CHAPTER NINE
Optimus Prime had no idea who this 'Thundertron' person was, but the Autobot leader already had him marked down as someone who had a few screws loose.
The Star Seeker captain cackled madly as he swung his sword madly at Optimus, who blocked the attacks with his axe. Even as Megatron joined the fight, Thundertron grew more and more lively, clashing blades with the two leaders while laughing like a hyena-bot.
"Somebody overdosed on the engex," Megatron muttered. Tightening his grip on his battle mace, the Decepticon leader swung the spike weapon at Thundertron's head. The pirate easily dodged the blow and responded in kind by stabbing at Megatron's abdomen. Megatron narrowly avoided the attack, but Thundertron's sword did graze his side.
With the Star Seeker's attention briefly focused on the Decepticon leader, Optimus Prime lunged with his axe, slashing Thundertron's back. The captain howled in fury and turn on his heel to face Optimus, slapping the axe out of his hands. Optimus then quickly tucked down and rammed himself into Thundertron, sending the latter crashing to the ground and causing him to lose his grip on his sword.
As Thundertron struggled to get up, Optimus pinned him down with his foot while Megatron snatched the pirate's sword. Noticing that his former brother was about to kill Thundertron with the blade, Optimus raised a hand to stop him.
Scowling at him, Megatron said, "You're far too compassionate, Prime. Spare this savage beast and he'll simply try to kill you again."
"There's plenty of people that want me dead, Megatron," Optimus said coldly. "Getting rid of one won't make much of a difference."
Megatron grinned mirthlessly. "Then perhaps I should kill you both and-"
The Decepticon leader was cut off by a large plasma bolt brushing past him. All three leaders turned to see a large, dark maroon ship emerging from a pile of junk, equipped with all sorts of weaponry.
"Arr, so we have a four-way conflict at hand," Thundertron muttered. "Interesting...."
"What is the meaning of this?" Megatron shouted, striding towards the ship. "I demand you to show yourself!"
"If you insist." Jumping down from the ship was a tall, lanky mech in green and black. His right arm ended with a pointed hook and the left one had a blaster of sorts attached to it.
Megatron sneered at the newcomer. "Lockdown. It's been centuries since anyone's seen you."
"Yeah, I've been out of the picture for a while," Lockdown said dryly. "Been doing some work for the Nebulans and Vestial Imperium to get away from this pointless war. Only reason I returned was because someone offered a very high price for the head of a certain Autobot leader."
Optimus Prime narrowed his eyes. "You don't mean...?"
"Oh, yes, I mean you," Lockdown said, grinning wickedly. "Now hold still for just a moment."
The bounty hunter then raised his left arm and fired the blaster. Optimus ducked and rolled forward, coming up to slam his fist into Lockdown's face. The bounty hunter staggered from the attack and responded by swinging his hook arm. Its end grabbed the edge of Optimus' mouthplate and tore it off. As the Autobot leader lurched backwards, Lockdown kicked him in the abdomen, pushing him down to the ground.
"All too easy," the bounty hunter muttered.
"No!" Megatron bellowed. "Optimus Prime is mine to kill!"
Lockdown smirked. "I have no intention of killing him. Just bringing him in to my employers."
Raising his mace and Thundertron's sword, Megatron roared and charged towards Lockdown. Not moving from his spot, the bounty hunter merely held his smirk as his face began to shift and morph, unfurling into a gun barrel. Lockdown fired it, hitting Megatron square in the chest, impeding his charge. Another blast shot through the Decepticon leader's right shoulder, causing him to stagger and fall to his knees.
Once he was sure that Megatron would not bother him, Lockdown moved to pick up Optimus Prime. However, as soon as he removed his foot from the Prime's chest, Optimus' arms shot up and grabbed Lockdown's leg, causing the bounty hunter to lose his balance and fall down.
As he stood up, glaring down at Lockdown, Optimus said, "How does it feel to have the tables turned?"
Folding the cannon back into his face, Lockdown smiled. "Who's turning tables?"
Suddenly, Optimus felt something hit him square in the back and darkness quickly began to consume him.
* * *
"Prime!"
Ironhide had been too late to see it happen. As Optimus Prime collapsed to the ground, having fallen victim to Axer's stun rifle, the Autobot warrior charged across the battlefield, screaming as loud as his vocal circuits would allow him. Axer turned to fire his stun rifle at him but was unable to do so when Ironhide slammed into him, sending the weapon flying from his hands.
While the Autobot pummeled the bounty hunter, Lockdown took advantage of this distraction and picked up Optimus before quickly heading for his ship.
"Lockdown!" Axer called after him. "Wait for me!"
Lockdown paid no heed to his partner, nor to the volleys of blaster rifle from the Autobots, as he boarded the Death's Head and prepared the ship for takeoff. After beating Axer to the ground, Ironhide turned to the vessel and fired wildly at it. However, the ship's deflector shields protected it from the assaults and it began to lift up from the ground.
Still weakened by Lockdown's attack, Megatron called out to his Decepticons, "Stop that ship!"
But it was too late. The Death's Head had blasted off into hyperspace, taking Optimus Prime with it.
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