Rule of Madness

Sacrifice

(A/N: I just want to thank you all for reading this story. I was re-reading all your comments today and I was nearly in tears because of all the nice things people had to say about my story. It's been rough today, and seeing all those comments made me feel better. Love you all! Sorry the story had to end, but it's now completed!)

Each cycle that passed was full of nervous tension as Ratchet and Titanium waited for news from Spinister, the scavenger remaining silent.

Honestly, their biggest worry was for Barricade to return with orders to drag Ratchet away to be reprogrammed or re-auctioned, the two holding hope in the fact that it would take awhile for any filed complaints against them to reach anyone high enough to authorize it.

Finally, Titanium received a private message in a datapad that was dropped off along with a box of spare parts, which was, in Ratchet's opinion, clever. Soundwave was no doubt monitoring comm. Links and messages, so this was the safest way.

Hangar B3, 1500 hours.

The time had come.

"I know she doesn't look like much, but I've fixed her up best I can, and she's fast."

Ratchet eyed the small freighter skeptically before looking over at the Scavenger. "Fast enough to outrun any pursuit?" He asked, the red ariel grinning widely at him. "Hopefully." He responded.

"Brilliant." Ratchet muttered under his vents as he glanced around the darkened bay, nervous and tense as he waited for the DJD to jump out of the shadows at any moment and drag them all to Megatron.

Following Titanium alongside the dark shape of the freighter, Ratchet pressed close to the only cover around as they headed for the ramp.

Spinister, reaching it first, punched a fist against the panel, a loud grating sound breaking the silence as the boarding ramp lowered with a screech.

Grinding his denta together as the noise ended with one final, condemning thunk, Ratchet glared at the copter standing next to the ramp, optics wide before giving a nervous little laugh. "Nothing too serious." He murmured, but his voice came out like that of a sparkling about to be caught doing something it shouldn't be doing, faceplates pale.

Opening his mouth to respond, Ratchet turned when he heard the sound of tires squealing, taking several steps back as half a dozen mechs appeared in the hangar doorway.

Moonlight glinted off weapons, and Ratchet felt his spark still in his chassis, servo absently seeking out Titanium's, gripping it tightly as he pulled her behind himself.

Spinister opened fire, firing round after round towards the mechs blocking the exit. "Go!" The Scavenger shouted, shoving Ratchet in the shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards towards the ramp. "You can still make it!"

Staring at the arial incredulously, Ratchet searched for a response, but Titanium beat him too it. "What about you?" She asked, voice urgent, frightened. "They'll kill you."

A sad smile spread across the other mech's lip components. "Femme, I died the day my friends did." He responded, crouching behind a nearby crate. "And I knew I would outlast my usefulness eventually... Now go. I can only hold them off so long." He murmured, rifles lighting up around them as the Decepticons fired upon them from behind crates and ships.

Ratchet gave Titanium a little push. "Go!" He ordered, turning to follow her up the ramp when Spinister grabbed his wrist, causing the Autobot to turn towards him and look into the wide, frightened optics of the Scavenger. "Come back to us... Come back for the others." The Scavenger pleaded softly, a leer taking over his faceplates. "Bring Megatron to his knees!"