True Colours

Part Four

Writer's Note: This is the final chapter in the "Losing Face" series. I dedicate it to all my readers, especially to those who have been so incredibly supportive over the past year with their feedback and enthusiasm. Without that, I don't think I could have finished this.

Waspinator's report had been brief and to the point. He hadn't kept the channel open for much discussion afterwards. That suited Rattrap fine, for the moment. All he needed to know was if Myst was heading there for sure and what she discovered when she got there. Waspinator had said she wasn't being terribly co-operative, but if he learnt anything from her, he'd let them know. There was one condition, though: the Maximals had to promise to shelter him if and when he needed it, and they were never to harm him or come near him. This they had agreed to. Waspinator seemed content with that, reminding them curtly that it was the Maximal way to stick to promises, and had then cut the connection.

That had been fifteen cycles ago and the pair were still waiting in quiet anxiety for a report. Rattrap was getting increasingly fidgety. He was itching to know what was happening out there. He had a nagging feeling something was not right, but he knew he couldn't hold fort if Rampage attacked and Optimus was out. There was no other choice but to remain here and hope for the best, something Rattrap, as a pessimist, found difficult to do.

He was on the verge of shouting something obscene when the computers bleeped urgently. He and Optimus exchanged a shared look of anticipation and curiosity and Rattrap turned to the monitors. His jaw dropped.

"What da heck..."

He heard Optimus coming up behind him and the two of them frowned at what the computer was telling them. "No way that energy output is caused by a single bot. There's just no slaggin' way!"

"No... That looks like the energy signature of a ship," Optimus muttered thoughtfully. Rattrap shot him a startled glance. "Ya think?"

Optimus leaned over his shoulder and tapped a few buttons. "Yes. Very much like one, only it has to be a lot bigger than the Axalon."

"What could it possibly be? There ain't any other space ships I know of lurking in da oceans of dis planet!"

"Rattrap, we're in the Ark. What shot down the Ark?"

Rattrap froze and was silent for several seconds. "Ohhhh SLAG." He turned to face his fellow Maximal. "Ya don't really...I mean..."

"It's moving," Optimus noted, nodding at the screens. Rattrap turned back to them and saw that it was indeed heading away from its point of origin. It was not, however, going skyward. "It's going straight fer land. At its current speed it'll be over land in..." he entered a few quantities into the computer. "Seven cycles."

"Well, at least it’s not heading for us. I wonder who's piloting it?"

"It's gotta be Tarantulas! And dat maniac has tried to blow dis place up before. We're in serious trouble if he's planning on tryin' again!"

"Which is exactly it. It makes no sense for him to be heading in that direction, it's way off-course from the Ark, and the Darkside come to think of it. The ship's going straight for the nearest piece of headland."

"I don't know what's going through that spider processor of his, but if it really is the Nemesis and it really is being piloted by him, we gotta start making plans."

"We could try and get the Ark operational," Optimus suggested calmly, although there was an edge of panic in his tone.

"Without Rhi--uhhh...I mean how? Where do we start?" Rattrap stammered, at a loss of what to do or say. He needed Rhinox to guide him. He'd made repairs on ships many times in the past, but this was old tech and the damage was extensive. He didn't even know where to begin and it was likely going to take decacycles to fix, if it was even repairable at all.

"I asked Rhinox about it in the past. He drew up some blueprints of the Ark, detailing its worst areas of damage and what was needed in order to repair them. We could use that as a guideline."

Rattrap nodded, then gave Optimus a curious look. "If ya always had these plans, why didn't you try to fix the Ark earlier?"

Optimus was silent a moment, regarding him with a grim expression. "Because Rhinox said there was virtually no chance of getting her airborne ever again."

"Oh...oh, dat's just peachy," Rattrap grumbled, shaking his head and covering his face with a hand. Optimus looked away from him and back at the monitors. Rattrap began to babble on about how time was running out, that they were sitting ducks, that they had to think of something else, while Optimus continued to watch the signature move across the screens. His optics widened and he muttered. "Oh."

