rubble standing between him and opening, leading the way for Carly behind him.
The girl looked around the rubble, cupping her hands, "'Swept?! Arcee?!"
Silence was the only response.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
The rocks were pouring down around me… as the ground continued to swallow me whole, and alive…
I snapped my optics open immediately to darkness. I activated the lights on my chassis to bring in some light in here. It wasn't strong, but it was light enough for me to survey what I could see on my body. My body appeared fine… except I couldn't see my legs. They were buried underneath wreckage from the mine.
It was like I was enclosed into a little pocket of space, so I sat up slightly and gripped the ground to try and yank myself out from underneath the rocks… but the wreckage wouldn't budge, and neither would the rest of my body… I was trapped.
I activated my blaster to aim it at the rocks… wait, if I set off more firepower in here, I could risk more of this mine collapsing on me… and I could disturb the structure for someone that might be free somewhere nearby… I reactivated my arm; it wasn't worth the risk. I could seriously cause something even worse to happen.
"Arcee?" Silence. "Carly?! Jack?!" …Scrap… "Anyone?! Someone help!"
Primus please… I don't care who! Just bring me someone who can help get out of this…
NORMAL P.O.V
As the rocks continued to fall lightly, Miko Nakadai rose to her feet, spluttering away from the dust around her. Above her, Bulkhead stood nervously with his headlights ablaze.
"Did I do that?"
"Don't think so," Miko responded, realisation dawning upon her face at the sight of her still unconscious Cybertronian friend, "Aqua?" She slid onto her knees to kneel beside her helmet, "Aquastrike?!"
"She took a hard hit protecting you," Bulkhead remembered, "It may've knocked her into stasis.
"When will she wake up?!"
"Don't know," Bulkhead shook his head, "Could be hours." He watched Miko return to her feet. "Are you okay?"
"Natch," Miko replied, beginning to turn around to face her guardian, "What about you?"
Shock adorned her face upon the sight of Bulkhead holding up a large section of the roof, "Peachy." Rocks continued to crumble around them from the roof, dust blowing into the air upon contact with the ground as the roof creaked above them.
"Whoa!"
"Don't worry, Miko," Bulkhead began reassuring, "I got it under control."
"What do you think caused the cave-in?"
Bulkhead shook his head with worry, "Who knows what happened. I just hope the others are safe, 'cause we could definitely use an assist."
"Just keep raising that roof, Bulk. I'll get us out of here." Miko walked over to the large rock pile behind her, and bent down to pick one of the rocks up. She placed it to the side and moved on with the next one, pulling it out of the way. Despite the large rock wall before her, Miko was not deterred as she focused on continuing to move the rocks out of the way, in hopes of finding help for her friends.
The sky had turned to dusk, as a large pile of rubble from the collapsed mine began to tremble outside. A clawed hand forced its way through it, clutching onto the rubble as the Cybertronian known as Starscream wheezed his way up to the surface. Covered in dust, the Seeker turned to face a pile of rocks he had climbed through with a sudden cackle.
"'Predicable', master? Is that what you called me? Well, now who has hit rock bottom?!" He raised a hand to his hearing, "And where are you Slipstream?! Not here to slap me to the ground and tell me to go find our Master? …What's that? I'm sorry. I can't hear you both beneath all that rubble!" He continued his gleeful cackling. "Farewell, Lord Megatron! Farewell Slipstream! May you both rust in peace!"
The Seeker began walking away from the scene smugly, before a thought came to his mind, "But you have both survived far worse. If you had managed to free yourselves, you would blame me for your setback. And there is nowhere I could possibly escape your wrath. Or worse yet, your mindless followers will come looking for you!" He stepped back in realisation, "And take credit for your rescue; credit that could rightfully be mine!" He screamed with frustration at the dull sky. "MEGATRON!"
The pair of humans continued to clamber over the rock rubble in search of their friends.
"Arcee!" Jack's voice echoed across the ruins.
Carly cupped her hands over her mouth once more, "'Swept!"
"Bulkhead!"
"Miko!"
"Aquastrike?!"
