The Great Battle
- Part five
By: Sapphire
As she had expected, she got quite a talking to by the Generals.
They lectured her on what it meant to stick to orders and honour.
However, the cloud did have a silver lining.
General Silone said, after the other Generals had left, that he was most impressed.
He said that he would arrange that she would become a second Lieutenant and will be given seven hundred troops under her command. She was satisfied with that and was glad she had managed so get out of trouble for the most part.
Now, there was a party going on at one of the camps, and to lift her spirits she decided to join in. She made her way into the camp.
It was crowded with happy soldiers and not so happy soldiers.
There was a bar set up and some robots were dancing on a stage.
Only one small detail bothered her slightly.
They were mostly male; in fact, she could only see three female dancers.
She sighed and sat down on a stool in the bar and ordered some energon.
There was lively music playing and the camp was filled with chatter.
A violent contrast to the cold night outside.
Two robots behind her chatted excitedly, without her knowledge.
“Ai, she be a pretty one! Long time since I’ve seen such a pretty female.” Said the red robot.
“Me too! She looks like a Captain, or perhaps a Lieutenant. Though, she ain’t armed.” Said the green and black robot.
“Shall I try my pick up line tactics?” He grunted.
“If you wish, though, it’ll be just your luck if it’s that killer female that ruined the General’s plans. I heard she is quite a fighter.” Said the green robot.
“Ay, it’s worth a go!” He said grinning and moved over to her.
The green robot, named Folex watched his friend walk up to the female.
He knew that his friend, Gristan, had the most awful pick up lines.
He watched her turn to face him.
He spoke and then she uttered something and punched him, knocking him onto the floor.
There was laughter and she gave Gristan a look of death.
“Anyone else gonna try coaxing me to accompany them for the night?” She hissed.
“No ma'am!” Someone cried.
“Good.” She said sweetly and got talking to a soldier next to her.
Gristan staggered up to him.
“My luck, it was ‘er.” He grunted and sat down again.
Diamond was talking to a rather friendly fighter by the name Daistran.
He was very polite and was actually a corporal.
“You are rather famous, you know. I agree with what you did, it was very daring but it worked.” He said.
“I knew it was a risk, but one I wanted to take. I just didn’t see the point in losing a good 2000 men just to ‘weaken’ a force almost four times as large.” She sighed.
He nodded.
“I know there are a few female fighters, and one female corporal to my knowledge, but you are the first female I’ve known to become a Lieutenant. Though you are very strong, I didn’t know females trained to be so um, well, skilled.” He said gently, hoping he wouldn’t anger her.
He’d seen that she packed quite a punch.
She didn’t hurt him, just smiled.
“I have a very skilled teacher.” She said.
“Really, where are you from?” He asked.
“A little town called Nystrin.” She replied.
“Mm hmm. What was the name of the centre you trained at?” He questioned, very interested.
“It was just called the Nystrin War Training Centre. There were other females there, well two.” She said.
“Who taught you? Sorry to be so nosy, but I was brought up by my father alone and my world was pretty male dominated, I never knew much about females.” He said sheepishly.
“I see. I was also brought up by my father, he was my teacher.” She answered.
“Was he a famous warrior?” He asked.
“To an extent, yes. But you probably haven’t heard of him. His name’s Dinobot.” She said, sipping her energon drink and looking away distractedly.
“I have. He was from the Axalon. I do know a little bit of general knowledge. The Axalon crew were very famous when they went missing and when they returned.” He said.
The two chatted for a few hours then Diamond left to go and get some rest. She was glad she had made a friend.
____________________________________________________________
“Sour. Really sour.” Exclaimed Harine.
“Not a job I wanted.” Moaned Rattrap, as he snapped of few pictures at a quiet battlefield.
His photographs and Harine’s would feature in the news disks of what the aftermath was after the battle of Yulst. There were bodies scattered everywhere and a few robots carried the dead onto ships.
There were just so many dead that it was going to take a very long time.
Harine pulled a face.
“I think we’ve got enough photographs of this graveyard!” She spat.
“I’m with you, sister!” Rattrap said, a look of disgust and sadness on his face.
The two photographers walked away, feeling rather guilty in a sense.
“So much for Rest in Peace, we just stood there taking photographs for the whole of Cybertron to see. I feel sick!” She groaned.
Rattrap just sighed.
“I hope you weren't one of dem, Kiddo, and I sure as the Inferno hope Optimus wasn’t either.” He thought.
Then a grim look covered his face.
“I have ta admit, even though ya stink ya slaggin’ saurian, I hope ya weren’t one a dem either, Chopper face. I really hope ya weren't one a dem.”
________________________________________________________________
Cheetor coughed and spluttered in the smoke.
His cabin had just been bombed while he was in a meeting.
“Damn Beast modes!” He thought as he wheezed.
He looked around in the cabin, wait, there was no cabin! Just broken walls and smouldering ashes everywhere.
“Sir, are you all right?” Coughed Raltrine from behind him.
“I think so!” He wheezed.
