"Well, well, well, you are not so tough after all, are you Optimus? I can't wait to see the Maximals' faces when we pay them a visit."
Optimus merely glanced at Blackarachnia, not particularly phased by her spiteful words.
"Are you sure you didn't miss something when you bought him and his old companion here?"
"Of course not, they were both stripped of weapons and anything else on them when they were brought in, and they cannot communicate with their allies inside this base"
"Yessss, so it would seem"
He wanted to cast a snark smile at them but he was drowsy and didn't bother putting in the effort.
"Your aging companion, you mean? Oh you'd be proud of the sentimental fool. Even near death he refuses to give up on your kind. Oh well, his loss I suppose."
The Maximal glared at "Aurora's" devilish smile.
You know exactly... who I mean. It wasn't really an answer, though. And to hear such cruelty and ruthlessness from "her" in her sweet voice bothered Optimus more than the impressive physical appearance that this impostor was capable of. Who
was this guy?
"And I am Primal, hence why you're in the prison cell, battered and broken, and I'm out here, in control and near victory"
"Out there... like a coward," Optimus corrected Megatron.
"Hhhhmmm, lets see, management advice from someone I've killed once already and who now barely clings to life by a thread and is completely at my mercy. No thank you, I think I've managed to work wonders with what I've got, unlike you, who stands to lose everything if you fail to swallow that silly maximal pride of yours and tell me what I wish to know. Do so, and I'll leave your maximals here in peace to the ravages of time as me and my own take our rightful place amongst the stars, and Cybertron. I'll even put poor old Nexus in the CR Tanks for repairs right now if you simply admit defeat like a mech already, he's seen better days, but if we act quickly he'll live...Probably won't be the same ever again, but he was honestly too old to be playing soldier for much longer anyway"
A slow and light chuckle came out of the Maximal Commander at his enemy's words.
"We... We must be doing... pretty well... because we're... still here. We're... still in your way." Primal's smile faded and he bowed his head for a moment while he tried to continue gathering strength and catching his breath. Lifting his head once more, his face was hard and his voice was as firm as he could muster it.
"Your word... means nothing to me."
"Oh ever the blind one," "Allow me to give you some advice on knowing your place."
"I wasn't... speaking to you..." Primal growled and tried taking another step back when this fraud moved even closer but found himself in a corner.
My place... is with... my Maximals! "Her" green optics were probing and prying. It was then when he felt the intense pressure of "Aurora's" punch against his already squeezed abdomen that was barely keeping his spark chamber from cracking, causing him to double over and fall to the floor with a cough. Somehow that impersonator was packing a lot more strength and power behind "her" small and frail-like physique then "she" had led him to believe. As he laid there, he gasped a little in the agony and felt Whitegrazer reaching out to help ease the pain, but fatigue and exhaustion were pulling on him even more and his connection with her was fading in and out. It wasn't that he was willing or wanted to give up but his body could only handle so much at this point.
WARNING: Systems functioning at 35% and depleting, his internal computer told him. Optimus noted it and ignored it. There was nothing he could do to prevent anymore injuries, so stasis lock was looking more and more imminent for him.
"There is some urgent business I need to tend to. A full report will be available on your private console. I trust you will keep our guest entertained in the meanwhile?" "Have fun."
"That I shall, happy hunting." "Megatron to Umbra, our new recruits are going out to run an errand, do accompany them and keep me informed would you?"
They're leaving... This fake Aurora... Some... I don't... I don't know where... Optimus tried warning Whitegrazer.
"Leave us, go make yourselves useful and man the bridge, I want to be informed of any new developments. For now...I wish to be alone with my guest."
"But Megatron, we can assist..."
"Did I stutter? Nnnnoooo"
"As you command, Megtron"
"Ahem, forgetting something?"
"My mistake"
Primal wasn't sure if he should have felt relieved at that point now that the spiders had finally vacated the room and he was left with Megatron who now held the remote to his energy bonds in his hands; essentially his life. Tarantulas was obviously reluctant to leave, probably because he was dying to get inside his head, but he still coward to Megatron's dictatorship and had no choice in the matter. To live in fear like that every day... Optimus just didn't understand it.