Carly wrapped her arms around her body, a shiver running across her lithe body, "Maldita sea! It must be dark outside, it's getting cold."
"That, or you had more than just a bump on your head when the mine collapsed," Jack pondered, looking at Carly with concern. "I would've brought something if I knew this would happen."
The girl's expressions turned into guilt, "I shouldn't have asked to explore the mine. I'm sorry."
Jack gave her a bewildered glare, "Why would you say that? None of us knew this would happen." He stumbled over the rocks he had climbed over moments prior to grab her by the shoulders. "Hey, it's gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay. We're all gonna get out of here."
"How?"
Small rocks crumbled down suddenly beside them, forcing the pair to turn to where they landed. In the distance, they spotted a familiar Decepticon mining drill sitting idly above them.
Jack's expressions lit up, "Well, that could come in handy."
"That's how?" Carly warily questioned, "Do you even know how to activate it?"
The boy held out his hand to her, "We'll figure it out."
Without hesitation, Carly placed her hand into Jack's, allowing him to lead the way towards the drill.
A crescent moon shone through the patchy clouds above the mine, while an exhausted Miko weakly lifted another rock off the endless pile before her. Fatigue quickly took over, forcing her to drop the rock on the ground and sending her to the ground.
"Miko!"
Miko panted, "I'm feeling… strong."
"No you're not," Bulkhead shook his head.
"I just need to… rest for a second." The teenager climbed to her feet slowly, "That's all." The exhaustion quickly overcame her again, collapsing to her knees.
"Miko, listen to me. There's no fresh air down here. If you use up the oxygen too fast…"
Miko lifted her head up suddenly, "We could suffocate."
"Not we, Miko. You," Bulkhead reminded her, "Autobots don't need to breathe, remember?"
"Right. Smack down in outer space. That was pretty cool," Miko reminisced, "Okay, what if I just… slow down? Breathe...less?" The girl slowed her breathing, crawling to the rock pile once more in determination. She took hold of one of the rocks, and used all of her strength to attempt lifting it up.
Bulkhead could only watch her fail to lift it, "No. You need to stop. Now." The roof creaked above him.
"I can't, Bulk. I have to get you out of here." Miko attempted to lift the rock once more, before falling to her back in a whimper, rejoicing in the rest from the strain.
"Miko, please. Don't worry about me." The roof creaked louder, struggling to remain still in the former Wrecker's hold as rocks flew from it. "I'm fine."
He stole a quick glance to the unconscious Aquastrike, hoping to whoever was listening that she awakened from her stasis in the near future.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"Anyone… out there…? Hello…?!" My voice box was starting to hurt; I had been yelling for so long, for someone - I don't care who - to come assist me.
I gripped the ground behind me again, and tried with everything I had to pull myself out from underneath the large rocks keeping my legs pinned… I just couldn't do it. And it felt like my strength was starting to give, it just began to feel harder to even try.
Something hit my back, which made me flinch immediately. I snapped my helm to face as far behind me as I could. There were rocks crumbling behind me; I could feel relief bubbling in my systems. Someone was here, hopefully to rescue me after hearing my cries for help!
There was a sudden scraping of metal. "Arcee?" My voice spoke before my processing unit could catch up.
The rocks continued to fall harder and faster, "You are terribly mistaken, dear Windswept."
…Primus, I know I asked for anyone… but of all the beings trapped in here you could've brought to me… it had to be her?!
The rock wall broke down to reveal Slipstream standing smugly, probably amused by my situation. I scanned over her form; she was holding her side as if she had been hurt. It wouldn't surprise; the cavern came down so hard and quickly that it would've been a miracle if we had all escaped unharmed…
"Injured?" I asked shortly.
She grimaced and removed her servo… there was a small-sized gash at her hip-plates; noticeable, but not life threatening… yet. "It will only worsen if I do not receive timely medical attention." As I had suspected. "If there is one peculiar piece of ourselves we both share an identical passion over, it is our shared adoration for a fair fight." She stepped into my space and bent down. "A truce, if you will."