“That was quite an explosion, where are the others!?” Cheetor demanded.
“’Fraid I don’t know sir, but I’ll go look for them.” He shouted above the raging fire.
Suddenly there was a loud hissing noise as a ship flew over and put out the fire.
Revealing fallen bots everywhere.
“Slag!” Exclaimed Cheetor.
He ran over to one of them.
It was Darantlix.
“Come one, wake up!” He cried. It was no use; he was out like a light, snoring quietly.
“Hmmm.” Mumbled an annoyed Cheetor.
After a few megacycles, the wrecked cabin was swept away and four robots had died out of 100.
They were very lucky.
Cheetor, after meeting up with the other 94 of his troops, went into the medical room, he needed some touching up in the CR chamber, and urgently.
“Not a good start to the day.” He grumbled.
_______________________________________________________________________
“You don’t say a word about what really happened. All you say is that you received and urgent message that there was a change in plans. You don’t mention me or Lieutenant Diamond, understand?” Said Optimus.
“Yes sir.” Replied the pilot that had dropped the bomb.
“Good, well done Hlian, well done.” Optimus said more softly.
“Thank you sir.” She said
Optimus watched her go, his mind racing.
No one could find out about Diamond and Optimus’s friendship, it was crucial.
There would be serious punishment for both, if the Generals ever did find out his involvement in the battle plan she had devised.
Serious trouble.
-_______________________________________________________________________
The new city was obviously in much better condition.
Nothing had attacked it, it was noisy and the robots in it went about doing their jobs.
The standby army had troops marching through the city, constantly on the look out.
Just outside of the city, was an open stretch of land that stretched on for miles around it.
Underground were cabins and in these cabins were troops and various officers, Generals, Colonels etc.
Outside in the open land, it was silent, except for a fairly strong wind whipping through.
The sky above was grey and dull and the temperature was below freezing.
Quite a climatic change for everyone, and not a nice one for Dinobot’s beast mode.
It was crucial that the troops remained hidden underground, so access to the open land was restricted. There were a number of scout patrols around the area, mostly by airships.
Everyone knew that the large City Jalen was a major target.
Below, there was nothing much to do.
All plans had been revised; all strategies and emergency plans were well rehearsed.
Technically, there was not much to do.
There was no room to train underground and they couldn’t go above ground for fear of the Gitrix spotting them and doubling their forces when they did attack.
Everyone was bored.
Including a very restless Dinobot.
He paced back and forth, mumbling and grumbling.
The underground chambers stretched for miles, but it was still too small for training. Dinobot was fortunate enough to have his own small room.
It was dimly lit and cold and metallic, with nothing but a small table with a computer on it, an intercom, a recharge bed and a weapons hold.
Dinobot grunted.
He might as well go out into the main room where there was a temporary kind of ‘pub’ and a television. The only problem was that it was packed out. But anyway, maybe he could get some information from the television.
_______________________________________________________________________--
Diamond pulled a face.
She had been moved up a rank, given seven hundred troops and had been put in the most barren and the ‘most unlikely to be attacked’ place there could be. She was told to guard a very small village that was so worthless to the Gitrix warriors that it wasn’t even funny.
She and her troops knew this.
All around the tiny village was just barren dry landscape, with a bit of dust blowing about.
The dim sunlight, and it was dim because they were so far away from the sun, shone down on the cold ground. It was like a desert. There was nothing.
What on Cybertron was she supposed to do?
“They wanted to keep me out of trouble, that’s why!” She snapped aloud.
Beside her was Daistran.
“Yes, I think so. They would have benefited if they kept you. You should be a General.”
He said.
“Oh, your too kind.” She said bluntly.
She and Daistran had become good friends, but sometimes Diamond wished he wasn't so polite. She was really hoping for a fight, and there was nothing to fight.
“Tell you what, you keep a look out for probably nothing and I’ll get some rest.” She said sneakily.
“Ooh, you are so mean, you get to sleep off your boredom and I have too stare for hours at nothing! And I have to listen to you because you’re a Lieutenant!” He cried.
“That’s the spirit!” She said happily, glad that he’d become a little more daring in his choice of words.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She said as she leaned back against a rock and used her shield as a hat to cover her optics.
She almost instantly fell asleep.
“Slag.” He mumbled.
A megacycle passed and Daistran felt as if he were going to die of boredom.
He heard Diamond stirring happily in her sleep, obviously having a pleasant, probably action filled dream, while he sat there glaring at nothing.
“Boring, boring blah blah blah!” He mumbled. Even his troops were dozing off.
He had been given orders to guard when she could have told a soldier to guard, not him!
There was a slight buzzing and he flicked away a fly.
A fly? There were no flies on Cybertron!
He opened his eyes that had shut temporarily and saw a tiny little flying camera buzz away into the horizon. Then, a black cloud gathered in the distance and there was a loud hum.
“Uh, Diamond, DIAMOND!” He cried shaking her violently.
“Wha...What? What is it Daistran?” She asked groggily.
