C-14 pried away chunks of debris as he searched for more survivors. His frame was strained, and it ached, but he pushed through it, refusing to stop. He had to find help and save Chainlink.
Pulling away a large piece of rock, the miner uncovered a red bot. The mech was dented and covered in a thick layer of dust, but otherwise seemed relatively unscathed. The bot groaned, his optics flickering to life as he muttered, "Five more kliks… just five…"
Without a second thought, he kicked the red mech in the side, being mindful of his strength, sending him jerking upright. "Hey!" the small mech barked, rubbing his side and giving C-14 a bewildered look. "What was that for?"
C-14 didn't bother answering. He gave the bot a cold, calculating look, assessing the situation before turning back to survey the surrounding area. More bots that he had uncovered were emerging from the rubble, groaning and staggering to their pedes. It was a start. He could work with this.
The red mech, meanwhile, scrambled to his pedes, brushing the dust off his chassis. "Name's Comet," he said quickly, shooting a glance at C-14. "Thanks for the—uh—wake-up call, I guess." Ugh, this one was a talker. "You got any idea what in the Pit just happened? One klik we're mining, and the next—bam! Everything's coming down! Primus, that was close. Thought I was a goner."
C-14 grunted in response, barely acknowledging Comet's chatter. His focus was on the others now surfacing from the wreckage. A quick count told him there were about a few dozen mechs, give or take, who had survived the cave-in. None looked to be in critical condition like Chainlink.
He scanned the group, already working out a plan. These mechs could help, but they needed direction. The gladiator knew time was running out for his friend. Chainlink's survival depended on how fast they could organize and find a way out of this pit.
Comet continued talking, gesturing animatedly with his servos. "You know, I was just about to hit quota too! Just my luck, right? And now we're stuck down here. Any ideas on how to—"
"Shut up."
Cliffjumper blinked, taken aback by the harsh tone, clipping his intake shut as he glanced around at the others.
"We need to get organized," C-14 called out to the group forming around him. "There's no time to waste. Start digging through the rubble, find anybot else who's still alive."
The other bots exchanged glances but quickly complied. Comet hesitated for a klik before joining the others. C-14's optics swept over the group again. This was good. They had a chance.
The miner turned away and started to trek back to where his friend lay. Pushing rubble and debris to the side, he reached the elder miner. Gently, he slid his arms under Chainlink's mangled frame, lifting him with the utmost care.
The mech didn't respond to the movement as C-14 held him close to his chassis, careful not to jostle him any further. The older miner's optics flickered brightly before dimming as he rested against the larger mech, vents stuttering softly. C-14 could feel his spark pulsing faintly.
With Chainlink cradled securely in his arms, the gladiator made his way back to the group of miners. Entering the large cavern, he noticed one of the miners kneeling beside another mech's body. The miner's frame crushed beyond recognition. The lifeless optics staring blankly up at the ceiling confirmed what everyone feared.
Another casualty of the mine.
"We need to find a way out of here," C-14 said, gathering everyone's attention. "There's no time to waste."
Most of the bots agreed, starting to turn to find a way out, until a shorter mech with an orange and blue frame and blazing red optics pushed his way through the crowd.
"Who put you in charge?" the orange and blue mech growled, optics narrowing as he glared up at C-14. His posture was aggressive, and there was a sneer on his faceplate, clearly not impressed with his attempt to take control of the situation.
Comet leaned in close to the gladiator, whispering, "That's Bulldozer. Trust me, he's scary. Doesn't take slag from anyone. Unless it's the taskmasters, of course."
The miner grunted in acknowledgment, glaring at the mech coldly. He couldn't afford to get sidetracked by petty power struggles. "We don't have time for this!" C-14 snapped. "We're trapped down here, and if we don't work together, none of us are getting out."
Bulldozer snarled. "I don't take orders from you, scrapheap. You think you can boss us around just because you're bigger? That doesn't mean slag to me. Maybe you forgot, but this ain't your arena."
C-14 optics flared brightly, and his derma curled into the beginnings of a snarl. "This isn't about who's in charge. It's about surviving. I don't care what you think, but if you want to stay down here and rust, be my guest."
EM fields flared out, trying to assert dominance over the others. With the way this was going, it seemed that their argument was about to turn physical.
However, before either of them could lash out, Comet darted between them, raising his servos. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it! This isn't helping anyone!" he shouted, pushing against C-14's chassis and glancing nervously between him and Bulldozer. "We've got bigger problems, remember? Like the fact that we're stuck under Primus-knows how many tons of rock? You two scrapping each other is the last thing we need right now."
