Transformers: Enslavement

Part 40: Dark Aftermath

Optimus lies on the floor fading in and out of life. The Autobots do find him, and Ratchet immediately starts fixing up as many wounds as he can.

Ratchet: (panicking) "Come on Optimus you can do it. Don't you dare die on me now."

Jazz: "Whoa he doesn't look good."

Wheel: "That's an understatement."

Snarl: "Is he dead?"

Sludge: "Only on the inside."

Silas: "Will he make it?"

Side: "Ratchet is the best there is."

Prime: "Ratchet... is that you?"

Ratchet: "That's it Optimus keep fighting. Each moment you're alive increases your chances. I'll take on the serious wounds while your molecular armor handles the rest."

Mirage: "You did it Optimus, you stopped The Fallen."

Prime: "No, I lost."

Perce: "Lost?"

Swoop: "If that's true then where is the scary guy?"

Prime: "Megatron stabbed him through the neck, and he fell into a portal through space."

Bee: "What about that other creepy guy with him?"

Prime: -cough- "Escaped through the portal and swore vengeance."

Ace: "Great that's all we need, another party to worry about."

Grimlock: "Are you alright Optimus?"

Prime: "I'll be fine, thank you for your help Grimlock."

Grimlock: "No problem, just doing what we Dinobots do best."

Bee: "So what do we do now?"

Prime: "We go home."

Wheel: "Yeah.. about that. We can't bridge back seeing that we're here."

Jazz: "Looks like it's the long way back."

Ace: "I'll get you guys some cargo planes for you to ride in, but I don't know if it will support the weight of the Dinobots."

Grimlock: "Just bridge us back when you get home. We'll help pick up the city until then."

Sludge: "We will?......Me Sludge mean we will."

Silas: "I'll see you guys later."

Ace: "You aren't coming Silas?"

Silas: "I can't, I got to do some salvaging here fro MECH. We'll definitely keep in touch. See you around."

Grimlock: "Want some help with that?"

Silas: (smiling) "Absolutely we can use the extra muscle. Just find as many Vehicon parts as you can and load it into our trucks and planes."

Grimlock: "You got it. Alright Dinobots, let's hunt."

The cargo planes arrive for the Autobots. Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Mirage, and Jazz go into the first one and Optimus, Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Perceptor go in the other. In the first plane the four scouts have somes small talk.

Jazz: "Well congrats on making it out of that mess."

Bee: "No kidding. How many times did we almost die today?"

Side: "I lost count after sixty."

Mirage: "I'm just glad you're all safe. It's a tragedy about the rest."

Jazz:' Yeah.. don't really feel like talking about that."

Mirage: "Understood, let's just be grateful this didn't get worse."

On the second plane Optimus is being repaired by Ratchet.

Prime: 'My father's true killer is finally dead."

Ratchet: "I bet that took a lot of weight off your shoulders."

Prime: 'Yes, but at the same time it adds a new weight. Megatron was right and I didn't believe him That part is my fault."

Ratchet: "Even if that's true you mustn't blame yourself for his actions."

Prime: "If I did believe him then we could have had a different result than a third war."

Ratchet: "We don't' know that. It's never healthy to dwell on the what-ifs."

Prime: "I suppose you're right."

Wheel: "What are you working on, Perceptor?"

Perce: "Just a little formula. I think we could use some Synthetic Energon."

Wheel: "Tinkering again huh?"

Perce: "I really want to rock your socks off... I think that's the right term."

Wheel: "Knowing you it will be great, but I got to tell you about a machine that builds machines that builds machines that builds catapults."

Back in London the Dinobots are helping MECH find as many Vehicon parts as they can. Little do they know that's not the only thing they're doing. Other teams are taking some very interesting pieces. Silas finds the hovercraft of the late Dr. Archiville, and sees the corpse inside the body. He isn't interested in the body, it's what's inside. Taking a deep breath, he goes inside the cockpit, much to his colleague's discomfort. After about two minutes he emerges with the helmet, arm, and leg that was given to him. Silas puts his arm inside, and manages to work it, much to his amazement. He puts it in the truck and drives off. The remaining members drag the body of Skystalker into a cargo plane. Along with the body is Terradive's left arm and Bombshell's left leg. And they all disappear.

At the Decepticon HQ megatron is being dragged to a table by Soundwave and Splicer. Sideways and Thundercracker are being worked on by Skywarp. Longhaul is staying by Sideway's bedside.

Skywarp: "Thank goodness you're alive Lord Megatron. And it's good to see our medical wonder return as well. I just don't know what to do."

Longhaul: (unhappy) "You've done a crap job."

Skywarp: "...Yes I have."

Thunder: (relieved) "And I thought I looked like crap, but Megatron never fails to impress!"

Megatron slowly gets up, and walks over to Thundercracker. He takes Thundercracker's hand, and brutally breaks it.

Thunder: (screaming in pain) "GAH SON OF A BITCH THAT HURTS!"

Splicer: "Wow Sideways, it's a miracle you're alive."

Sideways: "That's what I keep hearing."

Splicer: "You're going to need a complete makeover. I think I can make you better than before. I'll even give you a working mouth for good measure."