“We have a problem!” He cried and pointed to the black cloud that landed and drew ever nearer at an alarming rate.
“Oh slag!” She cried.
The army of Gitrix fighters moved closer to them.
Diamond stood and screamed.
“Troops, take your positions, wake anyone who is sleeping. We have a code red!” She yelled.
There was a sudden rise of panic, there were at least 400 Gitrix warriors coming their way and though they outnumbered them, Gitrix warriors were twice as strong. There was going to be one huge fight.
Diamond’s optics widened in horror.
The Gitrix army knew that the main way to the city where her fellow commanders were guarding, the city Dimetrix, was heavily guarded, they had decided to sneak the long way round. This was not good news for Diamond.
She had no plan.
There was no air force to help and all they had was a shallow trench.
This was hand-to-hand battle.
OK, there was something she could do.
She could go into the town borrow a few cyber cars, which obviously could fly, put in a few soldiers that had a flying skills and hope for the best.
The Gitrix had flyers, they did not.
So they were going to need a small air force nevertheless.
“OK, Corporal Daistran, go into the town with twenty men, take all the cyber cars you can get by force, find flyers, if indeed we have any and put them into the cyber cars. This will have to be our air force. Now go, quick quick.” She said, addressing him formerly as she was to set an example.
“Yes miss.” He grinned and called for all semi pilots.
There were about forty, they were very lucky.
She addressed her sergeants and gave them orders of where to position their troops.
The Gitrixs' were advancing rapidly.
A few cycles later, Daistran had taken as many cyber cars as possible and her air force of forty kept hidden in the city.
She wanted to give them a surprise.
There were a few Gitrix flyers actually flying, the rest had taken to foot.
She realised that there were as many foot soldiers as there were flyers in the Gitrix mini army.
Each flyer had flown over a foot soldier.
This was a relief.
She knew that Gitrix flyers were just flying soldiers; these flyers were not in ships so having her air force in cyber cars was an advantage, most definitely.
It would be primitive fighting of course; her flyers would have to stick their gins out of the window and fire.
It would have to do.
She waited tensely as the Gitrixs’ gained on them.
“Move out! Move out! We don’t want to fight to close to the town!” She cried.
Her army advanced and yelled their own battle cries as they headed straight towards the Gitrix army.
She ran off with them holding her sword up and screaming orders to the Sergeants through her com-link. Yet silently, she prayed.
There was a deafening crash as the gunfire rippled out and swords clanged together.
The Gitrix army was just as surprised as the Maximals.
Diamond ran in and slashed her sword into on of the larger Gitrix warriors. It screamed in pain and shot violently at her.
Two of the shots hit her but she continued to plunge her sword into him. She succeeded.
The Gitrix fell, twitching. She had taken it by surprise while it was killing one of her men, and now it was dying.
She yanked her sword out and blood poured out from its fatal wound.
Suddenly she felt a volley of shots rip into her back.
She fell forward and held her sides as more shot ripped into her.
She rolled and dodged a third shower of shots and stood to face her attacker.
He was a normal Gitrix soldier with a huge rifle smoking.
It yelled something in a foreign language and opened fire once more.
She held up her shield and was knocked back by the sheer force of the attack.
Staggering to her feet, she pulled out her laser gun and shot rapidly at him.
It dodged and fired at her feet.
She leapt up nimbly and crashed onto him, knocking him down.
She thrust her sword into its face, through where she guessed it nose would be.
The turned on the blade fan and the sword shook violently.
Then the head of the creature exploded and a showed of blood sprayed onto her as well as
pieces of head and churned brain.
She turned away, sickened.
She ran away with her sword, leaving the headless Gitrix to lie in its own blood.
“Ugh!” she uttered as she wiped the blood from her optics and face.
The situation around her was not pretty.
The Gitrix had an unfair advantage with the flyers,
“Time to give them a surprise!” She said and spoke into her com-link.
“Bring in the Air force, Corporal Daistran!” She shouted above the noise.
“Rodger that!” He yelled.
She turned to fire at a large Gitrix that had just sliced up one of her female soldiers.
Above the thundering noise, she heard her air force engage the flyers above.
“Good luck!” She whispered.
The battle wore on for a two Megacycles till finally, out of sheer numbers and will power, the Maximals defeated the Gitrix mini army, which had been reduced to fifty.
She watched as the Gitrix retreated and fled into the distance.
She screamed a wordless battle cry and help up her blood covered sword.
Her weary men cheered and dropped their weapons as the Gitrixs’ disappeared.
Before the battle, she had contacted the General to tell him that they were being attacked.
He had said that he would send back up.
She now called him to report of their victory.
She spoke for a while and the conversation ended like this:
“You continue to surprise me, Lieutenant. I will send in more men and you can move your
Troops out of there and come join us for a real battle. Dimetrix is now being guarded by Predacons so we are flying to Junlatres tomorrow, they are in serious danger. Well done.” He said.
“I thank you sir.” She said wearily.
“Indeed. General Tirelene out.”
She sat down, exhausted.