Rattrap's optics appeared above the hand still held over his face. "Oh? Oh what?" It was then he saw.

"Well strip my gears... When did Depth Charge's signature make an appearance?"

"A couple of seconds ago. He must be onboard the ship, which must have been in a region of energon, hence the size of the disturbance. It probably blew some up when it took off."

Rattrap and Optimus stared at the screen, watching the two signatures closing in on the headland. It was within a few miles of it when it began to descend.

"It's...it's landing!" Rattrap exclaimed.

"It'll clear the cliffs and go straight into the mountains at that rate," Optimus observed.

"Maybe that's what Fins was after all this time. Maybe he's tryin' ta stop Tarantulas. Trust that crazy idiot ta do somethin' like that alone!" Rattrap thought aloud, and crossly.

"If that's the case, which it's looking to be, he's going to need some help," Optimus said, drawing back and to his full height.

"Oh no ya don't. You're staying right here and guarding dis place. The Nemesis might not be targeting it at the moment, but that don't mean ta say Rampage isn't. I'll go."

"But Rattrap, Rampage could go after you. You'll be exposing yourself to him!" Optimus protested frantically. A look of wild terror and desperation came into his eyes and Rattrap realized he was paranoid of losing another comrade. He swivelled the chair around and stood, giving his leader an earnest and sincere look. "He won't catch me, Optimus. I promise you that. I'll be goin' so fast he won't know what passed him."

"Rattrap..." Optimus began, voice on the verge of breaking. Rattrap interrupted him before he could say anything more. "It's the only way, Optimus. I gotta help Depth Charge. He's gonna be vulnerable too when dat ship is grounded. Who knows what he's up against? We can't just sit back and keep hopin' it'll pan out. We gotta make it happen. But I NEED you ta stay here and protect dis place, or it'll all be for nuthin'. All dat we've fought for, and lost, will be for nuthin'".

Optimus was motionless, body tense, eyes fixed on his pleading friend. Finally, he murmured in agreement. Rattrap sighed and looked at the floor for a moment, shoulders slumped. He looked back up at Optimus and smiled wanly. "I'll be back before ya know it."

He transformed to vehicle mode and without a word left the control room at full speed. Optimus watched him leave on the monitors and sank down into the chair, a thousand thoughts and fears threatening to consume him. He hoped and prayed to whatever deity existed that Rattrap would make it.

Had they been paying attention, the two active bots in the Nemesis would have noticed they'd barely cleared some cliffs and were heading straight for a spot between two mountain peaks, covered in lush forest. They were, however, too busy fighting one another in what was turning out to be their most fierce battle to date.

Depth Charge slammed side-on into the wall, feeling as if he'd been hit by a train. The force with which Rampage had thrown him baffled him. He knew Rampage was strong, but he'd never tasted this kind of power before. Had the killer really been toying so lightly with him in all those past battles?

Wiping away mech fluid from the tear across his forehead, he turned around and staggered forward a little. Rampage stood, legs slightly apart, fists clenched. He looked like he was made of solid rock, his stance was so rigid and formidable.

"Ready for more, Fins?" he asked, voice hollow and rough. Depth Charge glowered at him balefully. "Screw you, X."

"So you keep saying! When are you going to live up to all your threats?" Rampage cried, almost sounding exasperated.

"Today," Depth Charge replied determinedly and started forward. He stopped short when he saw through the window behind Rampage, the mountainside rushing towards them.

Noting that Depth Charge's look of horror was in fact going past him, Rampage turned around just in time to see the rock face fill the view from the window.

Myst was wheezing in pain as she neared the shoreline. Her wings were operating to their absolute limit and she was fighting with all she had to keep her failing left wing from seizing up completely. Like a mauled bird, she came towards the beach in a wobbling descent.

"Come on, come on," she hissed through gritted teeth, beating against the air with massive effort. Her entire upper body was aching with exhaustion. She was nearly at the beach, she was almost there...