C-14 vented heavily, taking a step back. Bulldozer sneered but didn't make any more aggressive moves.
"Fine," Bulldozer muttered, stepping back as well.
"There's gotta be at least one mineshaft that's still intact," the gladiator said. "We need to find them and get out of here." The mech glanced back to the path that led to the Dweller tendril. Before the creature came back to kill them all.
The miners started to spread out, checking the walls and clearing away debris in hopes of finding a shaft. They all knew these mines like the backs of their servos. There was no way they'd all be blocked. They just had to find one.
C-14 moved carefully through the rubble, scanning the cavern for any sign of a way out. Just five kliks in, a voice called from the other side of the cavern. "Over here!"
One of the miners, a dusty blue mech, had found one of the shafts. The gladiator moved closer and saw that the entrance to the mineshaft was mostly intact, but a quick scan revealed the grim truth: it was completely blocked off by a thick barrier of collapsed rock and metal. There was no getting through.
"Slag," the miner cursed under his breath, kicking a stray piece of debris in frustration. "It's sealed up tight. No way we're getting out that way."
"We'll find another one," C-14 said gruffly, shifting Chainlink slightly in his arms as he continued his search. His optics swept over the cavern, looking for any other possible exit. The rest of the miners fanned out, redoubling their efforts.
They worked in silence for a long time. About a breem later, the second shaft was located by a group of three bots, but just like the first, it was useless—caved in and completely inaccessible.
Two dead ends, and still no sign of a way out. He glanced down at Chainlink, who was barely hanging on, his optics flickering faintly as his vents struggled to keep up. He didn't have much time left. C-14's helm snapped to the side when he heard light pedes running toward him.
A klik later, the miner that had been trapped under him earlier, came into view, his frame littered with new dents and scratches. "I found a way out," the miner said loudly. "There's an old mine shaft that hasn't collapsed yet. We can get out through there."
The group murmured, glancing at each other excitedly. It was then a high-pitched screech rang out in the distance, followed by a low rumbling. The Dweller.
The gladiator froze, optics widening as he glanced toward the dark depths of the tunnel behind them. "We need to hurry…"
The miners looked uneasy, muttering things like "what was that?" and "are we in trouble?". C-14 knew they needed to get out of here before they ended up a snack to the Dweller, who was probably angry from having a tendril severed.
C-14 nodded at the miner, who guided them through the tunnels into a smaller room than before. The younger miner was mindful of his friend's condition as he picked up the pace to keep up with the mech who stopped in front a large section of rock that was chipped and broken. It looked like something big had hit it.
"Start clearing it," C-14 ordered firmly. The miners didn't need to be told twice. They immediately set to work, prying at the debris and shifting rocks aside with as much speed as they could muster.
The gladiator watched them work for a klik before kneeling down to gently lay Chainlink on the ground, positioning him carefully against a more stable part of the cavern wall. He made sure Chainlink was as comfortable as possible, knowing that the mech had little strength left to hold himself up.
"I'll be right back," C-14 muttered quietly, though he wasn't sure if Chainlink could hear him anymore.
With one last glance at Chainlink, C-14 rose to his full height and joined the others in clearing the debris. His claws dug into the rocks, lifting them away with ease as he worked alongside the other miners. He checked his energon reserves, grimacing when he saw they were low.
It took several long, grueling kliks of effort, but slowly, the entrance to the shaft began to clear. The narrow gap widened enough for them to see further into the tunnel. It looked stable, or at least stable enough to take the risk. The semi-collapsed passage led to the surface, just wide enough to fit one bot at a time.
Without waiting another nano-klik, C-14 wiped the dust from his servos and turned back to where Chainlink lay. He hurried over and knelt by his friend's side, carefully scooping him up once again. Unsurprisingly, Chainlink didn't react.
"Alright," C-14 said, looking back at the group of miners. "We're going through. One at a time. Move fast, but stay alert. We don't know how stable this shaft is."
The miners nodded, allowing him to go first since he was holding a severely wounded bot. The ground was uneven, and every step the he took sent small pebbles skittering down the slope behind them. One by one, he heard the other bots following him.
His large frame was far too big for the dark and cramped space of the tunnel, and it couldn't be more obvious when he plating got caught on rocks or scraped against the walls. The gladiator shielded Chainlink, carefully maneuvering himself so that he would take the worst of it and not his friend.