Around her, her few medics set to work on healing her damaged troops.
She eagerly awaited the pick up ship, it would have CR chambers aboard and she for one, needed healing.
She surveyed the grim scene.
She estimated that she only had about 200 men left.
She didn’t have all the fancy counting equipment she had last time.
Her air force was cut down to ten and she had lost two sergeants and one corporal.
Thankfully, her friend was all right.
She closed her eyes and shivered uncontrollably.
She was very weak and disturbed by the scenes she had witnessed.
Her systems gave out warning after warning.
Suddenly, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.
It was a news reporter smiling at her.
She news reporters had internal cameras and built in microphone so they just stood there, asking you questions, smiling pathetically. She hated that.
“Congratulations on your victory Lieutenant. You fought very bravely.” Said the friendly reporter. “Um, thanks.” She sighed.
“I can see you are most tired, so I won’t ask many questions. What went through your mind when you saw the advancing army of Gitrix warriors and flyers?” He asked.
“Oh slag! That’s what I thought!” She said, grinning.
The reporter gave he an amused look then asked her another question.
“You made up a temporary air force using the town’s cyber cars. Was that your idea?”
“Yes.” She grunted.
“One last question, were you surprised at your victory?”
“Yes and no. That is difficult to answer. We outnumbered them but they had a large air force. So there was really a fifty- fifty chance that we could win or lose. So, yes and no.” She said, trying to sound more cheerful, really she was just to worn out and all she wanted to do was sleep.
“Thank you Lieutenant. This is Dalstal Shreen, from Cybertron International News, Lantrix.”
The reporter left and Diamond staggered over to a medic.
“Help.” She blurted.
The medic caught her as she fell unconscious into his arms.
“Yes, I will.” He said and began repairing her major wounds as best he could.
________________________________________________________________
Dinobot fumbled into the crowded and noisy room.
There were mostly soldiers drinking and talking loudly to pass the time.
Dinobot looked over to where there were a few seats and a group of robots staring up at the television. He squeezed past robots and stood on their feet as they stood on his.
Finally, he made it to the television.
It was so noisy. He couldn’t hear a thing.
There was nothing on, just the depressing news.
He stood watching the devastating pictures of a battlefield, out in the middle of nowhere.
“Strange place to have a battle, no one would have expected that!” Snorted a robot beside him. “I agree.” Snarled Dinobot.
“Why don’t you turn up the volume, you have the authority to shut up these drunks!” Said the golden and blue robot.
“Yes, I think I will.” Dinobot sighed and turned it up full blast, it hardly made a difference.
Dinobot shook his head and was about to turn away when he saw something that shocked him. He looked up at the screen, there was Diamond, being interviewed and the caption at the bottom of the screen said ‘second Lieutenant Diamond, just won a battle against incredible odds. Lantrix.’
“Oh.” Was all Dinobot could utter.
She was on television, alive but clearly damaged, a second Lieutenant and a victor in a battle. But he couldn’t hear what she was saying.
“Quiet!” He yelled to the noisy crowd.
No change.
“Silence, I wish to hear what the female says!” He shouted.
The noise continued.
Dinobot pulled out his laser gun and blew a hole in the wall.
The gunshot was deafening.
There was a shocked silence.
“Thank you.” Dinobot snorted and turned the volume up a little more.
He listened intently to what his daughter had to say.
“You made up a temporary air force using the towns cyber cars. Was that you idea?” The reporter asked.
“Yes.” She replied.
“One last question. Were you surprised at your victory?” The reporter questioned.
Diamond paused.
“Yes and no. That is difficult to answer. We out numbered them but they had a large air force. So there was really a fifty- fifty chance that we could win or lose. So, yes and no.” She replied wearily.
Then the reporter ended of the interview and something else came on.
Dinobot turned down the sound and grunted, satisfied.
“Why was THAT so important?!” Yelled a soldier.
Dinobot turned, a threatening green glow to his eyes. He gave him such a cold, vicious stare that the robot shivered.
“Never mind!” Said the cowering Maximal.
There were a few surprised looks on the soldier’s faces, but once again the noise rose to its former level and no one took any more notice.
_________________________________________________________________________
Continued in part five b
The Great Battle - part five b.
Months passed.
There were more battles.
More victories, more losses.
And one had to wonder when all the destruction would end.
Each night, after a battle, a soldier would sit and think of the ones he or she loved.
Had to wonder whether they were alive, or whether the enemy had destroyed all they had to come back to.
Optimus went around Cybertron, fighting in various battles, winning and losing.
He had lost a great deal of friends to the war.
But still, he led on, courageously, trying to block out such terrible memories.
Rattrap continued to film and photograph scenes of the war, at one stage getting shot in the leg in the crossfire.
Every time he saw the battles and the aftermath of one, he silently thanked whatever god/gods there were, that he was not fighting. He often wondered what had become of his friends.
Rhinox, lost in his experiments, had a great deal of pressure on him.
