VICTORY TO ME
"Brainwash, brainwash,
B-b-b-brainwash, brainwash."
⬵⤁
Optimus entered the Sea of Rust with Bumblebee remaining diligently at his side, his blue optics scanning for any signs of life. He half expected the Decepticon army to be waiting for them, but everything was far too quiet for his taste. The expansive sea was empty, save for its waves of rustic materials.
"Be prepared, there may be an ambush," he warned, Bumblebee whirring in confirmation before following his leader. The terrain was too rough for them to use their alternate forms safely, the pair instead opting to walk and look in every direction they possibly could for a sign of Decepticon activity.
That sign soon appeared in the form of a tremor, the ground shaking beneath them as a bright blue glow lit up the horizon. Optimus realized with horror that Megatron had already reached the location of the Omega Lock, and now was no doubt powering it up. It confirmed that the tyrant had also listened in on Alpha Trion's message as to the Omega Lock's location and abilities, giving him more of an advantage than Optimus had given him credit for.
"We must hurry!" He said, Bumblebee not needing any more motivation to follow his leader. The young scout feared for his team, and the young human boy he had left on Earth. They had not been able to tell one another goodbye before he had to leave for battle, and it was something he regretted dearly. He swore he would get back to his charge alive.
The trip to the Omega Lock took a long time, almost too long, but once they arrived only Megatron appeared to be standing at its center. His servos were folded behind his back, claws wrapped around black digits. The Star Saber was resting on its makeshift hilt across his shoulder, the powerful weapon glowing softly in the presence of what it believed to be a Prime. The perversion made Optimus sick, anger making his spark flutter.
Megatron stood at a console, one Optimus assumed controlled the entire Omega Lock, and it seemed as though he was alone.
"Optimus, so pleased you could join me," Megatron turned, his red optics starkly contrasting with the blue pool of energon and mystic power above him. Those same optics settled on Bumblebee briefly, though the warlord took little consideration of his presence. "And your scout. It appears as though you are the last two standing."
"You know what happened to Arcee," Bumblebee accused.
"Indeed," Optimus felt his spark sink as the tyrant flashed them a sharp-denta grin. "Let us say she . . . requested a deal. I opted to make one which was most beneficial to me: her life for that of the pathetic human's."
Bumblebee's large optics were the easiest watch shrink into shocked pinpoints, disgusting satisfaction spreading across Megatron's face as the pair of Autobots came to shaky terms with the fact that the femme was one with the Allspark.
"Megatron . . . why?" Optimus demanded, his remaining servo curling into a fist. "You already have us outnumbered, and outmatched. Why must you insist on slaughtering more lives?"
"Insurance," The response was cold, almost unlike the normally emotional dictator. "The more of you that are left alive, the more I must deal with in the future. And unlike your medic, I could not simply persuade her to join me."
"You manipulated Ratchet," Optimus snarled, deploying his sword. "I cannot allow your tyranny to reign any further."
Megatron laughed, the grating sound sending chills through Bumblebee's back struts. "You say that I insist on killing your kind, and yet you continue to provoke me, attack me. Surely, Optimus, you would rather surrender and live?"
"Not with Earth in danger," the Prime replied. "And not with the knowledge that a Cybertron under your jurisdiction will only end in our extinction!"
Optimus charged forward, prepared to fight, when a familiar weapon fell in front of him. With barely a half klik to spare he dived out of the way, rolling back up to his pedes as the bomb Dreadwing had thrown at him exploded, kicking up rust and rocking the ground. The second-in-command lept from his perch at the top of the Omega Lock, transforming and flying down towards the battlefield.
Bumblebee moved to intercept, but his shielding was depleted by shots from behind, Laserbeak twittering in victory as it shot past. Bumblebee whirred in annoyance, the scout taking multiple shots despite the symbiote dodging each one. Predictably, Soundwave appeared from the sky, transforming and landing on his pedes in front of the scout. His message was clear: if Bumblebee wanted to follow his leader into battle, he would have to go through the communications officer first.
Optimus Prime anticipated the next attack from Dreadwing, increasing his shielding as the Decepticon fired upon him. He focused on the jet first, well aware that Megatron was waiting for the right time to attack, when they could face each other without interference.
Though this posed new concerns. Dreadwing and Soundwave were present - where was Ratchet?
It was disheartening to realize he expected to see his old friend here, preparing to attack him. But similarly he was relieved to deduce that Megatron might not have elected to bring the medic here, for which he was grateful. That meant he would be safe, and out of harm's way.