Her left wing finally gave up and froze and Myst found herself plummeting. She hit the water and then sand immediately after as she crashed into the shallows. Paralysed with pain, she did nothing for a few cycles, allowing the waves to push her up the beach like insistent hands. She lay face down on the ground, the water lapping at her hips. Gradually, she pulled her arms up from her sides and placed her palms on the sand. With all that was left of her strength, she heaved herself up and crawled forward out of the water, and then collapsed on her back. For close to ten cycles, all she did was listen to her rasping breaths and feel the aching ebbing slowly away. The sun sparkled down at her, warming and drying her battered body.

When she felt she had recovered enough to get up, she slowly raised herself off the ground and sat, staring blankly at the sea. The gentle whooshing of the waves and the sound of leaves rustling quietly behind her in the breeze cast a spell on her. For that moment, she felt she wanted to remain sitting there for the rest of her life. It was so peaceful, and she was so...so tired...

The distant sounds of explosions brought her quickly out of her daze. She looked over her shoulder and into the forest. The black ship had ploughed into the mountains shortly before she'd landed on the beach. The noises she heard now were definite signs that at least two bots had survived the crash and were now exchanging gunfire. Myst could only imagine it to be Rampage and Depth Charge, as the two were the only aquabots she knew of who could access the ship under water.

Feeling as if she had no time to waste, Myst clambered to her feet and began her sprint through the forest and to the mountains with newfound energy. A strange, deep terror and a sense of urgency propelled her past her pain and exhaustion. She had to get there.

Rampage woke up with a terrible headache. He wasn't sure where he was or what had happened in the time between seeing rocks and waking, but he was sure that he had taken a heck of a beating.

He stifled a groan as he sat up, remembering that Depth Charge might still be active. He was aware that they'd crashed but he wasn't sure how badly. Dust and smoke obscured his entire view. He felt the area around him. It was still the tiled, metal floor he'd been standing on for the last megacycle...or two. He had completely lost track of time.

He sat still and waited, listening to the hisses and moans of the ship and keeping alert for any emotion. He felt none. This was a confusing sign. It either meant everyone else was dead, or very much unconscious. Either way, for the moment he was free to do what he wanted. The first thing Rampage wanted to do was investigate the reasons for the lack of emotion around him.

Testing his legs, he found that he could stand, but not without some trouble. His legs felt heavy and limp beneath him. Some rather important circuitry had probably been severed in them and his joints had taken a punishing. Still, he was able to walk with them and so he made his way towards a purple lump on the floor a few meters away. The smoke had cleared enough for him to spot it and as he came closer, he realized the lump was Tarantulas.

Kneeling beside the spider, he ran his hand down his back, feeling the various indents and holes in his shell. He placed both hands underneath him and rolled him over. Blank optics stared up at him.

"Don't tell me you're dead," he barely murmured as he gripped the bottom of Tarantulas's torso plate. In one swift motion, he pulled it up and off. To his silent horror, he found no spark glowing up at him.

Rampage stared glumly into the empty cavity of the dead bot at his knees. Eventually, he sighed and slowly climbed to his feet. He looked over his shoulder and squinted into the grey-white smoke shrouding most of the control room. He could see no sign of Depth Charge.

"I wonder if my old playmate survived. It doesn't really matter if he did. Without Tarantulas, I won't be able to fuse my spark back together, or get off this wretched planet."

There was more to his gloominess than that. Rampage could feel something was wrong deep inside of him. His spark was badly injured. Not only had it been recently cut open to make way for the core, but it had been shot while exposed. Tarantulas had rushed trying to restore it to a properly functioning state, and Rampage feared it would never fully mend itself. More than ever, he needed those two halves back together. He was weaker now and he wasn't confident he'd ever regain his full strength. It was in that moment that he knew for sure that he was not, in fact, immortal. His spark was not indestructible and he could be killed. Depth Charge had always believed there was a way to destroy him, he had pleaded with the High Council to find this way, but they had deemed him unworthy of the time and resources that might take.