The larger mech could hear the high-pitched whine of his pistons as they strained to pull him up the incline that grew steeper the higher they went. The tunnel soon widened, and climbing over a large pile of rocks, he made the last steps to the surface.
The light of the sky above broke through, blindingly bright after so long in the dark. The gladiator squinted against the light, his optics spiraling to adjust to the brightness.
Miners stumbled out from behind him, collapsing to the ground, exhausted but relieved. Their comrades who had managed to escape from the mines before it collapsed, or those who had managed to escape, surrounded them. Whispers rippled through the group as they stared at the two emerging from the mine, some pointing, others frowning.
Suddenly, the crowd of miners parted like a sea, allowing a figure to barge through. Taskmaster Streamline marched forward, scowling, and surveyed the scene with red optics that were burning hotter than a sun. As usual, his armor was polished to an absurd degree, reflecting the sunlight and the forms of some of the dirty, battered miners around him. Two less-than-intelligent lackeys flanked him, smirking like idiots.
Streamline's visor brightened as he surveyed the scene. "What's this?" he barked, cold optics surveying the crowd. "A cave-in, and you're all standing around gawking like protoforms? Get back to work, we have to dig those other scrapheaps in there out." He pointed toward the collapsed mine entrance, expecting the miners to just dive back into the rubble and start drilling.
His lackeys sneered at the gathered workers, eager to enforce his orders.
The crowd murmured but didn't move. The miners shifted uneasily, glancing at each other, unwilling to meet the taskmaster's gaze but equally hesitant to return to the mines after the disaster. Most were battered, covered in dirt and dust, some were still shaken from the collapse, while others were wounded.
C-14 glared at Streamline, and then looked at Chainlink whose vents wheezed. The mech needed medical attention immediately.
"Some of them need medical attention," the gladiator said, struggling to keep his rising fury in check. He held Chainlink up slightly, showing Streamline the state of his friend's mangled frame. "Look at him! He's barely functional. He needs a medic, and so do the others. Please…"
The sight didn't move the cruel mech. If anything, it seemed to make him more annoyed. "Why would I waste energon on a piece of scrap like him?" Streamline sneered. "He hasn't met his quota in over a cycle. He's not worth the time or the resources."
Rage bubbled to the surface at the uncaring, cold words. He fought to keep himself from doing something he might regret. Chainlink wasn't scrap. He was the who had helped him and shown him the truth about Cybertron's corruption.
Everything in C-14 screamed to lash out and make Streamline feel the same helplessness, the same fear that they had felt trapped under the rocks, abandoned like scraps.
Streamline walked, turning his attention elsewhere. He barked new orders to the rest of the taskmasters, ordering them to get the workers back to their posts. One of his lackeys followed him, but the other stayed, watching C-14 and the ragtag group of miners to see if they would do anything.
The other taskmasters began cracking their electro whips, forcing the weary workers back into line. There was no reprieve for the injured, no sympathy for those who had barely escaped with their lives. They were nothing more than cogs in the machine, and Streamline had made it clear that none of them mattered.
C-14 fell to his knees, still holding his friend close. "Chainlink…" He didn't know what to say or how to fix this. He was helpless. Useless! All he could do was watch as the light in the elder miner's optics began to fade.
Chainlink's weak, trembling servo slowly reached up and touched his chassis. There was a soft smile on the mech's face as his optics sharpened and everything came into focus. "An old friend… once told me something that's… stuck with me… for a long time."
His frame rattled and optics flickered dangerously dim. "He said, 'A dark star… isn't truly… dark; it burns just as fiercely, but its light… is hidden from most. Only those… only those who look closer can see it for what it… truly is."
The gladiator cocked his helm slightly, unsure of why Chainlink was saying this to him right now.
"I see that fire in you, C-14. You're not… just some miner… or gladiator. You've got that same… hidden light. You're more than… what they say you are." His servo rested softly over his spark chamber. C-14 watched, helpless, as the last flicker of life drained from his friend's optics.
"Don't change…"
With the final whir of his systems shutting permanently, the elder miner's optics darkened completely. No longer was there the soft hum of his spark, or the gentle beating that accompanied it. He was gone.
For a klik, the gladiator couldn't move. He couldn't speak. The world around him faded into the background, turning into white noise as the reality of what had just happened sank in.
Chainlink was gone.
His optics burned, but no lubricants came. Instead, something darker began to rise within him, gnawing at the edges of his consciousness. It was a rage that he hadn't felt in cycles, not since DV-44. But this time, there was no Chainlink to stop him. No one to hold him back.