I sneered at her… but, unfortunately, she was right. I wouldn't allow her to be offlined this way, and I knew she wouldn't enjoy my demise if it wasn't by her own servo. A millennia of battle, and a bout of tutelage by her during the time I spent under the Decepticon banner has always provided me with this knowledge.
I expressed a neutral faceplate to her, "Only until we escape this mess."
"I would expect nothing below it." I could hear the amused sarcasm in her voice.
I huffed at her, "Well, don't just stand there. A truce is a truce." I motioned to my trapped legs. "Help me get out of this."
"The attitude will not get you very far in this predicament."
I gritted my denta at her condescending tone, "Fine. Please assist me in becoming free."
"Now did that have to be so difficult for you?" I gritted my denta harder to not react as she looped her arms under my own. "I will pull on the third number." I nodded. "Three… two… one."
NORMAL P.O.V
Jack clambered onto the control panel of the Cybertronian drill, reaching his hand out for Carly to grab. He pulled her up, the pair turning their attention to the screen of the panel, filled with Cybertronian code.
"Do you understand it?"
Carly shook her head, "Not that well. El hermano is more into Cybertronian coding than I am." She gingerly reached out her hand towards the panel, pressing commands into the system. Pressing the centre button activated the control system into blue and red light, followed by the screen lighting up with the guide of using the drill. Her face turned to her boyfriend clutching her hand in excitement. "Maybe Ratchet taught me more than I realised."
"Here." Jack bent down, cupping his hands in a motion Carly knew he wanted her to step into his waiting palms. "You direct, I'll drive."
At her nodding, he pushed her up onto the top of the drill before moving back to the control unit and activating the drill. The equipment glowed with purple activation lights, spinning to life as it was slowly driven out of its parking spot.
Carly pointed straight ahead, "Roll out!"
Bulkhead continued his struggle of holding the roof above himself, his charge, and the unconscious Aquastrike. He was unwilling to inform his human friend of the situation, given she was already exhausted from attempting to dig a path out of the area. However, a sudden noise sparked a glimmer of hope for the former Wrecker, as he moved his head about in reaction.
He looked back at his resting human friend, "Do you hear that?"
"Sounds like…"
"Drilling!" Bulkhead confirmed excitedly, "It's gotta be the others!"
"We're in… here!" Miko called out weakly, strength siphoned from her physical activities, "Hereee…!"
"Miko, grab something, and bang it on my foot," Bulkhead instructed, "Can you do that?"
The teenager glanced up at her guardian, grabbing the nearest rock and rolling onto her feet. She lifted it up weakly, trudging her way over to Bulkhead, nearly dropping the rock on her way. Upon reaching his foot, she looked up at him suddenly, "I don't wanna hurt you."
Bulkhead nearly chuckled, "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm tougher than I look. Now give it all you've got."
With initial hesitance, Miko slammed the rock onto Bulkhead's foot as he requested, continuously. The repeated hits made the latter steal another look at the unconscious Aquastrike, silently hoping the noise will also be enough for her to awaken…
The swirling drill drove through the rocks with force, sending them scattering. The drill was pulled away from the rock, pulling the control area where Carly and Jack were in parallel to the gap. The pair looked down the hole, gasping in horror of who they had found.
The Decepticon leader focused his attention on the humans, "I suppose helping those less fortunate would be… completely out of the question?" His response was the human pair stepping away from him. "If that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. I guarantee you will never have a better opportunity than right now." The human pair shared uncertain looks, taking in the situation silently. "Well? What are you waiting for? Think of the glory. Seize the day. Optimus and Windswept would."
Carly shook her head suddenly, "'Swept wouldn't." Horror filled her face upon realising she had spoken back to the Decepticon Warlord.
"I thought I recognised you, human. The one your 'Swept' cares so much about." The female gulped at being recognised. "Her one weakness."
Jack clutched her hand with a step forward, "Optimus wouldn't do anything to you either. Not like this." With a shake of his head, he returned the controls to restart the drill.
"I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with Optimus – the day I rip out his spark!" Megatron could only watch the drill disappear from view, before reaching his clawed hand around the gap's rock edge, tugging on it hard to begin his own attempt at freeing himself.
