DOTBS-Ch24-2-Incursion

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Transformers, or any of the song/movie quotes used in this story.  However, the idea for this story does, indeed, belong to me.

HERE’S YOUR TRADITIONAL, FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD REMINDER THIS IS NOT A SLASH FIC.

NOTE: DO NOT READ THIS FIC UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN DARK OF THE MOON!!! MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUND…YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Transformers: Day of the Black Sun
Chapter Twenty-Four-Incursion, Part Two
Rating: T
Words (for whole chapter): 16,208

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From the air above the Autobot base, Galvatron watched as the lights both on and inside the many buildings and hangars came back on, as what was no doubt a backup generator worked to supply the power that had been cut off when the lightning had struck.  However, there were two systems that would not come back online with the generators.  He had seen to that.

While he had been waiting for the Autobots to show themselves at the factory, Galvatron had been examining and testing out any new powers he had gained when Unicron had rebuilt his body.  He had made quite an interesting discovery-he now had the ability to disrupt any type of communications systems-security included- by sending out an sonic energy pulse.  It was not an uncommon ability amongst the Decepticons, but Galvatron hadn’t been one of those with the power to do so.

Correction, the Decepticon leader told himself, another stab of pain filtering through his processor before fading just as quickly as it had come.  Megatron never had that ability.  I am Galvatron, and I do!

That last lightning strike, the one that had caused the power outage, had been the perfect cover for him to disrupt the Autobots’ communications and security.  He had fired off the sonic pulse the moment he had seen the lights start to go out.  It was perfect-the Autobots would believe the systems failure was due to the storm.  They would not be aware that someone on the outside had done it on purpose.

A quick scan of the hangar that the base layout he carried confirmed to be the main one, which lead to the room he sought, showed that it was empty.  The humans and Autobots still inside were elsewhere and would be unaware of his entrance.  

Galvatron was pleased.  Things were going remarkably well.  The backup plan was turning out to be far more worthwhile than the false truce meeting had been.

With a flash of triumph, he angled himself down to come to a landing on the open lot in front of the main hangar, initiating his Transformation sequence as he did so.  He landed in a crouched position, one hand on the blacktop beneath him as he looked up at the hangar in front of him.  Straightening up, he strode purposefully towards the hangar entrance.

He examined the door and let out a snort of contempt.  These foolish Autobots and their human pets.  It wasn’t even locked.  No doubt they had believed their perimeter defense sufficient enough to prevent any attacker from getting close enough to enter the hangar.  They had probably even left it unlocked because they believed Optimus and the others would return soon enough that it wouldn’t matter.

Galvatron effortlessly pushed the hangar doors open, walking confidently inside.  He looked around, internally going over the base layout so that he knew for certain which way he needed to go.  He had just pinpointed the hall that led to his destination when the sound of something clattering to the floor behind him caused him to whip his head around.

A human male-a medic, going by the fact that he had just dropped a metal box marked “medical supplies” onto the floor-stood there, staring at him in shock.  The human opened his mouth, obviously preparing to shout a warning.

“Hel-”

Galvatron didn’t hesitate, violently slashing through the human with the claws on his right hand before he could even finish the word he had been forming.  The human went down hard, hitting the floor with a wet, sickening crunch.  The Decepticon leader shook the blood off of his hand impassively.

“So foolish,” He muttered in disgust, turning back in the direction he had been facing before the human insect had distracted him.  He had to move more quickly now.  The last thing he needed was for another human to discover the body and raise the alarm before he gotten what he had come for.  He made his way to the hall, pausing briefly before entering.

According to the layout of the base, the Autobot medbay was in this hall as well.  The Autobot medic Ratchet would no doubt be inside, possibly with others.  He could easily slaughter the medic and any with him, but he had no time for that.  As satisfying as it would be, he could not take the time to do it.  Killing the human had already delayed him enough.  He would have to somehow prevent them from leaving the medbay and discovering him in the hall.

Putting the Sparklings in a room near one with other Autobots inside, for additional protection, Galvatron thought as he resumed walking, entering the hall, making his way much more cautiously now.  Clever.  He paused again as he finally arrived at the door to the medbay.  It was shut and double-locked-both inside the room as well as outside- but a quick scan and looking over of it revealed a critical weak point for him to exploit.  Both locks could be disengaged from the inside, linked together so they would unlock at the same time as long as a connection between the two locks remained.

But not clever enough.

He stabbed his hand into the locking mechanism, ripping out the wires that linked the outer lock to the inner one, and slashing them to pieces for good measure.  Now, the inner lock could be undone, but the outer would remain in place, trapping those inside.  He could hear muffled voices rising anxiously inside the medbay and drew back, flinging the destroyed wires to the ground.  His presence would definitely not go unnoticed now-the Autobots would warn the humans and the insects would foolishly come to try and stop him.  

No matter.

Turning around, he armed his plasma rifle and fired two shots at the ceiling of the hall behind him.  With a groaning sound, the tiles and ceiling supports crashed down, effectively sealing off the hallway.  He would be able to blast his way through easily if he needed to, of course, but the humans would not find it so simple to get past the newly-formed blockade.  It also gave him another potential escape route through the ceiling if he needed to get away quickly.

Galvatron laughed as he turned away from the destruction he had caused, once again heading towards the room where the Sparklings were kept.