A guttural snarl was ripped from his voice box, sounding nothing like his own voice. A red veil descended over his vision, and the burning from his spark spread through every single part of his frame. Wires and pistons and fuel lines burned like fire.
Without thinking, C-14 lunged upward, vision tunneling as he saw only the enforcer standing nearby, watching him with that cold, impassive gaze. That face, that indifference, it was too much. It was all too much. The rage needed an outlet, and this bot was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
His claws pierced through plating and wiring. Energon spilled from the wound, coating C-14's claws. The enforcer let out a strangled noise, only fueling the anger-induced killer, who twisted his claws inside the bot's spark chamber.
The enforcer's optics flickered, dimming as his spark was extinguished. He crashed to the ground, btu the gladiator didn't notice. He was already moving and searching for his next target.
Streamline.
It was Streamline's fault. All of it. Chainlink was gone because of him. The miners suffered because of him. And C-14 wasn't going to let him walk away from this.
He closed the distance between them in an instant, and before Streamline could react, C-14 slammed into him, sending the taskmaster sprawling to the ground. Claws raked across the cruel mech's frame, tearing into his armor and causing agony.
Streamline's electro whip crackled to life, but C-14 swatted it away with a savage backhand, sending the weapon flying out of reach. He pinned the taskmaster to the ground, optics blazing with unbridled fury.
"I'm going to make you pay," C-14 snarled. "For every bot you've hurt. For Chainlink."
He raised his fist, claws gleaming with the energon of the enforcer he had just killed. He brought it down, aiming for the taskmaster's spark chamber, but before he could deliver the final blow, the inhibitor activated.
The pain was unbearable. Yet his rage drove him through it, fueled by one singular thought: MaKE hIM PAy. KilL.
C-14 growled as static filled his vision, the overload of electricity coursing through his frame threatening to fry his systems. He would not fall! He pushed forward, dragging his claws along the length of the mech's frame, and the gladiator could hear the panicked, garbled pleas escaping the bot's vocalizer.
He didn't listen. Begging didn't work with him. The only thing that would satisfy him was revenge, and the satisfaction of tearing Streamline apart. It didn't stop the sick delight welling up at the fear and terror in the optics of the cruel taskmaster.
But suddenly, a whip coiled around his wrist, jerking his arm back. And another around his other wrist. His legs. Each one tightening, sending electricity through his frame. C-14 roared in pain, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
He fought to move forward and finish what he had started. But in the end, the electricity mixed with the inhibitor was too much. His pistons and joints locked up, and he let out one final, pained growl before everything turned black.
"We nd to… bttr inhibitor—"
Nightwing cycled air through her vents, and she stared at the door that separated her from Nova Point Mine and the grim task awaiting her beyond it. She had run through the speech a dozen times in her neural net, trying to make it sound better. But how could you soften a blow like this?
I can do this, she told herself. They deserve to hear it from someone, and that someone is me.
She opened the transport door.
Four guards stood at attention outside, each colored a brilliant purple and accented gold with the Functionist's insignia proudly stamped on their shoulders. They were there for her protection, should any riotous outbursts come from the miners. It was to be expected. Four guards against a group of energon deficient, broken mechs with inhibitors? Hardly necessary. Insulting, even.
"Senator," one of the guards said, bowing his helm slightly. She gave a terse nod and stepped past them, following the broke path.
She stepped around the debris littering the road from the recent collapse that had just taken place two solar cycles ago. The sight made her spark ache. She hoped that the miners were alright, despite knowing the death toll.
Soon, the entrance to Nova Point Mine came into view. The mine looked like a wounded beast, having rocks pouring out of its maw. Among the rockface, there were miners digging through the rubble with their bare servos.
It hurt watching them.
Making her way to where she saw a group of taskmasters standing, she was approached by one of them. He had black and white plating covered in fresh scars and dried energon, and red optics that glowed brilliantly. Streamline, she vaguely recalled from the report she had received from Typhoon.
"Senator Nightwing," he greeted her, bowing his helm. "It's an honor to have you here. I trust the journey was smooth?"
Nightwing forced herself to keep her plating smooth and her fields calm, feeling disgusted. She must have let some of it slip, as Streamline abruptly straightened. "I—of course, you're here for a purpose. Allow me to—"
"Enough," Nightwing interrupted coolly, waving aside his groveling. She gestured toward the miners. "Have them assemble."
Streamline scrambled to obey. He turned sharply, barking orders at the miners. "You lot! Stop what you're doing and get down here! The Senator has an announcement!"