An opportunity he wouldn't have had if weren't for the unique pair of humans discovering him.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
It was difficult to stand, given how weakened my legs were from being trapped underneath that rubble for so long. But, still surprising to me, somewhat, I had help from Slipstream slowly guiding me out into an open area of the mine. In a way, we were helping each other, since her injury had torn open more when she had pulled me free.
"Would you… be able to stand on your own from now on?" Slipstream's tone sounded… concerned.
I looked at her, "Wanting to get rid of me already are you?"
I heard her snort a little, "You forget I am loyal to my Lord, and not you, dear Windswept." …Of course… but what about the truce…? "You may be wondering about our truce." …Primus, please tell me she didn't somehow enter my processing unit… "You recommended it would proceed until we are free from your predicament. I am willing to extend our agreement-" …Oh? "-Until we are unconfined from this mine."
"Not like you to sound so eager about setting me free."
"If you continue with your barbed glossa, I will rescind my approval within a spark beat."
And I had no doubt that she would, so I clenched my denta as hard as possible. My arm removed itself from over her body to check if I could stand on my pedes without needing a helping hand beside me. I cautiously stepped forwards, and apart from a small sway, it appeared my legs were back to normal condition.
I returned my focus to Slipstream… who was already going down another pathway, "Where are you going?"
"To find my Lord. One can only imagine you have your own company to find."
…Arcee, Carly, Jack… Bulkhead… Aquastrike and Miko. I had many to find… if I could.
I was going to have to think about my debrief regarding my worst enemy later… I had to find my friends first.
There was a sudden noise, like falling rocks nearby me. I took slow and gentle steps towards where the noise was coming from. An urge to activate my weapons in case it was someone not on my side was growing, but I resisted hard, because it was still the same situation as before - the mine was not stable, and any blaster fire could cause more damage.
Something stuck out from the rock suddenly. It reached out like it was trying to grab a hold of something. I moved closer. Primus, please let this be someone I know… and not another surprise twist in this horrible solar cycle…
NORMAL P.O.V
Miko heaved another rock up from the pile, slowly slamming it onto Bulkhead's foot once more as her energy continued to deplete.
"Atta girl!"
The teenager slammed the rock onto his feet again before collapsing onto her knees from the lack of energy. A sudden creaking noise made her look up urgently, "What was that?"
"Nothing. Go on. Keep banging." Bulkhead felt the strength in his arms give way, shaking as he struggled to maintain his hold on the cavern's roof.
The action caused rocks to fall around Miko, who stood in attention of her guardian's struggle, "Bulkhead, what's happening? Tell me!"
"My arms… They're starting to give."
Horror filled the small and innocent face of Miko, the realisation of how dire the situation was becoming quickly appearing. She grew aware of the fact Bulkhead was losing his strength holding up the roof quickly.
"Does it hurt?" She asked, watching him continue straining under the roof's weight.
"A little." The weight shifted on his side, sending rocks falling around them.
"Bulkhead!"
At the distant noises, the former Wrecker looked at his charge, "Help's coming. We just gotta guide 'em here. Hit me again." His charge remained still in worry. "Miko, do it!"
Miko reached down for her rock from before, lifting it with a struggle. She slammed it against his foot two more times, before collapsing in a whimper. The sounds of whirring raised her head in wonder of if they had sounded closer.
"Are they any closer?"
"I can't tell," Miko replied, turning away, "The sound is all-" She fell to her knees. "-freaky in here!"
A large noise attacked the cave wall, desperately trying to open it. The action brought hope to the pair's eyes, Bulkhead chuckling with delight, "Yes!"
"Arcee and 'Swept found us!"
The cave wall burst apart in a cloud of dust, followed by an echoing cackle, "Put any doubt of my allegiance to rest!" The Cybertronian appeared in the gap as the dust dissipated, revealing themselves as Starscream.
He took in the sight before him, of Bulkhead straining to keep the cave's roof up, Aquastrike still on the ground, and the exhausted Miko on her knees.
"What's he doing down here?!"
"Miko, get behind me. NOW!"