"Alone at last, Yyyyyyyessssssssss"
The gash in his lip still seeped fluid from it as it continued to trickle down his cheek and drip onto the floor, his optics following Megatron's movement as he stepped closer to his cell. He was like a dark, ominous cloud of menacing energy. Something made out of a horror flick. A lot of the burgundy and orange paint on Primal's chest and stomach was cracked and peeling, flaking off, a long with the shiny blue paint on his back. Pieces of armor and bolts that had been bent under the pressure and stress of the bonds laid scattered about the floor, as well as small droplets and puddles of his fluids. His feet were chewed up from bullets. To say Optimus Primal was a complete mess and physically strained to the breaking point was an understatement. Yet, he continued to fight as coherently as he could and remain optimistic. But it was taking a toll. He embraced Whitegrazer's warmth and hope as well as he could, missing her voice, her touch, and her smile, but he was progressively slipping away from her.
"Care to rethink my offer?"
"No," said Optimus defiantly.
"You... You need me. Without me... you'll never get... the disks back. Kill me... and they'll be... des... destroyed," he concluded as he used the wall once more to help him sit up. He was finally alone in his cell, relieved, and he laid his aching head back against the wall behind him to rest it.
-----
Ofcourse you were kidding. I may look a bit intimidating, but I'd rather not be loppin' preds apart if I can avoid it.
"Eh. Just wanted ta make sure you weren't some kinda homicidal maniac," Rattrap shrugged at the beetle.
Sure thing!
The rat was a little taken aback by Cheetor's enthusiasm for such a meek request but he didn't complain or comment sarcastically about it.
I hope that cure is made soon.. your room is a wreck more so then unusual and Big O is sleeping in the middle of it.
"Thanks," he said as he took the hubcap from Cheetor and attached it to the back of his shoulder.
"Great," he replied sarcastically about Orcariner and the mess he made.
"It's always gotta be my stuff, don't it?" he asked rhetorically. But at least Big O was somewhat safe and wasn't causing any trouble for anyone else. He glanced at Ironclaw who was quietly loitering and a Banshee who exited the bridge and soon returned, he assumed with the addition of some weapons.
"Hmm...Inferno..flamethrower user...Terrorsaur and Waspinator...partners in combat and the main fliers...Tarantulas...Blackarachnia...Arachnitron..."
"It ain't gonna be an easy fight," Rattrap admitted.
"We gotta try an' keep it brief." Dinobot, Whitegrazer, Cheetor, Landslide, Aurora, Rhinox, Ironclaw, Wintersong, Nemesis and himself. Not very many of them. Should they keep someone back at the base just in case? No, Sentinel should be fine. Unless things went terribly wrong with the exchange, or the Predacons split up, the battle should be able to remain in the neutral territory.
-----
"Indeed. Looks like you might need a vacation soon though."
"Eww. Was it really necessary to leave your body fluids everywhere?,"
"Nemesis and I will offer any assistance any way we can," "Won't we?"
"Certainly," "I can mop up the remaining spill with your mane."
"If it makes you feel better, but I think you would have more luck with my tail,"
It hardly seemed like the time to be joking around when so much was at stake but Rhinox hesitated on making any arguments about it. It kept Aurora occupied and in higher spirits.
"He's..."
Big Green's red optics lingered on Whitegrazer's, waiting for her answer. She was giving it too much thought which meant she was choosing her words carefully. Probably not the best of signs.
"He's hanging in there. He has won some victories,"
And lost others, Rhinox added to himself. He could see it in her eyes and her movements that showed signs of pain and discomfort. She could feel what Optimus was going through, which was probably both a curse and a gift, but hopefully she was also able to offer some relief for him. At least he was still alive.
"Rattrap and the others are almost ready. The only thing we need now is the cure. And I know I speak for myself and Optimus, when I say, I believe in you. All of you. We can do this."
The engineer nodded in agreement with the mare and glanced at the others. It was good to know that Rattrap had been making progress with the others for a plan to rescue their leader and his old friend. Taking a look at Sonar's self-inflicted wound that he had bandaged, he took off the used one that was soaked, tossing it in a nearby waste disposal, and took more time applying a new one along with a better repair job to keep it secured and prevent any more loss of energon and mech fluid. He went slowly while he constantly fought with his impaired vision and balance.
))