He had to come up with new formulas of medicines and fuels everyday to try help aid his fellow Cybertronians during the war. He had little time to think of much else but occasionally spared a thought of concern for his dear friends.
Eagleite, always against the idea of war, worried all day and all night about her son who had been ripped from her arms and taken away to some city miles from her, to fight. She would never forgive herself for letting him become a war trainee should he be killed in battle.
Cheetor bravely fought on through each and every battle. Knowing it was for the good of his people, never once doubted the Generals of their words. He had strong faith in his leaders and would die for them.
Dinobot, never one to show his emotions openly, fights in battle and in his own mind. Helplessly torn apart inside with a degree of concern for the only one he cared about, his daughter. He bottles up all emotions and fights honourably, setting an example for all who followed him.
Diamond, rising through the ranks, fighting battle after battle skillfully and tactfully.
Always aggressive toward the enemy yet compassionate for her fellow Maximals and Predacons at all times.
As my story focuses around these seven characters particularly, spare a thought for all the others who too have been sent into a war, whether it be with Gitrix warriors or himself or herself, everyone on the planet, was fighting.
______________________________________________________________________
To be concluded in The Great Battle part six
The Great Battle - part six
The sun rose over the city, the biggest city on the planet.
It was just a faint, distant orange orb that slowly rose into view.
Higher and higher, barely noticeable, except that the light grew in intensity.
The city’s tall buildings casted long shadows and the front of the city was hidden in the shadows, the other side bright, facing the sun.
The other side was lit up and bathed in an orange light.
Inside the city, nothing stirred.
It had been evacuated three days ago.
There was a deafening silence.
The sky above, a pinkish glow fading into an orange then into a greenish blue, then into sapphire and then into a navy blue.
The sapphire section of the sky held faint stars, which were slowly disappearing. The dark blue section had brighter stars that twinkled elegantly.
There was little wind, just a very light breeze that ruffled some litter left in the city.
All was silent. The world seemed to have frozen in time; even the sun seemed to be rising far too slowly.
Open lands surrounded the huge city and across these fairly lands were small houses, dotted everywhere. Nothing moved nor stirred.
Just the littler that moved a centimeter or two in the breeze.
Yet, in the wasteland, there was life.
A lone soldier stood on a small heap of debris, looking over at the city.
He knew, that soon, the peace would be destroyed and the silence shattered as the battle of the century was to take place right here. When, he was not sure.
A few meters away from him, was a small lake, filled with rather polluted water.
Trash floating in it. He took no notice and stood proud as he gazed at the magnificent city that had been built years ago.
So big was the city, that it was mind-boggling.
Incredible structures rose high into the sky, almost touching the stars.
Three armies had joined up for this fight, a fight they were certain would happen in good time.
Inside the city, soldiers hid inside empty buildings, as still as the night.
The small lake was only disturbed by floating rubbish that sent miniature ripples through it.
Though polluted, the water was fairly clear.
Suddenly, a high-pitched shriek cut through the silence like a knife.
The lone soldier jolted and moved a step forward, before tumbling down into the lake.
The lake, now disturbed, slowly changed to a dark, reddish grey colour that spread throughout it like tentacles.
The soldier floated gently, as lifeless as the debris.
Deep underground, the high-pitched shriek of a laser/rifle was heard by a General whose eyes widened in horror at the gunshot.
He knew what he had to do.
On the mini hill, where the maximal had been standing a few seconds ago, stood a huge creature, hideous and still.
Like mist, a huge army rose around him.
The army of Gitrix warriors, like himself, stretching for miles behind.
The Gitrix on the hill, held a gun, a gun that had steam pouring out of its barrel.
It was time for battle.
---
She couldn’t function properly.
She was overcome with fear.
It enveloped her so that she was so frightened she was almost sick.
Her body trembled uncontrollably and her mind was racing. He very spark seemed to shudder.
Around her the silence screamed.
She was tempted to cover her ears or knock herself out.
But she mustn't.
Her breathing was shaky and as she looked up at the Gitrix army ahead, she felt her panic grow even stronger.
She was looking death in the face, certain death.
Oh how she wanted to cry, or at least whimper.
She closed her eyes, knowing that if she could cry, tears would be streaming down her face.
So frightened. Paralysed with fear.
She once more opened her eyes and noticed that others were trembling too.
Hidden in the shadows, with a small group behind her, she shivered.
The whole army as well as two others had joined together for this fight.
This battle, prophesied to be the biggest battle yet against the Gitrix.
“You won’t get our Energon.” She heard someone whisper behind her.
She didn’t turn to face the speaker, she couldn’t. It was crucial that they remained motionless.
The air was tense, only the sound of weapons shaking in the hands of terrified soldiers could be heard.
Then there was a distant roar and the huge black mist on the horizon started to move forward.
She let out a quiet gasp and wheezed. She wept quietly, so, so terrified.
Behind her was a mini army of 800, all dependent on her and her orders.
And here she was, whimpering quietly.
Then, the most dreaded sound crackled from her com-link.
A sound she had hoped she’d never hear.