The human stood up as Starscream slapped the rock wall down, sending rocks crumbling away and shaking the ground. The former fell as the Decepticon Seeker broke through the dust, quickly getting up to hide herself behind the tire of her guardian's foot.
"Well, well. If it isn't Bulkhead and his pet vermin?" He stood before the Autobot. "My, you do have your hands full, don't you, Autobot?" His head turned to the unconscious Aquastrike. "Autobots."
"Do whatever you want to me, Starscream! But let the human go!" Bulkhead pleaded with a growl.
"No!" Miko clutched onto his ankle armour. "I'm not leaving you!"
"It appears that the human wishes to remain." Starscream reached his clawed hand out to Miko, making her flee further behind Bulkhead's foot.
"Starscream, don't push me."
"You like playing with the big robots, don't you little girl." The Seeker circled the Autobot tauntingly, finding Miko gasping for air behind him. She turned around in time to find him bending to her with a chuckle, making her gasp with fright.
Bulkhead kicked the Decepticon, sending him into a pile of rocks in anger for making an attempt on his human friend. However, the action caused the former Wrecker's grip on the roof to weaken, bringing it closer to the ground.
Behind him, Starscream snarled, "That's it, Autobot! I will-!"
"What? You'll what?!" Bulkhead growled, "Make me bring the ceiling down on top of all of us?" He glanced down at his human, "Run Miko!"
His human friend shook her head bravely, hugging his ankle armour tightly.
"Yes. Run, Miko. I would love to see you try. Really. I would." Rocks began to rain down on the Seeker, making him look around in interest before spotting Aquastrike on the ground, locked in stasis. He chuckled, stepping towards her, "Perhaps I shall start with this one, seeing as she won't feel a thing when I do this." He struck out his clawed hand above the aqua blue Autobot.
"NO!" Miko screamed, "Aquastrike! Wake up!"
A sudden noise distracted the Decepticon, before the rock wall was broken into. The point of the attacker sent him flying away from the unconscious Autobot. The attacking enemy revealed itself to be a drill, which deactivated in front of the pair of Autobots. Two human figures raced to the side of the drill's control panel.
Bulkhead instantly recognised them, "Jack! Carly! Get Miko out of here! Now!"
Carly leapt over the edge of the drill and down the machinery onto the wheel arch. She reached her arm out, "Miko! Come on!" She watched Miko turn back to her guardian with tears in her eyes, uncertain about leaving him behind, which only made her stick her arm as far as she could to her best friend, "Miko! Please!"
The girl remained unmoving, only turning back to Bulkhead.
"RUN, MIKO!"
With a tear slipping down her cheek, Miko reluctantly reached back for Carly's hand, allowing her friend to pull her up onto the wheel arch. She was immediately wrapped into her arms, as the tears streamed down her dust-covered cheeks. "We can't leave Bulkhead!" She whimpered against her friend, slumping against her.
"He'll be okay." The brown-haired teenager held her friend tightly. "I promise."
Starscream arose to his feet at the same time Jack reactivated the drill, barely able to dodge the spinning drill end as it reversed out of the gap. Rocks fell on their way out, while the Seeker returned his attention to the struggling Autobot, "So then there were three."
Miko climbed to her feet with the aid of Carly, clutching onto her friend's arms as she looked up at Jack, "Arcee and Windswept will save him, won't they?!"
The boy turned back to the girls, "We just need to find a way out of here before Megatron digs himself free."
"Megatron's here too?!"
Jack drove the drill down the cave's corridor as a figure stepped in their way. They stopped before the figure, gasping at who was in front of them.
At Starscream's chuckle at his predicament, Bulkhead glared at him, "If you think I'm gonna beg for mercy, Starscream, forget it."
"Uh, yes, begging for mercy would be quite pathetic, wouldn't it? Well, you're much more valuable to me alive." He gripped the Autobot's shoulder. "Imagine Megatron's appreciation when I not only rescue him-" He placed a claw under his chin, "-But deliver not one, but two Autobots." He spared a glance back at Aquastrike. "I believe that would restore my statute quite nicely."