Dreadwing zipped past before Optimus could grab or attack him, the Prime resuming his charge towards Megatron. The gladiator was waiting for him, grinning as he deployed his own sword. Just like in the desert, Megatron wanted to toy with his enemy before using the Star Saber to finish him. That would be Optimus' only opportunity to subdue and defeat the tyrant before he was severely disadvantaged. It was one thing he could count on: every time Megatron was so close to victory, he became overconfident.
The slender spymaster was proving a challenge for Bumblebee. The scout could dodge and move fast, but Soundwave always appeared to be two steps ahead of him, countering his attack with a block then pushing the offense with a maneuver that proved difficult to counter. Bumblebee would not have been surprised if the Decepticon had not only memorized his fighting style, but also used an algorithm that told him the best course of action to take after each attack. If that was the case, then the scout would have to do extra work to take the third in command by surprise.
Soundwave angled his arm to perfectly counter the Autobot's jab to his exposed frame, the move leaving an opening that the young Cybertronian had not anticipated. Thin digits curled into a fist and connected with the thin armor along his abdomen, eliciting a whirr from Bumblebee's prosthetic voice box. Laserbeak fed information to its master while it flew, Soundwave absorbing the data stream with some surprise. He had anticipated Bulkhead to also be arriving, perhaps along with his Wrecker friend Wheeljack. But it appeared that they had not been able to make it through the Spacebridge portal before the communications officer programmed its shutdown. Knock Out also failed to check in, however that was no longer quintessential with the Spacebridge closed. Soundwave could easily open it if necessary, and he would be aware of unauthorized access.
Bumblebee quickly recovered from Soundwave's attack, noting with frustration how he seemed undistributed, despite the fact his neural net was constantly filtering in information. It was no secret that he was probably tapped into communications and the Decepticon net at this time, however his ability to be so without impediment was almost unfair. Bumblebee prided himself in being an efficient, adept fighter, and to be bested by someone who did not appear to be trying ground his gears.
Megatron thrust his sword forward and met only empty air, Optimus using his missing limb to his advantage to move and twist in ways that were not possible before. His sense of balance still needed finer tuning, however the current calibration was enough for him to effectively match his opponent in combat. It was a matter of time before Megatron too adapted, the long-time enemies all too aware of each other's fighting styles, having participated in a dance that lasted for several millennia.
His sword jabbed towards Megatron's exposed side, however the tyrant had the advantage of a second, heavily armored arm to counter. Shoving the blade aside with merely a nick to prove it had even landed, his helm viciously slammed in between Optimus' optics and severely disoriented him. The Prime took several steps back to recover, almost missing Dreadwing as he flew towards him again.
The second-in-command transformed mid-flight, his pedes missing Optimus by mere centimeters as he dodged, cracking the ground beneath him. Reaching behind him he retrieved his sword, whirling just in time to clash blades with the last of the Primes. He was certain Megatron would want to finish Optimus himself, however the second in command was not about to give Optimus any opportunity to potentially defeat his leader - or hold him hostage in exchange for the Omega Lock.
Bumblebee flinched as his shielding ran at a critical low, Soundwave now able to inflict physical damage with little effort. Already, his armor was peppered with bends and tears that stung in the Cybertronian air. His arms felt like lead and his legs were moving slower than they used to, his defenses slowly but surely failing him. It was an uphill battle, and he was losing ground quickly.
A cry from Optimus distracted him, the Prime receiving a brutal upper-cut from Megatron after the attack from Dreadwing left him vulnerable. The Prime fell backwards, groaning as Cybertron's gravity - that which was noticeably stronger than Earth's - pulled him down and threatened to trap him.
The brief moment of pause proved a mistake for Bumblebee, the scout slammed in the side of the helm and brought to the ground. A weight pressed into his back, Soundwave's pede pinning him there as the Decepticon stood over him triumphantly.
"Bumblebee . . ." Optimus groaned. "Run."
The scout's optics widened. Run? Retreat? No, he would rather die -
"Live to fight another day," Optimus gazed at him, his optics dim. Bumblebee had seen that look in many Autobots, but never quite so intensely in his leader as he did now.
The acceptance of defeat, and the welcoming of death.
"Run."
With the last of his will, Bumblebee did as his leader commanded.
With a burst of final strength he twisted his body, raising and arm and firing a supercharged shot at Soundwave, the third in command flinching backwards to avoid the unpredicted attack. Whirling, the Autobot took several running steps before he transformed, his tires gripping the rusted landscape as he retreated from the Omega Lock. His side mirror watched the ancient device grow smaller on the horizon, guilt settled in his tanks.
I will come back.
Optimus watched him go, his spark heavy in his chassis as he closed his optics once Bumblebee was out of sight. He wished that the young scout could one day inherit this planet as it had once been in its former glory, but he could not do that if he was slaughtered by the Decepticons.