“Weapons ready.” Croaked the familiar voice of the General.
Then, there was a pause that lasted for what felt like eternity.
She was sure she heard the planet breath out a sigh of terror.
Then the word that brought everything crashing down in her mind, echoed.
“Attack!”
Diamond lurched forward, raised her unsteady arm and pointed towards the enemy.
“Kill them!” She said, her voice barely a whisper.
Yet her troops obeyed and there was a dreadful noise.
Battle cries filled the air and broke the silence into a thousand pieces.
It rose up around and above her and into the sky.
The battle had begun.
___________________________________________________________________
She rose from her position and drew her sword.
She was surprised her legs were steady enough to hold her.
From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Daistran.
Her friend she had grown so fond of.
“Corporal Daistran!” She cried.
He turned and spotted her, a concentrated look on his face.
“Yes Lieutenant!” He shouted.
She motioned him to come to her.
It occurred to her that he was busy and was trying to watch over his troops, as was she.
But, she had to talk to him, for perhaps the last time.
He came up to her, amazingly calm though she could see fear written in his eyes.
“Corporal, promise me something, promise me you won't die.” She said.
“Believe me, I’ll try not to.” He said, a faint smile on his face.
“Be brave, fight and watch your back.” He said.
‘Watch your back.’ The words echoed in her mind.
“Be careful.” She cried.
Then the two looked at each other for a few cycles.
Diamond turned away and ran into the fight ahead.
---
She ran forward and into the still very ‘maximal’ troops.
Gunfire wailed around her as they finally made contact with the Gitrix army.
The main Gitrix army, the army that was out to conquer and if the maximal were defeated in this battle, the Gitrix would have control over the main city and half of the Energon supplies.
All around Cybertron battles were raging. But none were as big and as important as this one.
There were two huge maximal armies and one Predacon army.
No one cared whether you were a Maximal or a Predacon; they were in this together.
Seven hundred thousand robots plunged into battle.
Could this battle end the war?
The war had been going for only several months and in that time; Diamond had worked her way through the ranks to be a Captain.
She had fought many a battle and had won almost all of them.
She knew that her father would be proud, if indeed he was still alive.
She searched for an enemy in the confusing crowd.
There were just so many robots to get past before she could find a Gitrix.
She found one soon enough.
She snuck in from behind and stuck her sword into its neck, half decapitating it.
She yanked her sword out and swivelled round just in time to see another alien raise its gun and fire. She ducked and rolled and shot violently, knocking the creature back a few steps.
She turned and kicked another and slashed at one coming at her from her left.
Three Gitrix fighters started to try rise up again and surround her.
She twisted and turned, shooting and slashing at the one closest to getting up on its feet.
She knew her most powerful weapon was her sword and it was very strong against their armour. She had brought two swords; her spare sword was a replica of her father’s.
She ran forward and thrust her sword into one of the three and whipped out her gun to shoot at the one behind her.
He shot one shot at her and blew a hole through her shoulder.
She screamed as her wires and circuits showed through the hole.
“You’ll pay for that!” She hissed and ripped out her spare sword and ran forward.
The Gitrix was quick and she missed him.
Then she felt a shower of bullets tear through her legs.
She collapsed on her knees and felt mech blood pour out of her various wounds.
The Gitrix behind her stabbed a few times at her back with a small dagger.
The one in front of her levelled his gun at her head.
Then the one behind roared in pain as she thrust the sword into his hip and the one in front collapsed as a soldier brought it down with a cannon.
She twisted around and stood shakily and pushed the sword even deeper into the Gitrixs’ hip.
He punched her and she fell back.
It stood and pulled out its rifle and before she knew it bullets hammered into her.
She rolled to the side and towards the rising Gitrix she’d stuck her own sword into.
She ripped it through its stomach, killing it and claimed back her blood-coated weapon.
Grabbing her shield, she stood on shredded legs and picked up her gun and fired at the Gitrix, which still had her father’s sword in his hip.
It roared with displeasure as the female maximal managed to stand and fire at his face.
A helmet protected his face but he still felt the impact of the bullets.
She held up her shield and dashed towards the Gitrix.
Before he could dodge, which would be very difficult with a sword turning inside your hip, she thrust her golden sword into his chest and turned on the fan.
While the golden sword churned away in the Gitrix, she pulled out Dinobot’s sword and stabbed mercilessly at its feet and legs.
It gurgled as blood seeped out of its mouth and it collapsed, dead onto the blood stained floor.
There was not time to spare.
She slipped Dinobot’s sword into its casing in her side pocket and retrieved her own sword.
She decided to use her gun for her next victim so she slipped her own sword into her other pocket and held up the shield.
She rammed into a Gitrix and stuck her gun to his head and fired.
Not so far away, another Captain fought bravely on, just as damaged as her.
He had killed five Gitrix warriors so far and was almost dead himself.
He let his vicious daggers spring out from his fingertips on his right hand.
All Lieutenants and up had special kinds of weapons.
Their own unique kind.
