CHAPTER SIX
"Well, Killmaster, it looks like you missed out on the fun."
The massive Decepticon seethed at Terradive's comment but neither said nor did anything. Instead, the crew of Turmoil's ship surveyed the damage Scourge had done to Taros VII. Cities were in ruins and the bodies of Autobots, civilians, and even fellow Decepticons littered the ground. The only action taking place was between Scourge himself and little more than fifty Wreckers, whom the super-warrior was swiftly massacring.
Turning to Turmoil, Terradive said, "Looks like he's got it all handled, sir. Shall we just kick back and enjoy the show?"
Without even looking at the orange flier, Turmoil backhanded Terradive across the face. "We came here to be participants," the commander snarled. "Not spectators."
Raising his fist towards the sky, Turmoil bellowed, "For the glory of the Decepticons!"
The others echoed his cry and followed Turmoil, charging into battle.
* * *
He had to stop. He wanted to stop. He fought against every urge just to make himself stop. But he couldn't.
A part of Scourge that still saw himself as Orion Pax felt as if he was simply watching the carnage he was creating and not directly causing it. He tried to speak, trying to cry for help towards the Wreckers he was fighting, but they were either not listening or he was ultimately mute.
For a brief moment, everything had come to a halt. Topspin and Twin Twist were deactivated, Fastfix and Scoop were firing at him, and Leadfoot was at his mercy. Orion took this as a chance to take control of his own body, but only managed to cast a pleading glance at Impactor before Scourge took over again, throwing Leadfoot into Fastfix and Scoop.
Impactor was moving in an instant, with Springer and Roadbuster behind him. The Wrecker leader aimed his harpoon launcher at Scourge and fired it into his shoulder, using it as a grappling hook to climb onto the larger mech. Orion could then only watch as Impactor wrestled with him while his Scourge persona fought back.
"Listen to me, Orion," Impactor grunted as he avoided punches thrown at him. "I know you're still in there, deep down. You've gotta stop this."
What do you think I'm trying to do? Orion tried to say, but none of it exited Scourge's mouth. Instead, the Decepticon super-soldier grabbed Impactor by the arm and wrenched him from his shoulder, throwing him to the ground.
As Scourge began to slowly approach the fallen Wrecker, he turned at the sound of cheering and saw a large group of Decepticons moving towards his position. He remained motionless as the leader of the group, a silver and black tank, converted into a large robot form.
"I may not be one to give out praise," the Decepticon commander muttered. "But credit is given when it is due. You are to be commended for your thorough work."
Scourge did not respond, instead focusing his cold gaze on the commander.
Some of the Decepticon exchanged odd glances, but the commander simply stared back. "Megatron was right in choosing you to lead the Warriors Elite. You humble Decepticons such as myself."
Still no response. This was the most restrained he had ever been save for whenever he was in the presence of Megatron, Shockwave, or anyone else with a decent amount of control over him.
The commander folded his arms across his chest. "Now then, since you are the field leader of this battle, I must ask: are we to finish off these Autobots or take them prisoner?"
"Neither." Before Orion could stop himself- or was he himself anymore?- Scourge brought out his blade and moved into an attack position. "I'm going to kill all of you."
* * *
"This is not happening. This is not happening. This is not-"
"News flash, Swerve!" Livewire snapped as she and the others fled from the horde of scraplets. "It is happening!"
Jolt let out a yelp as a scraplet latched itself onto his leg with its mouth. He unfurled his electric whips from his arms and lashed at the small creature. While it succeeded in forcing the scraplet off, two more leapt at him and bit at his head.
"This wasn't what I had in mind about fending off dangers," Jolt said. "I'm not too keen about becoming a scraplet's dinner."
"There's two openings coming up," Azimuth said, nodding up ahead. "We'll split up and try to confuse them that way. Glyph, Perceptor, you're with me."
As the six Autobots reached the two separate tunnels, they instantly divided into two groups, with Azimuth, Perceptor, and Glyph going down one and Swerve, Livewire, and Jolt the other. After about twenty minutes of running for his dear life, Swerve heard the scraplets fall silent and he dared to turn around. Much to his relief, there was no longer any sign of the swarm.
"Well, guess we've lost them," he said. "So now what?"
"I guess we just keep going down the tunnel," Livewire said. "Hopefully we'll meet up with the others soon."
"Great, just my luck," Jolt muttered. "I'm stuck with Miss Hyperactive and Mister Shut The Heck Up. That thing about cesium salami is starting to sound not so bad after all."
As the trio continued down the tunnel, with Livewire in the lead, Swerve glanced at Jolt. "I see where you're coming from with the 'Mister Shut The Heck Up' part," he whispered. "But so far, Livewire hasn't really struck me as 'hyperactive.'"
"What? You think she got her name for the electric wires on her arms?" Jolt said, shaking his head. "She may be calm and collected now, but-"
"OH MY GOSH! WHAT IS THAT?!"
The tunnel was instantly illuminated by Livewire's wire-whips as she lashed out at something neither Jolt nor Swerve could see. As the other two Autobots rushed up to Livewire, Jolt raised a hand to calm her.
"Take it easy, sis," he said sternly. "Whatever it is, it can't-"
He suddenly froze when he saw what it was Livewire had been attacking: the mutilated remains of a wingless, teal-colored Seeker. His optics were frozen in terror and his jaw hinged up and down as he murmured something.
"What's he saying?" Swerve asked.
Having finally cooled herself down, Livewire knelt down next to the Seeker to hear him better. After a moment, she turned to the others and frowned.
"Prometheus."
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