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Ratchet growled in frustration as the door once again refused to unlock.  Well, it was actually unlocking correctly inside the medbay; it was the outer lock that wouldn’t disengage.  He tried one more time to unlock the door, but it wouldn’t budge.  The medic vented in frustration; he needed help.

Computron, something or someone just destroyed the outer lock to the medbay door. Whatever it was also destroyed something out in the hall, judging by the sounds we heard.  The medic looked over his shoulder at Chromia, who was watching him tensely, just as concerned over what had just happened as he was.  Chromia and I are trapped in here and we don’t know where the intruder went.  Can you come and try to get the door fixed from the outside? Bring help-we don’t know who did this.

Sure thing, Ratchet, Computron replied immediately.  I’m just on the other side of the base now, but I’m coming.

There was a pause over the comm, during which Ratchet once again turned his focus on trying to get the door lock to cooperate.  He was just about to try one of his medical tools to see if he could fix the problem on his own when his comm suddenly came back to life.

Frag it all, no!

Ratchet jerked his head up, optics widening in surprise, whipping around to look at Chromia in shock.  Her expression let him know that she had also received Computron’s message and she was just as surprised as he was.  Computron never swore.

What is it?  He asked anxiously.

One of the human medics-Liam-has been killed!  Primus, he’s laying on the floor in the main hangar, slashed to pieces!

Slag!  Ratchet ran to one of the cabinets above his desk, pulled out a small welding torch, and hurried back over to the door. His suspicions were confirmed-someone was on the base who intended them harm, and at a time when the security systems and long range communications had be temporarily knocked offline by the storm and they could not call for help from Optimus and the others outside the base.  Wait…taken down by the storm, or… The medic’s optics widened in alarm.  Computron, forget about helping us.  Get to the Sparklings and protect them, now!

I will…but…no, the hall is blocked-part of the ceiling’s just caved in!  I can’t get past it!  The humans can’t either! There isn’t enough space!

Then work to move the rubble! Ratchet snapped back anxiously as he furiously worked to cut through to the other side of the door lock, his Spark racing with fear for what could happen to both his Sparklings and the others if he and the humans couldn’t get to them in time.  Hurry!

On it! Computron cut off as he presumably got to work doing just that.

“Chromia, grab one of the extra welding torches and help me!”  Ratchet called over his soldier.  As the blue-armored femme hurried to comply, the medic opened his comms with Red Alert and Scattershot.

Red Alert, Scattershot!  Someone is attacking inside the base!  Are the Sparklings safe?

The only response he got was static, but the sound of weapons fire from outside in the hall, in the direction of the Sparkling room, answered his question regardless, confirming his worst fears about what was happening.

Primus, no! Ratchet attacked the door with an uncharacteristic savageness, but the way it held firm only seemed to mock him.

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Red Alert fell back as his opponent also backed away.  He remained holding his position if front of the door to the room the Sparklings were in, clutching the plasma burn in his left side, trying to staunch the flow of Energon from the wound.  It wasn’t a serious injury, but it still hurt.  Next to him, Scattershot was trembling, his vents rasping in distress and pain.  Like Red Alert, Scattershot had also been injured, in the form of a long, shallow cut slashed diagonally across his chest armor.  It had been meant to be a killing blow-the Decepticon attacking them had clearly been aiming for the younger mech’s Spark, but Red Alert had pushed him far enough away in time, though not all the way, resulting in an injury that no doubt hurt like the Pit, but at least it was not fatal.

The red-armored mech silently thanked Primus that he had locked and encrypted the door behind them when he and Scattershot had left the room to see what the explosion they’d heard in the hall was.  If he fell, at least this Decepticon would have to work to get inside, hopefully buying enough time for help to arrive before he could break through to the Sparklings.

During his initial assault, the strange Decepticon had not spoken, only snarling in rage as he attacked them, seeming primarily to target Scattershot, though his attention had since shifted to Red Alert as the bigger threat in the fight.  Now that the fight had ceased, Red Alert was able to get a good look at their attacker.  He was sure he had never seen this Decepticon before, but there was something strangely familiar about him.

The Decepticon spoke then, finally breaking his relative silence.  “Get out of my way, Autobot scum, and I might let you and your traitor friend live.  No one is coming to help you-I made sure of that.”

Red Alert felt his Spark stutter at the familiar voice, and he realized who this was.  From the way Scattershot had frozen next to him, the younger mech knew who their attacker was as well.  “You’re Galvatron.”

Galvatron laughed, a mocking, deranged sound.  “You were expecting Megatron, perhaps?  Oh, how I hate to disappoint you, Autobot, but he died.”  He stopped laughing and his optics narrowed dangerously.  “Now, move.”

Red Alert stood firm, never once moving away from his protective position in front of the door.  For once, he was not panicking-he felt strangely calm about what he was about to do.  He knew what had to be done, and what was most likely to happen to him as a result, but he knew that no matter what, he could not let Galvatron inside that room.  “Never.”

“Have it your way, then,” Galvatron snarled, and launched himself at Red Alert, forgoing his weapons in favor for hand to hand combat.  

The smaller Autobot grunted with exertion as the Decepticon leader crashed into him, though he managed to just barely hold Galvatron back.  His processor raced, trying to figure out what to do.  His gaze fell upon Scattershot, and he saw a way to get out of this.  “Scattershot!”  He yelled, the desperation in his voice jerking the younger mech out of his frozen state.  “Get into that room across the hall!  Break the window, and go find Optimus!  Tell him what’s happening!”  He saw Scattershot hesitate out of the corner of his optic.  “Hurry!”