The sound of a weapon activating behind the Seeker made him freeze.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
I smirked at Starscream turning to us like he'd been caught, "Servos off-"
"And don't move, Starscream."
It had been good timing finding Arcee when I did, because it meant I felt more confident in going to find the others. Along the way, we found an exit route with an opening, and after that, it wasn't long before we had found the humans; the poor things all looked exhausted, but they had enough energy to tell us where Bulkhead and Aquastrike were at. We had told them to carry on to the exit so we could deal with the issue of Starscream, helm on.
"Hey, Bulk."
"Hey, 'Cee, 'Swept." Primus, Bulkhead looked like a wreck. I could only imagine how long he'd been holding up this roof section.
Something smashed into the side of Starscream's helm, making me turn to whatever being pointed directly next to his audio, "Ya better get goin' 'bout raisin' them claws of yer's, Screamer." Starscream's defeated whimper at Aquastrike's threat was music to my audios.
We raced out of the mine to a beautiful sun… rise? …Primus, we had really spent the entire night in that cave? Ratchet and Sunburst must be worried, Rafael and Miss Darby too… Oh, scrap… how were we going to explain to Jack's creator what kept him from going home last night…
Primus above, how was Carly going to explain her whereabouts to her Creator?!
I skidded to a stop beside my friends and allowed Carly off my form before I transformed with the others. I took some steps towards the mine… in there, at this very moment, were three Decepticons we could easily take out in an instant… and cause serious damage to their cause…
"We could finish them, here and now." Arcee must've read my thoughts.
I heard Bulkhead slam his servos together, "Shame we didn't bring any grenades."
"Would hafta call Ol' Jacky-Bot 'bout them grenades." Aquastrike had a point; most of the team weren't exactly thrilled about the idea of keeping live grenades in the base in case of an emergency, even if Wheeljack had offered them for us at the time… somewhat as a 'present' for dealing with his imposter.
"Would Optimus… finish them?"
…It would feel like a hollow victory to take them out in such a way, without being able to fight back. I valued a fair fight above all else, and I'd made that very clear in the past. As much as I'd love the idea of destroying them like this… I just knew the guilt would eat away at my spark.
"No, he probably wouldn't." I looked at my partner shaking her helm. "Not like this."
"But Optimus wouldn't rescue 'em either, right?"
…I wasn't willing to go back into that mine and risk my spark any more than I had… I had no doubt that the others were thinking the same too.
"Ahh, don' know 'bout all'a y'all, I would like ta be rechargin' right now." The feeling was very mutual, Aqua.
My helm was pounding with an incredible ache, Bulkhead was likely sore from holding up that roof, the humans were exhausted, and if Aquastrike had been knocked out for as long as the other's had suggested, then she really needed to have Ratchet check on her soon.
Bulkhead and Aquastrike began leaving with the humans. I started to walk with them… but it was just me. I looked over my shoulder padding; Arcee was looking at the mine like she was deep in thought. My pedes carried me over to her so my servo could rest on her shoulder armour. She faced me and sighed.
…Yeah, me too, 'Cee… me too…
NORMAL P.O.V
Deep within the mine, Starscream stammered as he tried to hold the roof of the cavern up with his slim arms, giving everything he had to keep it above him. As he struggled, he noticed something in the corner of his eye, making him turn to the gap in the rock wall he had broken through earlier. This time, a different face was looking through it, overseeing the predicament his Seeker was in.
"Master!" Next to Megatron, Slipstream appeared, much to Starscream's delight. "You… and Slipstream are alive! Thank the AllSpark!" Silence responded to him, his fellow Decepticons glaring at the Seeker. "I… I did not abandon you, Master! I returned! To save you and Slipstream!"
"Save us?" Megatron rested his arm on the jagged opening.
The roof caved further in for Starscream, "Look into my spark, Lord Megatron. My intentions were true! Please! Have mercy!"
Slipstream gazed into the red eyes of her leaders' glued to her twin; for once in her long life, she was finally unable to determine what he intended to do to her fellow Seeker. Despite the realisation, she knew whatever her leader had planned, it was going to have a large ripple effect on the Decepticon cause in the future; for better, or for worse.