The miners slowly ceased their work, slowly turning their attention to her. Hundreds of dull optics focused on her. It was then that she saw him.
Atop the mountain of rubble, a familiar faceplate stared back at her. C-14. He looked worse than he had during their first meeting, having significantly more scars than before.
No. Her spark clenched painfully. No, no, no.
The words she had practiced suddenly felt like acid on her glossa. She had promised to help them—to help him—and now she stood here, bringing the news that would destroy their mind. The automation of the mine meant freedom for none of them. It meant they were discarded, deemed obsolete by a system that had stripped them of everything but their function.
But she had to do this. She had no choice.
Nightwing straightened her frame, resisting the urge to turn around and run away.
"Miners of Nova Point," she began in a voice that was colder than she intended. "I bring news regarding the future of this mine." She paused, scanning the crowd, unable to help that her gaze briefly flicked back to C-14. He hadn't moved, only his optics were, and they burned like twin embers.
"Effective in two cycles," she continued, "Nova Point Mine will be fully automated. The Senate has decided this is the most efficient course of action to ensure optimal productivity."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, faint at first but growing louder. Faces twisted in confusion, anger, and fear.
"Silence!" Streamline snapped. "Show respect for the Senator!"
Nightwing raised a servo, silencing the taskmaster. The crowd quieted, and she forced herself to keep speaking. "I understand this news may be difficult to hear. Your contributions to Cybertron have been invaluable, and I assure you, your efforts will not go unrecognized. You will receive… accommodations in light of this transition. Details will be provided in due course."
It was a lie. She knew it, and so did they.
Nightwing's optics flicked back to C-14, who remained perched stubbornly atop the rubble. His claws had curled into tight fists. He won't last here, she thought desperately. I have to get him out.
"Streamline," she said sharply, turning to look at the mech. The taskmaster snapped to attention, eagerly awaiting what she had to say.
"Senator?"
"I need one of your miners," she declared. "That one." She pointed directly at C-14, avoiding looking at him in the optic. "He's my… advisor for an ongoing project in the Lithium Flats. His experience will be invaluable."
"That one?" he asked incredulously, sounding disgusted. "He's a troublemaker, Senator. Hardly advisor material. Besides, he's about to be—"
"Now."
"C-14!" he barked. "Get down here, now!"
The miner didn't move. A panel on Streamline's forearm slid open, revealing a touchscreen that activated a holographic projection. A profile of C-14 came up and the miner's inhibitor chip was activated.
Immediately, the miner lost control of his frame and tumbled from the rubble, landing in a heap at the base of the pile.
"Stop!"
The miners erupted in outrage. Shouts and curses filled the air, and they started to rebel. The guards and taskmasters moved swiftly, activating the inhibitors. They didn't last long and quickly fell to the ground, convulsing in agony as the inhibitors sent electricity through their frames.
Nightwing's spark twisted. It took everything in her not to rush forward and prevent him from hurting them anymore.
"You'll all pay for this insubordination! Extra shifts will be given out and your rations with be cut! Some of you," Streamline glared at C-14, "will be arrested for assault and murder. Until the mine shuts down, you'll continue to clear this entrance. No rest for the undeserving!"
C-14 was dragged into the circle, forced to look up at Nightwing. All she saw was hatred.
"I'm not some thing you can purchase or toss around, Senator," the mech hissed, derma curling back into a snarl. "I'm not your slave, liar."
He pushed himself to his pedes. "I've had enough of being owned, enough of being treated like scrap just because I was forged cold and called a miner. I'm not leaving with you so you can parade me around to make your consciousness feel better. Do what you do best and leave us to rot like your kind always does."
Nightwing's spark clenched painfully at his words. Oh how she wanted to save them right now, snatch them up and protect them from the system. I can't save all of you.
She kept her expression neutral. "Very well. I will respect your wishes."
C-14's optics widened, surprise flashing across his faceplates before he quickly schooled his expression. He said nothing more until he was hit on the side of the helm, forced back down to his knees.
Nightwing turned, scanning the gathered miners one last time. How she wanted to tell them she would fix this and make it right. But any word of rebellion now would blow her cover and destroy what little chance she had to help them in the long term.
She walked away, spark aching with every step. She ignored the angry cries of the miners, having the image of C-14 glaring hatefully at her burned into her processor. When she was far enough, she allowed herself a single, shuddering vent.
Grabbing the edge of the transport door, she stepped in and didn't look back.
This was released a bit later then usual. I got so obsessed over another story that I realized that I hadn't finished writing this chapter. Tsk, tsk, how could I? Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think :)