While most soldiers fell to the first Gitrix they met, the qualified highly ranked men and women brought down five or six Gitrixs’ before they fell.
He knew that his limit had been reached.
He had lost an arm and mech fluid had gushed out of him.
He was covered in thin blue electrical surges as his systems protested as he fought yet another Gitrix.
He rammed his dagger like fingers into it and shot violently.
She Gitrix turned and with one blow with his gun, knocked the Captain flying.
The Predacon tumbled to the floor and went into stasis lock.
A few cycles later, a Gitrix killed him.
The battle raged on and all around her, robot after robot fell to the ground.
She herself was badly injured.
With a hole in her shoulder, multiple rips and tears in her legs, a twisted arm and a torn back, she was in no condition to be fighting anymore, yet she had no choice.
She gunned down an injured Gitrix and plunged her two swords into another.
Massive explosions went off all around her as did high shrills of gunfire.
Above her the sky was black with smoke and the air force battled on with the Gitrix air force.
She screamed and cut through another Gitrix right through its abdomen and it fell in two halves.
Then, quite suddenly, she found herself standing without being attacked for the moment.
She took full advantage of this and tried to catch her breath.
Then she saw him.
He was lying on the ground pinned down by a large Gitrix.
He fired continuously at the creature.
He was badly damaged.
It was Daistran.
“GET OFF HIM!” She shrieked and ran forward.
Caught by surprise, the Gitrix tumbled back but managed a final shot at the fallen corporal before it fell.
She saw Daistran collapse, his body rippling from the shock.
“NO!” She screamed and plunged both swords into the Gitrix.
She stabbed and stabbed, knocking its weapon out of its hand.
She turned on the blades of her golden sword and cut through the now already dead Gitrix.
Yet, she carried on, enraged and sliced him.
When she was sure his body was totally dismantled, she pulled out the swords and staggered over to Daistran.
He was incredibly damaged, his right leg off line, blue electric charges flowing over him.
His optics were dim, his body limp, yet he was still alive, but barely.
She knelt by his side.
He smiled faintly.
“How.... many...did ya get?” He gasped.
She held his hand and squeezed it.
“About six, maybe seven.” She said, emotions running though her.
She managed to smile faintly at him.
“I...got...about...three...maybe four!” He tried to exclaim but whispered instead.
“Well done, that is truly amazing. Well done.” She said shakily, trying not to weep.
“Don’t cry.” He said soothingly. “It’s OK.”
“Don’t die on me, Daistran, don’t go. Stay with me! I need you!” She whimpered.
“I... tried. I’m really... sorry. Thank.... you for being... my friend. Couldn't have lasted...this long without.... you.” He wheezed.
“No, please.” She whispered, still clutching him.
Then he smiled and quietly shut down, forever.
“No. Don’t go.” She stammered.
She held him in her arms and gazed up into the sky, oblivious to the fight around her.
“Why? Oh Primus, why?” She cried.
Then she rested her head on his chest and wept.
_______________________________________________________________
The battle lasted for hours.
Diamond eventually collapsed and was rescued by a soldier who carried her back to the medics room.
The day wore one and slowly but surely, the robots started to defeat the Gitrix army.
After two straight days of continuous battle, the Gitrix army retreated.
Out of the seven hundred thousand robots that fought, a mere fifty thousand were left.
Yet slowly around Cybertron, with their biggest defeat still hanging over them, the Gitrix started to calm down their attacks. The Maximals and Predacons started winning more battles and four months later, the biggest yet shortest war in history, finally ended.
__________________________________________________________________
Cheetor stood on a dead Gitrix and looked over the battlefield.
He had been fighting a long time now and with the news that he had just fought his last battle because the war had ended, he felt so empty.
He had killed so many these past few months and he had lost so many friends.
Now it was all over and he didn’t even know if he had a life to go back to.
Was his house still there? Was his father still alive? Was his city still there? Was Diamond still alive? All these questions with out answers.
He feared the worst.
Now, as he stood over the fallen warrior, he watched the pick up ship draw ever nearer.
Soon, his questions would be answered.
________________________________________________________-
Optimus Primal saluted his crew and watched them depart.
The war was over and they were going home.
Optimus would let his crew go on the pick up ships while he flew the Infinite 7 back to the Military Air Force centre.
The trip would only last an hour and he would be able to take the cyber bus home from there.
The war had been incredibly short, which showed that the Gitrix had underestimated the robots greatly and that they would not be showing their ugly faces for a while.
He sighed as he sank down in his chair and waited for all of the crew to clear away from the ship.
This command room, it reminded him so much of the Axalon.
It was just much larger and colder.
The grey walls were littered with buttons and levers and screens.
Now, he bathed in solitude.
Once again, his world fell silent.
He could almost see Rhinox tapping away at the computer to his left and Rattrap snoozing in a chair to his right.
He could see Cheetor bounding around eagerly and could hear Eagleite rattling on about something or other.
He could almost see Dinobot stalking in quietly and hear Tigatron and Airazor giving him their scouting report. The Axalon’s command centre shaping around him. Memories.
