(( OOC: I'll save you the trouble of that decision, DarkSpark.
No worries, Phoenix! Thank you!
Where the heck are the rest of the Preds? Are they not enjoying the show? Oh, that's right, half of them are locked up.
))
"He's almost inside the alien structure, why doesn't he ditch?!"
Looking from Airazor back to the image Cheetor had provided for them, Rattrap was equally concerned about the situation as she was. What was the gorilla doing up there? Taking a banana break?!
"Aw, come on, Fearless Leader, get it in gear!" he said outloud. He tried keeping an eye on Aurora who was very fragile at this point from having just lost Icebreaker. If they lost Optimus...
"Megatron?!"
Megatron? What did he have to do with any of this right now? Was Whitegrazer losing it? Rattrap really was the only one sane left! Looking at the white mare with a peculiar expression toward her sudden outburst, it drastically changed to anger when he heard Blackarachnia start to laugh. Glaring at her in Tigatron's grip, he said,
"Ya know, you never did answer my question earlier. What did you do?!" He was about to pull out his weapon and threaten her with it but thought against that action.
-----
"Oh, I assure you, it is not."
"Megatron...?" The Maximal Commander, baffled by what was transpiring before him, stared with surprise at the tyrant's face that was directly in front of his just inches away on the pod's window.
"Ironic, isn't it. Both of us hitting upon the same plan to destroy the alien machine. Ah, fortunately, in my version the pilot goes down -- or should I say, up -- with his ship."
He sealed the pod's hatch?! By the Matrix, Megatron really did intend on killing him. ...And what better opportunity? No, he wasn't going to let him do this! Optimus desperately started pushing buttons as an attempt to manually override the pod's systems but nothing was working. The tiny ship's hatch was still sealed. He was still stuck inside. It was practically too late to escape now. Horror and fear were beginning to drown him. Panic was making his spark race faster than it ever had before. Primal started banging on the hatch's window with his fists but it wouldn't even crack.
"Oh, you Optimuses do love to sacrifice yourselves, don't you. Fortunately, this time your foolishness will destroy you and your Maximals. By leaving them behind, you left them at my mercy.. and I promise you..," ".. that I will show them none."
NO! This wasn't supposed to be a sacrifice! Primal screamed in his head. He never tried to be anything like Optimus Prime! He wasn't even a leader of war or even trained for it, he was just supposed to lead explorations! Since the beginning all of this had always been
way out of his league! With Megatron's last statement, he tried to block out involuntary images in his mind of the Predacons descimating his Maximals... torturing them... killing them. Trying to use this rage and terror to his advantage, he channeled it to his fists and banged on the window again, as hard as he could, but he couldn't break through. BANG! BANG! BANG! Not a single crack. His scarred hand throbbed now from the force and impact over and over. Desperation was beginning to fade. For the
first time in his life, Optimus felt like giving up. There was nothing he could do... Megatron was going to succeed this time... There was no way of stopping him... And the worst part was that his Maximals would have no idea as to what happened and why he didn't jump as planned. Primal swallowed, holding back the tears for as long as he could as his crimson optics stared through his enemy's sneer. His stomach felt weightless, his throat tight.
"Without your leadership, your dear friends will fall to the might of my Predacons, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. But I do wish to take this chance to thank you for your heroic, yet ultimately futile, sacrifice that will ensure my future as ruler of not only this planet but Cybertron as well."
That wasn't true! Primal knew his Maximals could survive without him.
THAT'S NOT TRUE! he convinced himself, surpressing Megatron's words that had meant to tear him apart on the inside.
"Don't do this, Megatron!" Optimus pleaded with as much confidence as he could muster, as if he could actually regret any of his actions or feel remorse, but he was certainly not begging. Was it really possible for a bot to be as merciless as Megatron was? It would seem he was about to find out.
"I'm still here...I'm not letting go..."