Sideways: "Really?"

Splicer: "Of course."

Meanwhile the other Constructicons are having an interesting conversation about Overload.

Scavenge: "That's the third nightmare this week."

Scrapper: "What's so important about that?"

Mix: "He keeps saying he sees people, bad people. I'm getting worried."

High: "Well this is Overload we're talking about."

Rampage: - whips angrily-

High: (nervous) "Eh... sorry Rampage."

Longhaul: (walking in) "This one seems a bit scarier than the others."

Scrapper: "Oh? And what would that be?"

Longhaul: "He said he saw a shadowy guy with a galaxy in his chest."

Scavenge: "A galaxy?"

Scrapper: "I'll give him points for creativity."

Mix: "Normally he would have dropped these topics on the first day as usual, but he keeps insisting they're real.

Scavenge: "He seems scared, like really scared."

Mix: "If I've learned anything it's whatever scares Overload like that scares me."

Rampage: -nods-

Soundwave is walking down the hall where Starscream is leaning against the wall.

Soundwave: "What do you want Starscream?"

Scream: "Nothing. Going to log in your data for the evening I presume?"

Soundwave: "Yes."

Scream: "That's swell. Enjoy your evening."

Soundwave: "...Thank you."

Soundwave goes inside his room, and Starscream quietly laughs to himself. As Soundwave puts his tentacles into some of the portals to store information, he is unaware that he has implanted the virus....

At MECH HQ, it's the night shift, and Alan is working on one of the computers. He is busy typing in some upgrades and designs for his drones. As he is typing he sees one of other employees going down a dark corridor. Curiosity gets the better of him and he follows him quietly. The man goes through a door, and it requires a special keycard. Through some miracles the man forgot to close it all the way, and Alan gets right in. He loses sight of the man as he is way far ahead of him. It's a very dark hallway, and eventually reaches some flights of stairs. As he goes down he eventually comes across a railing. He hears sounds of steel and metal being worked on. He looks over and sees some of the most shocking images ever. He sees several scientists working on numerous transformer parts. In a glass container of display is Brimstone's crystal. In one corner you see Dropkick's body being stood up and studied. He can see people behind a curtain trying to bust open Fearswoop's arm, but to no avail. He also sees all these Vehicon parts being transferred and Megatron's sword. He doesn't know what to make of this. He decides to leave, but when he turns around he sees Silas at the other end of the railing.

Weazel: (nervously) "Uh... Silas....hey."

Silas: "Hey Alan, what are you doing down here?"

Weazel: "Well I... got curious."

Silas: "It's alright, we all get curious sometimes."

On the other side of the railing comes three men. The one in the center is the man with the skull ring from earlier.

Weazel: "So what is this place?"

Silas: "The future."

Weazel: "The future?"

Silas: "It's our secret R&D department. By reverse-engineering their tech, we can better defend ourselves against the Decepticons."

Weazel: "That's incredible."

Silas: "Who knows, maybe we can make our own to help out the Autobots."

Weazel: "Wow that's really cool... wait is that what I think it is?"

After looking closer he sees the late Prowl's guns being tested.

Weazel: "Those are Prowl's weapons. What are you doing with them?"

Silas: "Same reason as the rest."

Weazel: "But why?"

Silas: "If the Autobots ever turn on us we can be prepared."

Alan: "I know the Autobots, and they would never do that."

Silas: "It never hurts to be ready."

Alan: "They're our friends. I don't think they would like that you are using some of their dead friend's bodies and weapons for your use. And while we're on the subject what is Project D.S?"

Silas's facial expression changes from surprise to horror. The man with the skull ring makes a hand gesture, and Silas sadly nods his head in understanding.

Silas: -sigh- "I'm really sorry about this Alan, but you know too much."

Silas takes out a concealed gun and shoots Alan twice in the chest. He almost falls over the railing, but Silas catches him. He slowly puts him on the ground as the life goes away from Alan's eyes as he dies right there. The man and his two helpers come to talk to Silas.

?: "You did it, that's good."

Silas: "I did, but I wish I hadn't Savoy."

Savoy: "He knew too much, and if he escaped he could have ruined everything."

Silas: "I could have convinced him, shown him the light."

Savoy: "Too big a risk."

Silas: "I don't think so."

Savoy: (intense) "Do you really want to risk what we worked for? What Mr. Attinger worked for? It had to be done. Project D.S must continue."

Silas: "You're letting your grudge get in the way."

Savoy: "I lost a sister in San Fransisco, they get no sympathy from me."

Silas: "So what do we do about the body?"

Savoy: "Simple, make it looks like an accident."

Savoy brings the other two men next to him for an important decision.

Savoy: "Do you believe in this cause?"

Both men nod.

Savoy: "And do you believe in it enough to die for it?"

Savoy: "Good, your service will be remembered. Prepare the drone testing field."

As the men leave all the workers from below were all watching, and Savoy sets them straight.

Savoy: "You aren't paid here to have a conscience remember? It's about killing aliens. Now get back to work."

And all the workers resume their tasks...like nothing ever happened at all.