Dreadwing moved to pursue the Autobot, but Megatron placed a servo out and stopped him.
"Let him run. He will be excellent sport for those who wish to serve me."
Ushering a silent command, the tyrant turned away from Optimus as Dreadwing pulled him into an upright position, his blade resting on the Prime's neck cables to keep him in line. Megatron paused at the hub of the Omega Lock, absorbing its raw power. His shoulders began to shake, Optimus watching as the chuckle evolved into full-on laughter, glaring as Megatron turned around with a malicious grin.
"After all this time, and my victory has finally arrived," he boasted, spreading his arms out to gesture to the massive structure. "With this Omega Lock, I will usher in a new age, a Gilded Age, from which Cybertron will once again thrive! And there will no longer be any caste, any Primes. There will only be me."
"You are delusional," Optimus growled weakly, his remaining arm trembling as exhaustion washed across his systems. "Cybertron will not thrive under your rule. Not while you control with fear."
He was rewarded with a sharp-denta grin. "And yet, it has lead to this moment," Megatron moved to once again bring his attention to the Lock, his sharp digits delicately pressing a few buttons. The structure glowed intensely, ready to fire when its new master gave the go-ahead. "Cybertron will look upon its new ruler with gratuity . . . and Earth will learn to enjoy its place amongst the gods."
Optimus' optics widened as a new Spacebridge portal opened above them, new energy surging when he realized just exactly what Megatron was planning. It also indicated to him that there were two Spacebridges, the more practical one being in space. But Megatron had used the one on Earth . . .
Bulkhead. Wheeljack.
Their absence had not gone unnoticed by Optimus Prime, but he had denied the thought on the hope that they were merely delayed by technical errors. Megatron was more than well aware that the Autobots were lacking in technology. The Spacebridge was a trap, likely to isolate Optimus from his team.
The Vehicons had always been easy to deal with, but with growing dread he recalled how bursting through them was simpler than he anticipated. It was because they had been ordered to leave him alone.
And now, Megatron was using his true Spacebridge, the one located in Earth's orbit, or its moon's, to target Earth.
Megatron pressed a single button, the Omega Lock firing into the portal without discrimination. If he knew what the Lock would do to Earth, he clearly did not care, letting it slam into the planet's surface and cyberform as it liked.
The Prime surged forward to attack with vigor, refusing to allow the dictator to destroy yet another planet. Dreadwing kicked the back of his leg before he could fully rise, the second in command gripping the back of his helm and slamming it into the ground. Optimus grunted in pain, his arm pinned by the Decepticon as he was fully prevented from getting up.
His audio receptors were filled with Megatron's mocking laugh, the Omega Lock's beam eventually dying. The Decepticon's threat was not empty, but he had prematurely shut off the Lock before it could really make a significant change to Earth's surface. Optimus was unsure as to what he was targeting, or where, but there was a limited number of places Megatron could possibly think to destroy.
Reaching behind himself, Megatron unholstered the Star Saber, the weapon glowing in response to the stolen Prime's arm.
"Now that you have witnessed your defeat, it is time for your execution."
Dreadwing forced Optimus up again, but this time he let go of the Prime and allowed him to stand, the Decepticon quickly getting out of the way as Megatron cocked his arm back. The Star Saber glowed brightly, charging with power.
Optimus did not waste any time, standing to his full height as he prepared to take Megatron on again, perhaps for the final time. His efforts were rewarded with only punishment, as he ran in a desperate attempt to intercept Megatron before he could complete his swing.
The arc rolled across the air faster than he anticipated, Megatron putting his all into the final swing. The blast connected directly with the Matrix of Leadership, cleaving into Optimus' armor as it shattered his frame. The final Prime did not even have time to cry out as he was thrown, launched hundreds of feet across the Sea of Rust. Megatron watched as his body was thrown lifelessly across the landscape, watching it disappear behind one of the many rust dunes.
That was where it belonged, and he had no desire to drag Optimus Prime's corpse to any of the opulent cities to parade around after his victory. No, he would let it rot where it lay; that way, the Prime could never be used as a martyr for any of the remaining Autobot pests which would attempt a rebellion.
He would not even bother with the accursed Matrix of Leadership. It too would degrade where it lay, dying with its final vessel. No such object of Primus deserved to persist through time. And if any 'bot was stupid enough to retrieve it . . . well, they would simply be executed.
Satisfied, the tyrant turned back to his triumph, the blue glow of the Omega Lock mixing elegantly with that of the Star Saber.
"Now," he bared his deadly maw in a sneer. "Let us finish what we started."
⬵⤁
"My god . . ."