“I can’t leave you, sir!”  Scattershot protested, his expression terrified.

“You have to!  That’s an order!”  Red Alert cried.  He knew that he couldn’t hold back Galvatron for long, but if Scattershot could get to Optimus, it would give them the edge they needed to beat back the Decepticon leader.  Scattershot wasn’t a fighter-after his initial injury, he had tried to help, he really had, but he had just been flung aside by Galvatron as if he was nothing more than a fly-but he was fast.  Red Alert knew that.  He could do it.

Unfortunately, the orange-armored mech seemed to have frozen in terror again.

With a frantic, desperate effort, Red Alert shoved Galvatron back, drawing his handheld plasma blaster and firing at the Decepticon leader.  It barely did any damage to the large mech, but it delayed him enough for what Red Alert did next.  Turning, he grabbed Scattershot and flung him in the direction of the room he knew the former Decepticon could escape from.

“Go! It’s our only chance!”

The order finally seemed to get through to Scattershot, and the younger mech made a break for it; fueled by his terror, he dashed towards the room.  Galvatron snarled and launched himself at Scattershot, but Red Alert was there, slamming into the Decepticon leader and forcing him back from his apprentice.  Red Alert caught a glimpse of Scattershot bolting into the room and heard the sound of breaking glass, but before he could look to see if the other mech had truly gotten away, Galvatron grabbed him and flung him into the wall.  Dazed from the impact, Red Alert struggled to get back to his feet as Galvatron came towards him, murder in his optics.  He tried to bring his blaster up, but Galvatron tore it out of his hand and flung it to the side.  Grabbing the smaller mech, the Decepticon leader dug his claws painfully deep into Red Alert’s chest armor, leaning in close to his victim as he did so.

“You stayed and fought to give him a chance to get away.  Some would call that noble.”  Galvatron lowered his voice to a dark whisper.  “I call it stupid.”

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Optimus walked among the Autobots and humans, checking on the injured among both groups.  The Decepticons had been fighting with the obvious intent of hurting them as much as possible; they had certainly shown far less restraint.  None had escaped the battle unscathed this time; there were cuts and bruises among the humans, gashes and torn armor among the Autobots. Optimus bore a painful laceration across his right shoulder and down his arm himself.  None of the injuries were life-threatening, but the attack, added to what they had seen when meeting with the Decepticons beforehand, had shaken them badly. The situation appeared to be far worse than they had originally thought.  The Prime wanted to offer encouragement, but at the moment he did not know what he could say.

The attack had ended just as suddenly as it had begun, with Cyclonus yelling out the order to retreat and the Decepticons fleeing back in the direction they had come.   “I hope you enjoyed the preview of what will come in the days ahead” -those had been Cyclonus’s parting words, and they were troubling, almost as troubling as the fact that Galvatron had been absent from their attackers.  

However, there was nothing to be done about the Decepticons at the moment.

The human field medics were darting quickly around, bandaging up injuries and providing pain medicine to tide the wounded over until they got back to the base.  Firestorm was limping among the Autobots, doing his best to treat their injuries as much as he could.  The old Seeker had three painful-looking gashes on his back, but was ignoring them as he helped the others.  Firestorm had just finished patching up Arcee and had turned to treating Sideswipe, who had had one of his arm blades painfully sheared off.  Surprisingly, the silver mech hadn’t protested being treated by the old Seeker, and submitting to Firestorm’s medical care with an uncharacteristic silence.  Sunstreaker was sitting next to his brother, eying him worriedly, but also keeping silent.

Firestorm looked up as Optimus approached, pausing in his placing of a patch on Sideswipe’s arm.  “I will treat you next, Optimus Prime.”

Optimus shook his head.  “No.  Treat the others first.  My injury can wait.”

The older Seeker returned to his work.  “If that is what you want, Optimus Prime, I will do so.”

The Autobot leader nodded, then turned as Bumblebee came up to them.  The young Autobot looked exhausted and had a freshly-patched slash across his right side.  He had been one of the less wounded among them and had volunteered to go find out where the Decepticons had gone after they retreated, though Optimus had told him to be very careful while doing so.

They went back to the factory, sir, the scout reported dutifully.  We aren’t going to follow them, are we?

The Autobot leader shook his head.  “No.  There are too many injured.  We must return to base as soon as we are able.  The injured will be treated, we shall rest, and then we will decide how to deal with the Decepticons.”

“Well, I want to know why Galvatron wasn’t here,” Sideswipe spoke up suddenly, breaking his silence.  He looked up at the Prime while Firestorm finished welding the patch on his arm.  “Going by what we saw back there, I would’ve thought he’d want to attack us for not giving in to his demands.  It seemed like he did, so why wasn’t he with the others when they attacked us?”

“That is what troubles me.”  Optimus frowned.  “If Galvatron was not here, then where was he?”

Back at the factory, trying to come up with a new plan while he sent the others to fight us just to throw us off, Bumblebee suggested, gingerly rubbing the patch on his side.

“Perhaps.”  Optimus turned to look in the direction of the base.  His immediate thought when Galvatron had not been present among the Decepticons they had fought was that the Decepticon leader had made a move to attack the Autobot base.  However, surely Ratchet would have contacted him to let him know if that had happened.  Bumblebee was probably right-Galvatron had intended to throw them off balance by not coming to fight himself.  A faint movement on the road ahead caught his attention, and he frowned.  What or who is that?