He barely heard Whitegrazer's whisper over all of Megatron's babbling and his own thoughts that bellowed within him. It suddenly seemed to grow quiet all around him, as if time was slowing down for a moment. Optimus sent his thought toward her despite how hectic his spark was by now, feeling as though it was about to burst,
I'm so sorry, Whitegrazer. Forgive me. I hope Aurora can forgive me. So much pain... A tear finally rolled down from the far corner of one of his optics, but he tried to keep himself together. Too much time had passed already. It was too late now for any escape even if Megatron allowed it. Looking over at Aurora's gift, Primal's mind started to wander as his crew's faces scrolled across the small holographic screen.
Cheetor, the first youngest crew member he had under his leadership. Full of energy, life, youth, kindness and generosity. A very playful nature. Sure he got into trouble every now and then but he learned from his mistakes. He had grown on Optimus like a son, a relationship he had never experienced before. He rather liked it. Cheetor always kept him on his toes and kept him feeling young.
Tigatron, full of wisdom, courage, honesty and selflessness. Primal could always count on him, even when his relationship with Airazor had sprouted. No one could prowl and stalk as stealthfully as he could. And he had one of the purest sparks he ever knew. He recalled the day he nearly became a Predacon against his will when his stasis pod had crashed on the planet.
Airazor, so kind and caring, yet tough when she had to be. They had almost lost her to the Predacons as well. Actually, if not for Rhinox, they had almost lost her entirely. Her flight speed and bravery were unmatched. In the air, she and Optimus were a team to be reckoned with. He had always enjoyed her company up there; they always watched each other's backs.
Feralnight, uncertain at times but friendly and usually reliable. However, recently something had changed her. Optimus had noticed some time ago but never had the opportunity to address it or confront her. He wished he had made time. What if she was in trouble? What if she had lost her footing and he could have helped her bring back balance to herself? Self-disappointment flooded him for that moment, ashamed.
Frilla, where she lacked in size she made up for with intelligence. Primal remembered the battle when she could have easily taken him down and left him in Megatron's hands, but instead she wanted more or a different life style. She had turned out to be one of the best data analysts and reseachers on their team once she changed her allegience to the Maximals. He hoped he had given her what she was seeking then, whether it was just peace and safety, or let her excel at what she was really good at.
Wintersong, so quiet and reserved. She was very much Tigatron's twin when it came to their beast mode's but she was very much her own bot. Sweet and compassionate, he really thought she was Arachnitron's best hope. Not him, her. Her forgiveness toward Starshadow astounded even him when she supported his decision to allow her to join them. Wintersong had grown in the war, matured. She was on the right path despite how she began as a stowaway on his ship.
Orcariner, the gentle giant he was, and always saluting. He had so much potential to be a great leader. Why did he doubt himself so much? Optimus tried to push him and encourage him. He always trusted Orcariner to make the right decisions. His loyalty and strength couldn't even be compared to anyone else. Primal had never been a mentor to someone before. Heck, he was pretty new at the leadership position, too, so in the beginning he had no idea what advice he could offer for the orca when he had so little experience himself. This war had put Optimus through the mill, however, and he could only hope that he remained a positive role model for Orcariner. He also hoped he wouldn't give in to revenge. The last couple days had worried Optimus about him greatly. His seclusion, his awfully quiet temprement were not good signs after Icebreaker's death. He prayed for him to be strong and to not do anything he would certainly regret later. Primal wished he could have spoken to him about it and offer guidance.
So many things Optimus failed to get done. Things that really required his attention and the help that his emotionally hurt Maximals quietly seeked but never received.
(( OOC: Don't worry, I'll get to the rest of the Maximals. Just want to break it up a little.
))
Phoenix, are you and I still going to add more to this? I thought we were going to break away from the script a little so you could be a little more evil with Megatron's words and draw it out a little longer. If so, I do plan on writing a little more for Optimus than he had in the show. I wasn't expecting you to blow through the whole scene all in one shot, is all. XD
))