CHAPTER SEVEN
"Alchemor has successfully disconnected, captain."
"Excellent," Quickswitch said, pacing back and forth on the bridge. "Prepare to target it for destruction. No need to hurry, though; they won't be going anywhere."
As Plummet proceeded with his duties, the door to the bridge opened and a part of twelve entered, comprising of the Decepticons they had captured as well as Darkstar, who had been sent to retrieve them. Upon entering the bridge, one of the Pack -- a blue elk-like Decepticon -- looked around and twisted his face in disgust at the numerous Autobots he saw present.
"Ey, what's the big idea here? What are Autobots doin' here? Is dis some sort of trap?"
"Please, before you get agitated, let me make some things clear," Quickswitch said. "We are not your enemies."
"Those red badges say otherwise," growled Fracture. "What's going on here? Autobots and Decepticons working together?"
"Hang on a second," Fulcrum murmured, looking around the bridge. "I recognize some of these bots. They were on that space station Misfire and I were taken to last month."
"Ah, so you were present for the Fortress incident." Quickswitch smiled, though it was hardly a mirthful one. "What a coincidence, seeing as the nine you've just met are also associated with us."
Steel Jaw looked perplexed at this. "You mean us? I don't know what you're--"
"Tarantulas has been wondering where Gigatron's prospects had gotten to. Shall I give him a call, tell him you're here?"
The lupine Decepticon's optics went wide. "No. No! Not him! I thought we had gotten away from him!"
Quickswitch smirked. "Well, you did. But now you've caught up with him. Small world, isn't it?"
Before Steel Jaw could respond, Plummet suddenly turned in his seat. "Uh, captain?"
Quickswitch glared at him. "This had better be important...."
"The Alchemor--"
"Is it not destroyed? I thought I ordered you to--"
"Sir, it's somehow regained power," Plummet said. "It's... it's heading right for us!"
* * *
"How are you doing this?"
"We're not doing anything!" Crankcase said, holding onto a nearby slab as the Alchemor moved shakily around them.
"Well, someone's doing something!" Flamewar snarled. "Never in time I've spent here had something like this happened!"
"Don't worry, everyone!" Misfire called out. "Spinister's on the trail!"
The other two Decepticons saw that Spinister had vacated the lab, running down the hall. After regaining their balance, the other three went after him, leaving Sentinel Prime behind.
Following Spinister through a winding maze of corridors, they soon ended up on the ship's bridge, where they found a lone mech at the controls. The black copter-bot did not seem to notice their arrival until Flamewar hollered at him.
"Obsidian! You were the last person I'd expect to be behind something like this! How could you hold your own kind prisoner?"
Obsidian glanced back at her, only to return to return his attention to the ship's controls. "I don't have time for you. I must contact Strika."
"Why?" Crankcase asked. "Do you know what's going on?"
"No, I don't," Obsidian replied. "We were detached for some reason. I don't know if it was by accident or--"
"Detached? Detached from what?"
Sighing to himself, Obsidian said nothing as he advanced the ship towards a large shape. As it got closer, a light blinked on the console and Obsidian accepted the call.
"Do not be alarmed, Quickswitch!" the Decepticon general said. "I am simply reattaching to the Labyrinth--"
"How are you even moving?" a cold voice interjected. "I thought your power had gone out."
"I was able to get things back online. Landslide has been dispatched--"
"How? Was he attacked by inmates?"
Obsidian glanced back at the others. "Yes. I have yet to get them back in their cells, so you might want to--"
"I'm sorry, Obsidian, but I can't let you reattach."
"What?!" Obsidian exclaimed. "But... I'm still here! You can't--"
But the call had already ended. Outside, large guns were telescoping out from the Labyrinth and aiming at the Alchemor.
"Ah, well," Misfire sighed. "At least I'll die by the side of a beautiful woman."
Flamewar responded by elbowing him in the abdomen, causing him to keel over.
"C'est la vie...."
* * *
"Quickswitch," Darkstar murmured, staring at Quickswitch as he hung up on Obsidian. "What are you doing?"
"Lightening the load," Quickswitch replied coolly. "The Alchemor has always been a burden, what with carrying so many dangerous Decepticons. I should have done this long ago."
"But Obsidian is still on board!" Darkstar protested. "You can't just kill him as well! Regardless of differing factions, we are all still the Secret Order! We must look out for each other."
Quickswitch sighed. "I admire your ideals, Darkstar. But we've already lost so much. We can't afford to take any more risks. The needs of the many out--"
The sound of a gun clicking prompted Quickswitch to turn around and face the Seeker. In her hands was a large black cannon with red markings. Judging by the widening of Quickswitch's optics, it was obvious he recognized what it was.
"Is... is that...?"
"The Requiem Blaster," Darkstar confirmed. "At least, that's what these guys claim it is. I was going to show it to you later... but I think now is an appropriate time."
Quickswitch sneered at her. "You wouldn't dare fire upon me. Even if you did manage to kill me and somehow survive, you would receive swift and just retribution."
Darkstar smirked, a gleam in her red optics. "Typical Autobot behavior. You try so hard to make yourselves look big, yet you fail to realize your own naivete."
Behind Quickswitch, Plummet rose from his seat and pointed a gun at Darkstar. "Put it down, Decepticon," he said darkly.
"Not on your life, Autobot," Steel Jaw said as he and the rest of the Pack drew guns of their own. "Besides, the Requiem Blaster belongs to us."
"You?" Quickswitch laughed. "As if some poor Monstercon could possibly ever be worthy of an artifact of the Thirteen."
"None of you are worthy."
Suddenly, there was a flash of light and materializing on the bridge was a large mech in black and silver armor. He whirled to Darkstar and lifted a hand, causing the Seeker to freeze in place as the Requiem Blaster floated out of her hands and into his.
"Finally," the masked robot said, his ancient voice reverberating. "After so long...."
Taking the weapon, he attached it to his arm. After adjusting it to his liking, he took a moment to admire it.
"They thought they could keep me from my destiny. How very wrong they were."
While everyone else stared on in awe and horror, Quickswitch managed to maintain his composure. Clearing his vocal processor, he stepped up to the stranger.
"Excuse me, but... just who are you?"
The mech inclined his head towards the Autobot as if just noticing him for the first time. Without moving, the warrior said, "I am of many names and titles. My original name has been forgotten by time, my true honorific rescinded by history. Those who fear me call me... the Fallen."
At this, Quickswitch stepped away from the ancient mech, optics wide in shock. The Fallen continued to stare at him as he took aim with the Requiem Blaster.
"But I refuse to go by that title any longer. Soon, all shall kneel before the first named, the true Prime."
The barrel of the Requiem Blaster glowed as Quickswitch continued to back up.
"All hail Megatronus."
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