As it got rapidly closer, he recognized who it was, but before he could say anything, the orange car he had seen had pulled up amongst them and Transformed into Scattershot.  He staggered slightly once on his feet, and fell to his hands and knees with a painful groan.

Immediately Optimus was kneeling next to the former Decepticon, placing a hand on his shoulder in concern.  Up close, he could see that the mech was injured.  He had a slash right across his chest, only slightly above his Spark, and Energon was steadily trickling from it.  His vents were heaving with stress.  He had obviously pushed himself close to his limits to get here so quickly.

“Scattershot?” Optimus asked, his voice tinged with concern.  He was aware that all activity in the field had ceased, with both Autobots and humans watching what was going on, but he ignored it, focusing on Scattershot instead.  “What happened to you?  Why are you injured?”

The younger mech looked up at him, the expression on his face nothing short of terrified.  Panting in distress, he managed to force a few words out.  “Base…Sparklings…danger…Galvatron…”

A sudden fear stabbed through his Spark at the former Decepticon’s words, and Optimus immediately rose back to his feet.  “Firestorm, look after Scattershot.  Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Prowl, come with me.  We need to get to the base immediately.  The rest of you come to the base as soon as you are done here.”

“Red Alert…is fighting…him…sent me…here.  Communications are…down.  I…came through…window on side…where Sparkling room…is,” Scattershot gasped again, and Optimus looked back at him intently.  “Hall is…blocked…got to…go…way I came.”

Optimus nodded his understanding of Scattershot’s words, and turned away.

The three Autobots going with him had sprung into action at his command, and had already Transformed into their vehicle forms.  Trusting his allies who were remaining behind to follow his orders, Optimus shifted into his own alt mode, and led the way to the road.  Once his tires touched the asphalt, he increased his speed to as fast as he could safely go, aware of his companions doing the same as they all but tore across the road towards the base.  There was no time to waste.

As long as my Spark still functions, you will not touch them, Galvatron!

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That annoying Autobot had certainly known what he was doing, Galvatron had to admit that.  The door had been locked and then encrypted, infuriatingly so, but he had finally broken through, ripping the door to one side as he stepped through it, his optics roving around the room as he searched for his quarry.

He spotted them at once.  Five in all, all mechs of varying ages, sizes, and armor color, they were huddling at one end of the room, watching him with fearful optics.  The biggest one, a sturdy-looking mech with red and blue armor, was standing in front of the others, arms held out to keep them behind him.  Even though he was just a Sparkling, it could not be more obvious that he was trying to protect the other four.

Galvatron curled his bottom liplate in contempt, feeling disgusted at the Sparkling’s actions. Defending the weak.  It appeared that the Autobot corruption of these five Decepticon Sparklings was already well underway.  It was a good thing he was here now, then; he had a chance to take them back while they were still young enough to be groomed back into proper Decepticons.  Though, to simplify things, perhaps he should just take one now and use him as leverage to buy Autobot cooperation.  No sense in jeopardizing his plan by trying to get five Sparklings away when one would do the job just fine.

He considered each one as he walked towards them.  They let out clicks and squeaks of fear as he got closer and closer, trying to huddle further back as the big one kept standing protectively in front of the others.  Most of them would obviously have ground-based vehicle modes one day, and one of them was so small he would clearly never be of any real use.  Galvatron’s gaze finally settled on the second smallest one.  His armor was red and silver, but, most importantly, he had the beginnings of wings on his back, something the other four Sparklings did not have, marking him as what the Cybertronians called a Seeklet, a flight-capable Cybertronian in the making. The Decepticons could always make use of another flier.  So much more convenient that a ground-based soldier.

The Decepticon leader reached forward and grabbed the little Seeklet roughly by one arm, ignoring his fearful cries as he lifted him up to get a better look at the Decepticons’ newest recruit.

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Fueled by the anxiety of what Scattershot’s warning had told them was going on back at the NEST base, Optimus Prime, Prowl, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee had all pushed themselves to the brink of their remaining endurance to get back as fast as they could.  The battle with the Decepticons had worn them down, but the knowledge that the Sparklings and the others on the base were in danger had caused them to find the strength to get back far quicker than it normally would have taken them.

The storm had slackened off by the time they arrived at the base, but it was still raining.  Pulling up, Optimus saw that the doors to the main hangar were open.  However, that was not the way they were going to enter.  He Transformed, aware of the others doing the same, drawing his ion blaster as he walked around the side of the hangar, following it to the smaller hanger that housed the medbay and Sparkling room, looking for the place where Scattershot had said they would be able to get in.

There!  Bumblebee said, pointing to a window on the side of the building.  

The glass had been shattered from the window frame, and shards were scattered on the ground below it.  Fortunately, it was a rather large window, and the Autobots would all be able to get in without making it bigger-something that would make a great deal of noise and no doubt draw the attention of Galvatron.  That was something they did not want.

They were close enough now for the short-range comms to work, and Optimus tried to contact Red Alert, knowing that if there was any possibility that the other mech had held off Galvatron, he and the others needed to know of it.  Red Alert, report.  What is your status?

Silence was his only answer.

