Inevitable (Megatron x FEM/OC)

Chapter 43 - Interlinked

Optimus hadn't a single klik to fully grasp the stakes at hand as he fought with the bounty hunter. The Prime fought for not only his spark, but the sparks of his fellow comrades, the souls of those innocent in all the madness, and most of all- earth.

Humans hadn't done right by him nor his men, but who was he to judge an entire race based solely of the misdoings of the few? He didn't have the right, plain and simple. But, he wished to call earth his home, too, and that meant fighting for it.

"The decepticon has fled, such cowardly behavior deserves judgement and you too Prime, shall be judged." Lockdown spat with a fire of his blaster A beam of light cut through the smog.

The autobot leader let out a defiant grunt as he dodged and righted himself once more, narrowly missing the targeted attack. Megatron retreating was not something he knew to be true from prior experiences. It wasn't a retreat, no.

It was a rescue. A desperate ditch effort to protect the one thing he found redemption in.

Who was the Prime to judge?

The autobot had stolen a fleeting glance toward the decepticon as he'd tore his way through what remained of the city and, for just the quickest of kliks, he was reminded of a mech long lost to conflict, D-16. He wouldn't dare get close enough to that flame in the fear it'd be snuffed out.

Lockdown advanced on him with trained precision, catching his foe by the shoulder servo viciously, jerking him into forced submission, but the Prime would have no of it as he stumbled into the closest building. Optimus pivoted on his pedes swiftly to face his attacker helm on. With his double edge held firm, the mech blocked the bounty hunter's incoming swing, forcing him back with violent determination.

The Quintessan thrust back into his target's space speedily, switching to overwhelm the mech with a flurry of strikes before tactfully using his armored leg to sweep Optimus off his feet.

The autobot leader spun to block with only a nanoklik to spare. His spark roared from within him as they battled. Lockdown was smaller, but far more agile that his lumbering form would ever permit.

"You always think you are doing what is right, who made you a leader?" Spat the emerald optic mech in seething disgust as he caught an incoming blow.

Optimus grumbled in strain as he shoved away the hunter. "You will not take anyone any longer with my say!"

"Then, it's a good thing you were never asked." Lockdown's curled fist drove straight into Prime's jaw gears, sending the larger bot fumbling. With only a klik of an opening, he wrenched the double edge from Optimus's grasp and forced in straight through his chassis plating, pinning him to the cement below. "You fight for a home that is not your's."

The emerald optic mech readied the Prime's weapon with ease. Time slowed as the bounty hunter raised the weapon to slay the autobot, but he never got the chance as two car engines revved with oncoming vengeance.

Barricade was hasty to transform, firing off a round of gunfire to create the perfect opening for Bumblebee to force himself in close to the conflict. Optimus grunted and growled in pain as he fought against his own weapon unsuccessfully.

"I gave you an order!" The Prime ground out in pain, dribbles on energon escaping his metals.

A sudden borage of bullets had Lockdown swinging his helm around in search of the Onslaught. Emerald optics narrowed dangerously, his posture was held firm and ready to strike.

Lennox and Epps yelled unheard orders as they fired round after round at the bounty hunter. The blonde soldier's clothes were noticeably drenched in crimson, his steel blue eyes misty and brimming with unshed anger. "Optimus!" The Colonel barked as he banked for the cover of fallen cement. "Hey! Over here you tin can!" The duo garnered the Quintessan's attention.