Lockout: A Transformers Story

Prologue

Flames continued to smolder the cities of Cybertron, the war's rage aflame. It was always life or death in this world, nothing good ever came. No light to this darkness. Decepticon or Autobot. Take your pick.

The smoke burned through my ventilation systems, my frame aching as I got to my feet. Lemon gold optics focused on the destruction around me, war I wished would end. A burning desire to fight still within my spark. The smoke and ash caused me to cough, struggling once more to breathe through the dry, burning sensations. 

A figure I knew well ducked suddenly into the building I was hiding in, his broad, dark frame looming over me. DeathTrap, my adopted father. His sunset orange orbs raked over my frame, his sword in hand, the armor on his head was cracked, gore spilling along his cheek. My father eyed the injuries I, myself, had received, worry on his features. 

"Father-" I breathed, voice young and alert. DeathTrap's expression softened with love for me. Even in knowledge of his horrible acts against Cybertron, I loved this old mech. 

The battle that was proceeding here in Kaon was only growing more hungry, taking lives with it. I couldn't tell which faction was succeeding the fight. My father kneeled in front of me, allowing me to finally snap from my thoughts as he looked up at me, his hands brushing my shoulders.

"I want you to run, Lockout. Run. Run and don't look back."

"What-" I couldn't... would not leave him. Not now, not ever. "I refuse to leave you." The night began to howl, Cybertron's moon gleaming through smoke filled skies, providing no security.

"Lockout-" DeathTrap huffed and cupped my cheek. I melted to his touch of affection, but I would not cry. "Promise me something. Promise me you will be strong. Promise me you will fight. Promise me that I will not see your beautiful gold optics again until you are much older." He breathed. "Promise me!" 

"I-"

"Promise me, daughter." He growled out.

"I-I promise..." Tears threatened to pool, an ache in my spark beginning to break me. I would not break. I could not. Not in this moment. DeathTrap then placed a heavy kiss to my helm and shoved me back, pushing me to run.

My legs burned,  injuries screaming, I cursed under my breath and fought through the aches, through this pain. I know I said I could never leave my father, that I should never run from something like that. I loved him, deeply. DeathTrap had raised me and it hurt to not look back. Fuck. I had to look back. Primus... by Primus, our god, I had to look back...

Just as I disobeyed his orders, when I did indeed look back, it was a sight that I wished I had never turned for. A sight that made me freeze in place, scurrying to a stop. My fingers trembled, my legs ached from running, tears burned down my face. A sight that will fuel my desire for revenge and hatred every day of my life. The sight that will forever haunt me. The sight of my father's lifeless corpse on the grounds of Kaon, a blaster shot through his chest, gore pouring out of the wound, staining his chest.

Frozen. That's how stunned, how terrified I was. Frozen, like any living being would be at the sight of a corpse. Everything was pain, piercing my spark with an agony I had not felt for ages. Tears continued to burn my face, to stain with this emptiness I felt, rage in my sunshine optics. I screamed, holding my hands close to my spark, falling to my knees. The screams of my suffering. I could not make an effort to move,  the torture I was enduring from this was like nothing I had ever felt before. I wanted it to take me too, just as that blaster shot had taken him. 

Nightkiller would pay...

A knocking interrupted my thoughts, my tears had ceased about an hour ago. Emptiness tortured my spark, cracking it with hurt and grief. A pain I wished I would never feel again. However, this was war, I would always suffer through grief and live for someone who had once died for me, who had once died instead of me. I collected myself, lemon yellow orbs focused on the door.

"Come in."

As the door to my quarters slowly swung open, I couldn't bear to look up, I wasn't sure how long I could keep myself collected through this agony. My big brother placed a hand on my shoulder, kneeling down and brushing his hand over my forearm. Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons.  

"Megatron, I did not expect any visit today."

"Lockout." He huffed, his crimson optics met mine, his expression soft for a moment. "I am aware of DeathTrap's... accident." 

"Oh..." I breathed, my spark felt like it was going to shatter once more. "Yes... that." 

My brother placed something soft into my lap, my gold orbs gazing upon what now sat there, aiding my torment, relaxing my frame as my brother tilted my chin so I could look at him. "This war is dark, Lockout. I have no doubt that you will face another grief like this, but I will promise you." He swallowed. "I will do everything in my power to protect you. You may wish to turn away from this war one day and I pray to Primus that you will never stop fighting for what you want. You are strong, the strongest femme I have come to know. You are my blood sister, and you have my strength within you, and our father's. You are the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen, never forget that. In every blow you receive, you will retaliate greatly, you are stubborn, and that makes you powerful. DeathTrap is with you now, in here." He touched a hand to my chest, right above my spark. "And if one day I meet a similar fate, hold this close to you. A reminder of my protection."

With his promise, he brushed a hand along my head, then turned on his heel, the door swung open again as he left. My big brother's words rang once more through my audio receptors. 

I will do everything in my power to protect you. 

Megatron may be a villain, he may do horrible things... however, a villain would burn the world for those he loved. 

I gazed down once more at the stuffed Cybertronian knight in my lap, my sign of protection, my sign of my brother's promise. I did not believe my brother could protect me forever... and unfortunately, I did not know what my fate had in store. 

However...

This was only the beginning...