Optimus felt the unease and dread he was already feeling strengthen in his Spark.  Scattershot had said that the red-armored mech had been fighting Galvatron, and now he was not answering his comm.  Red Alert was either badly injured, or…

Weapons, Optimus ordered tensely over the comm.  Remain silent.  We do not want to alert Galvatron to our presence before we can position ourselves to stop him. The other Autobots gave their silent assent as they readied their own weapons, following the Prime as he went through the window first, checking to make sure it was clear before motioning for the others to follow him.

Optimus led the way through the room.  It was one of the spare rooms set up to be used as a meeting place, containing a large table and several human-sized chairs.  All of the chairs along the left side of the table and been knocked over, as if someone had charged by them, not bothering to be careful about what they ran into-someone in a hurry, or utterly panicked, or both.

Scattershot, Optimus realized.  He was truly desperate to get to us to warn of what was going on here.

The door to the room was open, and Optimus cautiously stepped out into the hall, looking to the right, in the direction of the medbay.  He could see right away that Galvatron had gone to a great deal of trouble to prevent outside interference.  As Scattershot had said, the ceiling in that direction was caved in, blocking the hallway with rubble.  He could hear faint sounds, voices, coming from the other side, signalling that there were others there trying to clear their own way through.  Optimus quickly sent a brief comm message to the Autobots still away from the base, issuing a command for them to help move the rubble once they returned, then refocused on the hall.  

The medbay door was shut, and the Autobot leader could see, even from his position, that the outer locking mechanism of the door had been damaged.  However, he could see faint sparks shooting from it at regular intervals-in too much of a pattern for it to just be the damaged wiring shorting out-showing that Ratchet was working to cut his way out.  They could help Ratchet, but by the look of things, he was almost done himself, and Optimus knew that Ratchet would prefer they go protect the Sparklings over breaking the medbay door down.

The Prime turned in the other direction, and felt his Spark fall as a rush of pain hit him full-force at the sight that met his optics.

Scorch marks streaked the walls, and there were splatters of Energon mingled with them.  Not that far from the signs of battle, a short distance from the door that led to the Sparkling room, lying in a pool of Energon, was Red Alert.

Optimus walked forward and knelt next to the fallen mech.  He was curled on his side, his arms and legs positioned in way that made it look as if he had been trying to crawl in the direction of the Sparkling room.  There were gashes and plasma burns all over his armor, and his chassis had been viciously slashed apart, and ripped open.  His Spark was gone, the casing completely shredded and pulled out.  An expression of agony was twisted on the red-armored mech’s faceplate.

The Prime shuttered his optics briefly, grief and anger surging through him at the way Red Alert had been offlined.  This was far more than a simple death in a battle; it was far worse than that.  Galvatron had gone beyond killing Red Alert; he had mutilated him.

Aware of the others standing next to him, Optimus unshuttered his optics and rose back to his feet, turning to face them.  Prowl was staring at his fallen friend, the grief in his expression so strong that Optimus’s Spark ached in sympathy. He could see pain and sorrow in Sideswipe and Bumblebee’s expressions as well, but there was anger at what had been done there, too.  

The sound of a very young voice crying out in fear from the Sparkling room immediately drew their attention, and Optimus motioned for the others to follow him.  Galvatron needed to be stopped before any harm came to the Sparklings by his hand.

Red Alert had died protecting the Sparklings.

They would not let his sacrifice be in vain.

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Trailbreaker couldn’t stand it, seeing his friends so scared.  He knew, both from watching Optimus and from just the way he felt, that he needed to keep his friends safe and happy as best as he could.  He’d tried to protect them, but this new, scary-looking mech was so big, he had reached right over him and grabbed Fireflight.  He was obviously hurting him, Fireflight wouldn’t be crying like that if he wasn’t.  The large mech snarled and tightened his hold on the Sparkling’s arm.  Fireflight screamed, and something inside Trailbreaker snapped at his friend’s cry of pain.

With an angry cry of his own, the Sparkling flung himself at the larger mech, hitting one of his legs as hard as he could with his tiny fists.  “Down!  Down!”  He screamed angrily at the stranger as he continued his desperate attack, and suddenly, the words he was trying to say, the ones he had heard the older Autobots speak before, finally clicked into place and got through his vocal capacitor exactly the way he wanted to say them.   “Put him down!”

Galvatron hissed in rage, dropping the Sparkling he had been holding.  The other Sparkling’s assault on him was really nothing more than an annoyance, but he had had enough of it.  He reached down and smacked the Sparkling hard enough to knock him to the floor, then savagely grabbed him by the left arm and yanked it painfully as he lifted the Sparkling up, even with his optics.

“You little brat,” He snarled.  “I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t soon forget!”

He opened his free hand, preparing to slash the Sparkling with his claws, but the sound of weapons activating behind him made him turn around quickly.  Optimus was standing with his ion blaster ready, with Prowl, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee standing next to him with their own weapons activated.  All four Autobots were damaged and obviously exhausted from both the battle and desperate journey back to the base, but the scared and angry looks on their faces let him know that they were ready to fight to protect the Sparklings.

But he had the advantage here.

“Well, well, Optimus,” He said smoothly.  “It seems you are quicker on the uptake than I thought.”  He let out a laugh.  “Pity about that soldier of yours-Red Alert, wasn’t it?  He put up a fight.”