Now, for all he knew, they could all be dead, though didn’t think Rhinox would be.
He let out another sigh and started up the engine of his ship as all the images melted away.
She ship rumbled into life and he busied himself, tapping away at various buttons as he prepared for the trip home.
________________________________________________________________--
Dinobot threw his suitcase into the trailer and walked towards the pick up ship.
Not two days ago was he battling the last remaining Gitrix.
The war had ended as quickly as it had started.
Now he was going to be flown home.
Home.
The word sounded so foreign.
He shook his head and walked amongst the crowds toward the large ship that was headed for his town. Had his town been bombed?
He wasn’t sure. As far as he knew, all cities had suffered damage.
“This has been the shortest war I have ever fought in!” He snorted aloud.
“Well, next time you fight in a war, you can rest assure you’ll be a colonel.” Said the General to his right.
A little startled, Dinobot looked around.
“You weren't meant to know, only later, but I have watched you closely, you are a good fighter, Dinobot. I will make sure you get a higher rank next time.” Said General Yexlane.
“Hmph. If indeed, there is a next time.” He snarled.
“I think you’ll agree with me on this one, I hope there isn’t a next time.” Said the General, smiling.
Dinobot threw up his arms in defeat.
He couldn’t argue with that.
He was a warrior, a fighting machine. This was his purpose.
Yet, in his mind, he did hope that he wouldn’t have to fight again.
He continued on his way to his trip home.
He spotted Sivilon walking to his right, alive and well.
At least he knew he wouldn't be getting a mouthful from Eagleite when he got back.
He boarded the ship and didn’t even turn around for a last look at the scorched earth behind.
____________________________________________________________________
Diamond stepped out and felt the cold wind whip around her.
The sky was grey and it even looked as if it could rain, though highly unlikely.
She walked over the barren, quiet landscape that had several days ago been torn apart by the rage of war. Her final battle had ended here.
She, after the battle of the century, had remained to guard the major city from further attack. There had been a few minor attacks that had ended a week ago.
Now, once again, the world was silent.
Far in the distance, soldiers packed up to leave and the camps were cleared out.
She moved over to a quiet spot, far from the city and far from the camps. There, in a secluded spot near by another small, yet unpolluted pond, lay a heap of stones.
A grave she had dug out herself.
And under those stones, lay her dead friend, his spark had long since joined the Matrix.
She crouched over the grave and let the wind blow over and around her.
Then, she took out the shield she had been grasping.
She had only found it recently and immediately knew it was his. He had his own special shield with his name engraved on it.
She held the shield and stared at it for a few moments.
Then she placed it on the heap of stones and looked down at it.
“No, thank you for being MY friend, Daistran.” She whispered.
Then she stood and walked away.
____________________________________________________________________
The trip was long and painful.
No one knew what their future held, so there was a sort of tenseness all around the ship.
The war had done its damage.
But nevertheless, there was singing and cheering on the way home in the ship by a few jolly soldiers. They were probably so jolly because they were so drunk.
At least it took their minds off things.
Diamond was so troubled and so torn apart that she shut down and slept through the whole trip. All she had was nightmares.
Physically, some systems were damaged beyond repair. Only minor things.
Things that she barely noticed.
But mentally, she was wounded for life.
The war had affected her greatly and she knew she would never be the same again.
She wondered if she would still be a war trainee, for her heart was not in it anymore.
She never wanted to see another sword or gun again.
Perhaps she will join Rattrap and become a photographer. It was quite an exciting job.
Maybe she would leave the city and search for a totally new life.
Maybe she would meet someone and fall in love and start a family.
Perhaps she would accompany Cheetor in designing computer games.
She had no idea.
She was awoken from her troubled thoughts when the ship thudded to a halt and the noise level rose. “Hey, princess, yer home!” Grunted a Captain that shook her.
“I know, I know.” She moaned and rubbed her head that hurt quite a lot.
She picked up her small bag she had smuggled in with her for she didn’t want to have to wait to collect it after she had landed. She just wanted to go straight home.
She fumbled through the narrow corridors and pushed out into the light.
She was most relieved to see that the town hadn’t sustained terrible damage.
She squeezed past the soldiers and ran out into the street.
She ran and ran, knowing that her house was not far.
Finally she turned into her road and spotted her house.
It wasn’t damaged at all and was a welcoming sight.
She jogged up to the house and found that it was still locked. No one was home.
Something lurched inside of her and her spirits sank down.
She collapsed into the little bench outside and let the yellow glow of the afternoon sun touch her cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed out a sigh.
She felt so alone.
Suddenly she felt something grip her shoulder, unthreateningly.
She slowly moved her hand up and touched the hand that had gripped her.
She turned slowly and looked up into his eyes.
“Hello.” She said smiling.
Dinobot grinned.
“Hello.”
________________________________________________________________________
I wrote this story a long time ago and when I was an amateur writer, but feedback on the content of the story is always appreciated.
Click here for the disclaimer.