June gazed out of Starscream's cockpit at the spiraling structure that stood where the Autobot base once had, the sharp and jagged features of its exterior reminiscent of only one madman who would dare to reveal his presence to Earth.
"It appears that Megatron has taken control of the Omega Lock," Starscream reasoned, coasting past it and quickly heading towards the destabilizing Jasper, Nevada. "We have a limited amount of time before he deploys soldiers, either to guard his new facility or desecrate your precious city."
"Well, it's more of a small town," Jack said, though now was not the time for jokes. They were interrupted by a helicopter abruptly entering the Jasper airspace, zipping past Starscream before turning around as gracefully as the flying machine could. An odd sound followed after, Jack at first unsure what was happening until small pings peppered around them, Starscream yelping in response.
"He is shooting at me!!"
"Is it Agent Fowler?" June turned in an attempt to look, her view obscured by the Decepticon's chosen form.
Starscream snarled. "Yes. And I am very tempted to shoot back at him if the idiot has any desire to receive my assistance -"
"Just land," Jack instructed, quickly giving the Seeker his address. "Just get us to our house."
"But Jack, the civilians-"
"Are already exposed, mom," Jack pointed out, gazing at his mother's worried eyes. "And Agent Fowler needs to know that we're safe. And Starscream is . . . has a common enemy with us."
"You were about to call me an ally," the Seeker said slyly, the smirk evident in his voice.
"You're not quite there yet," Jack retorted, grimacing as the jet began its rapid descent. Despite the normal speed of passenger airplanes and even the F-22 raptor, Starscream had gone extraordinarily fast and arrived to the Nevada state in no time. Jack suspected it had more to do with the Cybertronian technology in his frame, but the Seeker did not complain of his T-cog falling out or his surgical site tearing open, so they were probably okay.
With as much grace as he could muster for a mech his size in a small neighborhood, Starscream slowed down and transformed. His slender pedes slammed into the pavement of the road and effectively created the largest potholes in Jasper history, dirt and asphalt flying out and hitting a couple cars, maybe even smashing some windows. His claws caught the tumbling humans and, in a surprising display of trust, tucked them against his chest to shield them from a further onslaught of bullets. Agent Fowler had clearly realized something was up, the government agent ceasing his attack and hovering before the Decepticon.
Jack and June looked up at the man, relieved smiles on their faces as they peeked behind the digits of the Decepticon. Agent Fowler mouthed something along the lines of "You have got to be kidding me" and "By George Washington's star-spangled britches," quickly landing his aircraft.
He clambered out before the blades of the aircraft had properly ceased spinning, throwing his helmet off and revealing his permanently-angry expression had deepened.
"You two better have a good explanation-"
"We don't have much time to explain," Jack said hurriedly, ignoring Starscream as he put his servos on his slender hips and waited for the humans to hash it out. "We just need to get to the Autobots."
A grim expression settled on Fowler's face. "The Autobots left for their mission. Bulkhead and Wheeljack returned, but Prime and the kid . . . I've been trying to reach both of them, and they won't respond. And after that thing popped up in Jasper, our communications systems have been shot, and the people are in hysterics. We've started evacuation, but it isn't looking good."
"What about Arcee?" Jack demanded.
Agent Fowler shook his head. "I don't know," he said, his voice holding a somber tone to it. "She's been missing for several hours, and hasn't responded to her comms either."
Jack's shoulders slumped, his mind quickly thinking of the worst case scenario. He shook his head. Not Arcee. There is no way. She wouldn't let that happen.
"We cannot dwell here long," Starscream spoke up, much to Agent Fowler's distaste. "I am already first in line for a personal execution by Megatron, and after taking off with his prisoners, I am sure he will be hunting us all down. We have a common enemy, Agent Fowler, and I have become all the more willing to align myself with the Autobots if it ensures Megatron's defeat. The mere fact that he has already constructed a headquarters here indicates he will soon follow, or one of his higher-commands will. We must leave now if we wish to fight another day."
Agent Fowler glared, then looked at Jack and June. "You better trust him, and have a good excuse for Wheeljack and Bulkhead," he said sternly. "They're the only two we have a known status of right now. Between Arcee, Smokescreen, Bumblebee, and Prime missing, we're short on trust and patience."
Jack nodded, face twisted in a steely expression. "Trust might be . . . in progress. But we've come to an understanding. Let's get going."
Starscream watched as the three humans piled into the helicopter, sparing a glance over his shoulder to the new Decepticon tower. The former Decepticon was not disillusioned, though he did not share his thoughts with the humans. Right now, they needed to focus on surviving. But if Megatron had managed to take control of the Omega Lock . . .
It meant that he had already won.