Optimus’s optics narrowed, pained anger and restrained grief in his voice as he replied.  “You did not just kill him-you maimed his body. What you did was inexcusable.”

“Oh, was it?” Galvatron laughed scornfully.   “I needed to get in here, he was trying to stop me.  Simply put, he had to go.”

Trailbreaker, still dangling painfully from one arm in Galvatron’s grip, locked his scared optics with Optimus Prime.  All of his earlier bravery had vanished the instant Galvatron had first hit him.  Now he was just a Sparkling in pain, terrified, in the hold of a mech who had hurt him, and he wanted nothing more than for his caretaker to rescue him and provide comfort from the fear and the pain in his arm.  A sob escaped from the Sparkling.  “Opt…”

Galvatron looked from the Sparkling he held to Optimus, the realization of just who this Sparkling was to the Autobot leader dawning in his mind as he saw the conflicting emotions on the Prime’s face-fear, anger, desperation, pain.

“Opt,” Galvatron said mockingly, feeling a sense of dark satisfaction.  “I see now.  Oh, yes, I see.”

“Put him down, Galvatron,” Optimus demanded, his voice low and angry, though he failed to prevent a faint hint of the fear he felt for Trailbreaker’s safety from slipping into his words.  “Now.”

“No,” Galvatron snarled, tightening his grip on Trailbreaker’s arm.  The Sparkling whimpered in pain and the Autobots tensed, but Galvatron ignored them.  “No, Optimus, I don’t think I will.  As long as I have him, I have the upper hand against you, and I will not give that up!”

Optimus’s optics darted from Galvatron, to Trailbreaker, to the other Sparklings huddled together in a pitiful group against the wall.  Galvatron was standing in-between the Autobots and the rest of the Sparklings, giving the Decepticon leader more hostages than just Trailbreaker; he was simply too close to the little ones for the Autobots to attempt a charge to get the Sparklings away from him.

Optimus looked back to Trailbreaker again, his Spark clenching in pain at the pure terror he saw on Trailbreaker’s face.  He was crying.  Oh, Primus, his Sparkling was crying.

When he had taken Trailbreaker in as his own, he had vowed to protect him no matter what.  And he was failing at that now.  He was here, and Trailbreaker was in danger, and he could not help him without risking him and the other Sparklings getting badly hurt.  

Do not cry, Trailbreaker, Optimus thought, his own pain and fear for the safety of his Sparkling warring within him as he struggled to find a way out of this.  Do not cry, little one.  I will rescue you, I promise.

“Well, Optimus, what will it be?” Galvatron looked confidently at the Autobot leader.  “Will you risk hurting this Sparkling, all of the Sparklings, or will you do what I say?”

Optimus spoke again, his voice strained as he forced himself to look away from Trailbreaker and at the Decepticon leader.  “What do you want, Galvatron?”

“I want the Matrix of Leadership,” the Decepticon Leader growled.  “You hold the only thing that can destroy Unicron, and I need it!”

“Only a Prime can use it,” Optimus replied warily, tightening his hold on his ion blaster when Trailbreaker let out another faint whimper.

“Don’t think I don’t know that!” Galvatron snapped, annoyed at being interrupted.  He was so close to his goal now, he had no patience for Optimus’s know-it-all statements.  “I want you to use it to destroy him, so that I can…”

His words trailed off, his expression shifting to one of confusion; he felt a faint pressure building in his processor that quickly turned into a searing fire lancing through his mind, and then Galvatron was howling in pain, clutching at his helm with his free hand, unconsciously tightening his hold on Trailbreaker to the point where the Sparkling started screaming too.   At this, the Autobots tensed further and began to move forward slightly.  However, Galvatron was not aware of anything going on around him through the fire in his mind.

Through the haze of pain, words tore through him, words that only he could hear.

ENOUGH, GALVATRON!  I GAVE YOU LIFE, AND YOU INTENDED TO BETRAY ME? IT AMUSED ME FOR A WHILE, BUT MY PATIENCE WITH YOU HAS RUN OUT! I WARNED YOU OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU FAILED TO DO WHAT I COMMANDED!

His Spark was suddenly held in that horrible vice Unicron had used on him the last time he had shown insolence towards the Destroyer, and he could not move.

YOU WILL BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR TREACHERY.  HOWEVER, I AM WILLING TO GIVE YOU ONE MORE CHANCE.  LEAVE THE AUTOBOTS NOW.  MEET THEM IN BATTLE IN A FEW DAYS’ TIME.  TAKE THE MATRIX THEN.  THIS WILL BE YOUR LAST CHANCE!

There was a sharp tearing sensation in his processor, then, as suddenly as it had come, then pain was gone, his Spark was free, and Galvatron was finally aware of his surroundings again.  Looking up, he noticed the Autobots still watching him tensely, weapons trained on him.  With a scream of rage, he dropped the sobbing Trailbreaker, charging the Autobots.  Taken by surprise, they flung themselves away as he barreled past them into the hall.

Optimus spun around just in time to see the Decepticon leader Transform, roaring through the hole he had made in the hall ceiling earlier, blasting the rest of the ceiling away to escape outside.  However, the more important matter was in the room, and he instantly turned his attention in front of him again, throwing his ion blaster to one side as he walked forward, kneeling down and picking up Trailbreaker, holding the terrified Sparkling close.

“It is alright, Trailbreaker,” Optimus murmured gently, taking care to avoid jostling the Sparkling’s injured left arm, which was hanging limply at his side.  “I am here.  You are safe now.”

“Opt,” Trailbreaker sobbed, burying his faceplate against his Optimus’s chassis, pressing himself as far as he could into his caretaker’s protective embrace, trembling with both pain and fear.

“You are safe.  I am here.  You are safe.”  Optimus briefly touched his helm to the Sparkling’s, then looked up, in Prowl’s direction.  “Prowl, go and get Ratchet, please.  If he is still trapped in the medbay, do what needs to be done to get him out.”

“Yes, sir.”  Prowl replied, his voice subdued with quiet grief.  He met the Prime’s gaze evenly, however. “Permission to move Red Alert after I get Ratchet, sir?”

The Autobot leader inclined his head towards his Second-in-Command.  “Permission granted, Prowl.”

“Thank you, sir.” Prowl nodded, then turned and left the room.

Optimus watched him go.  By asking Prowl to get Ratchet and then granting his request to move Red Alert out of the hallway, he had also silently given him permission to go and grieve over the loss of Red Alert on his own.  The Security Officer had obviously been devastated at the sight of his friend’s mutilated body when they had arrived, but he had pushed those feeling aside so they could save the Sparklings.  Now, he needed to deal with it.  On his own, for the time being, which was how Prowl best dealt with things such as this.

Red Alert had sacrificed himself to save the Sparklings.  He had gone against Galvatron and sent Scattershot away to warn the others knowing perfectly well that would happen to him, but he had done it anyway.  He had met his fate willingly to save the Sparklings.

He would want them to remember that.

Optimus returned his attention to Trailbreaker. The Sparkling was still crying, but his sobs had faded into hiccupping whimpers, and he was looking back in the direction of the other Sparklings, concern in his expression alongside the pain-he was worried about his friends.  Optimus followed his gaze.

Bumblebee was kneeling on the floor, holding Blaster close with one arm, warbling quietly to him to soothe away his cries.  The scout’s other arm was around First Aid and Beachcomber, providing comfort to them as best as he could, knowing that they needed to get it from someone since Ratchet was not there yet.  Judging by the way the two Sparklings were clinging to each other as they leaned against Bumblebee, the comfort was desperately needed.

Fireflight was the only one of the Sparklings not crying.  All fear of the events apparently forgotten now that Galvatron was gone and his caretaker was there, he was showing his arm to Sideswipe, pointing at the dents in it from where Galvatron had grabbed him.  Sideswipe picked him up and held him close, a look of relief mixed with anger on his faceplate.

Seeing that his friends were all being taken care of, Trailbreaker turned back to his caretaker and laid his head back against his armor with a soft whimper.  “Hurts,” He said in a tiny voice.

“I know, little one,” Optimus replied softly.  “I know.  Ratchet will take care of it.”

No sooner had the words left the Prime’s mouth when Ratchet entered the room, an expression of sadness and worry on his faceplate.  His optics lit up slightly in relief when he saw Beachcomber and First Aid next to Bumblebee, and he turned to Optimus.

“Are any of them badly hurt?”

“First Aid, Beachcomber, and Blaster appear unharmed.”  He looked at Bumblebee for confirmation, and the scout nodded.  The Prime looked back at Ratchet. “Fireflight has some dents in his right arm, and Trailbreaker appears to be unable to use his left arm at all.”  He paused before continuing, faint anger present in his voice.  “Galvatron was not gentle when he picked them up.”

Ratchet looked over Trailbreaker’s arm with a concerned frown, then moved to look at Fireflight, before returning to Optimus.  “Bring them to the medbay.  I’ll take care of them.”  The medic made his way over to his two Sparklings, who were reaching for him from where they were still sitting next to Bumblebee.  The medic knelt down, picking Beachcomber and First Aid up and holding them close as he stood back up.  

“Easy, little ones.  I’ve got you.”  He looked up at Optimus, then to Sideswipe and Bumblebee, looking tired and pained.  “Cover their optics.  They don’t need to see what’s in the hall.  Prowl’s moved Red Alert to a side room, but still…”

“I know.”  Shifting his hold on Trailbreaker so that the Sparkling would be shielded from the scene in the hall, Optimus followed Ratchet from the room, Sideswipe and Bumblebee trailing after him, doing the same for their own Sparklings.  

They did not want to add to the nightmares that would in all likelihood come later that night.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Having been ordered by the medic to rest after the stress of what had happened, Chromia was sitting on a berth when Ratchet and the others came in.  The medic came over and sat First Aid and Beachcomber in her lap, making sure they were secure before he fully let go of them.  

“Chromia’s going to look after you two while I take care of your friends, so sit tight.  All right?”  First Aid let out a squeak as he scooted over and wrapped his arms around Beachcomber in a hug, which his older brother returned.  “Good.”  Ratchet looked at Chromia.  The medic wanted to take the time to comfort his Sparklings himself, but Fireflight and Trailbreaker were hurt and needed to be taken care of first.  He knew he could trust Chromia to take care of them in his place for the moment.  “They’re still very scared and upset.  Continue to comfort them while I treat Fireflight and Trailbreaker’s injuries, please.”

Chromia nodded, wrapping her arms around the two Sparklings, holding them gently.  “I will, Ratchet.”

“Thank you.”  The medic turned to face Optimus, gesturing to an empty berth near him.  “Since Trailbreaker’s injury is worse than Fireflight’s, I need to treat him first.  Sit him up on this berth, Optimus.”

The Prime complied, gently setting Trailbreaker down on the berth, though he left a hand resting nearby so he could continue to provide support for the Sparkling throughout the treatment he would receive.  

Ratchet gently took Trailbreaker’s left arm in one hand, examining it.  Trailbreaker let out a soft cry, turning his head to press his face against Optimus’s arm, and Optimus gently placed his other hand on the Sparkling’s head, silently comforting his charge.

“I know, I know,” Ratchet said gently, activating his scanners so that he could confirm his diagnosis of Trailbreaker’s injury.  If there was one thing he did not like about his job as a medic, it was causing pain to a Sparkling while taking care of them, even though it was unavoidable during some treatments, especially for injuries like this. “I’m almost done looking at it.”

Unfortunately, the next step would be even more painful for the little Sparkling.

“His arm is dislocated,” Ratchet said, deactivating his scanners and gently releasing his hold on Trailbreaker’s left arm.  He looked up at Optimus.  “I’m going to have to reset it and then put it in a support to keep it in place over the next few days while it heals.”  He turned and saw Bumblebee standing nearby, rocking Blaster to calm him down the rest of the way.  “Bumblebee, go and get a small support out of that cabinet-you which one, right? Good.”

As Bumblebee went to get the support, shifting Blaster into one arm as he opened the cabinet Ratchet had indicated, the medic lowered himself so that he could look Trailbreaker in the optics better.  “Trailbreaker, I’m about to fix your arm.  It will hurt, but it will only last a short while. I promise the pain will be much less after that, and you’ll feel better.  I need you to be brave now, while I do this.  Optimus will be with you the whole time.  Okay?”

Trailbreaker looked solemnly up at Ratchet, considering his words.  Finally he nodded.  “Okay.”

Ratchet looked at Optimus, one optic ridged quirked at the Sparkling’s use of the full word ‘okay’ and not the short ‘kay’ that he, like the other Sparklings, had always used previously.  Optimus returned the medic’s look, then gazed down at his Sparkling with a thoughtful expression. Ratchet looked back at Trailbreaker, smiling gently at the Sparkling as he straightened back up.  “Good lad.”

Bumblebee came up then, offering the support to the medic, and Ratchet took it.  “Thank you, Bumblebee.”  He looked back at the Prime.  “Optimus, you’re going to have to hold him.  Gently, but tightly.  He can’t move while I do this or it will make the injury worse.”

Optimus lifted Trailbreaker off the berth, shifting him into a comfortable position in his arms, maintaining a gentle but firm grip.  Ratchet stepped forward, reaching to take hold of Trailbreaker’s arm once again.  Trailbreaker whimpered, tightly gripping Optimus’s arm with his right hand and scrunching his optics shut.  “It will be over soon, Trailbreaker, I promise.  Ready…now.”

The medic lifted Trailbreakers arm and, with a single, deft movement, pushed it back into place.  Trailbreaker let out a wail, but it quickly faded into a series of faint whimpers as Optimus continued to hold him and the medic rubbed a thumb gently over the Sparkling’s newly reset arm.  

“There, see?  It’s almost over.”  Ratchet took the support Bumblebee had given him and gently fitted it over Trailbreaker’s arm, tightening it so that it would hold up for the next few days, while the Sparkling needed to wear it.  “You’re such a brave Sparkling. There, all done.”

Trailbreaker unshuttered his optics and looked at his arm, letting go of Optimus and poking the support with his right hand as his curiosity got the better of him in spite of the fact that his arm was still hurting.  Ratchet looked back up at Optimus, who was watching Trailbreaker with a small, relived smile, though the weariness and pain from the day’s events were still visible in his optics.

“Come back in a few days and I’ll take that support off; his arm will be better by then.”

“Thank you, old friend,” Optimus said.

Ratchet motioned for Sideswipe to bring Fireflight to the berth, pulling out a small magnetic stylus out of a nearby drawer as he did so.  “Hello, Fireflight.  Let’s see that arm of yours, now.  Sit him up here, Sideswipe, and I’ll get those dents out of his arm.  This might sting a little, Fireflight, but you’ll be fine.”

Relative silence filled the medbay as Ratchet worked, deftly moving the stylus along Fireflight’s arm and gently pulling the dents out of the Sparkling’s armor, but it was not a comfortable silence.  The recent events had led to a somber atmosphere filling the room, fueled by the grief, pain, and the righteous anger that the Autobots were all feeling.

Red Alert was dead.  Fireflight and Trailbreaker had both been injured.  And Liam, one of the human medics, had been killed as well.  

The meeting with the Decepticons had been a trap, after all.  But not one that they had expected.  They had not considered something like this.  And now, they had paid the price.

What happens now?  Bumblebee finally asked, voicing the thought in all their minds.  The young scout looked at Optimus.  What are we going to do, sir?

“We rest and recover our strength,” Optimus said quietly.  “I have just received confirmation that the others will be back soon.  Repairs will have to be made to the base, and the security and communications systems brought back online.  Once all that is done, we will take the steps necessary to make things right.  The events of this day have allowed me to see clearly what we have to do.  One way or another, we have to end this now.”  The Autobot leader paused, looking over them all.

When the Prime’s next words came, all the Autobots present both expected and fully supported them.

“Autobots, the time has come for us to make our last stand.”