While a part of him longed for death, he also didn't want it to come so soon. He desired life and freedom. To lose his chance at it yet again had infuriated him. That Guardian of Omicron had truly been more trouble than he was ever worth. He realized now that he had been foolish to want to have it both ways. He kept Depth Charge alive for company, constancy and amusement, but also because he had faith in him that, if he found a way, and he allowed him to carry through with it, he would finally kill him. Eternity had always been more terrifying than death.

But not now... Not when he was so close to achieving his long sought second chance. He felt as if he had missed something, that he was incomplete, and to die now would render everything he'd done up to this present moment pointless.

He felt a breeze coming from the right and he turned to it. It was coming through the shattered band of windows and gradually blowing the smoke away. Quietly, he walked over to it and looked down. The tower of the Nemesis now leaned towards a slope. He could see its rough, grey rocky surface only a few meters down. He could make the jump, although he'd slide all the way down afterwards. Perhaps if he did so in tank mode he'd fare better.

Rampage decided he shouldn't stand there and deliberate on how painful it was going to be to transform in his injured state and instead just leapt out, transforming in midair before he hit the slope at the angle he'd hoped he would. It had been painful, but he was soon distracted by his ride down the rough slope and into the forest. The ship had crashed at the foot of the mountain and so it didn't take him too long to reach more level ground. He braked when he entered the clearing. Small fires were burning around him; dust and smoke still clung to the air, creating a haze. He could make out the shadow of the wall of forest around him, and the partially buried left wing of the ship in front of him. It was quiet apart from the crackling of burning brush and the odd hiss from the downed spacecraft.

A stab of pain in his chest reminded him of the fact that he was damaged and his spark wasn't strong enough to heal all his injuries. He needed the aid of a CR chamber, and soon. Getting his bearings, Rampage transformed and started walking in the direction of the Darkside. He'd barely taken two strides when he felt a sharp pang of pain, and it was not his...

Tensing, he listened intently for any noises of approach. The pain intensified and then there was alarm. The alarm turned to anger, which seemed to be growing rapidly. Rampage felt his opponent coming up from behind. He slowly reached for his blaster, only to find it wasn't there. He must have lost it in the crash. Hearing a small snap from behind, Rampage was prompted into a sharp turn. Depth Charge stopped dead in his tracks, staring at him with the look of a caught thief. Rampage tilted his head to the side in mock curiosity. The wide eyes of his enemy narrowed to slits and Depth Charge lunged. Rampage was ready for him.

Rattrap was halfway to his destination when it occurred to him that Waspinator might now know something. He opened a comm. channel to the Darkside while he raced through the forest, weaving through trees and dodging potholes caused by heavy rains the night before. "Rattrap to Waspinator. Got anythin' to report?"

"Waspinator assumes ratbot has seen that energy anomaly has moved."

"Yeah, an' we reckon we know what it is. Waspinator, do you know what the Nemesis is?"

"Waspinator more educated than ratbot gives him credit for."

"Huh? Whatever. We think that's what the energy sig is. Da only guy I know who could get it airborne is Tarantulas. Depth Charge is with him, or at least he was when it was coming in ta land. I dunno if its wrecked or not, but if Tarantulas wins that battle, ya just know he's gonna wreak havoc with that thing."

"What ratbot driving at?"

"Have you heard anything from Myst?"

"No. Fuzor-femme not responding at all to Waspinator's messagezz."

"Great. She really ain't good for anythin'. Look, if Tarantulas gets that ship up and running again, he could blow up the Ark and wipe out our existence, not to mention yours. So if you're not getting anywhere with Myst, ya might as well come help me beat the oil outta that spider before he does the same ta us, 'cept on a MUCH bigger scale."

"Work with ratbot? Against Tarantulas? And expose self to crabbot? Hmm...let Waspinator think about thizz."

The connection cut abruptly. Rattrap swore profusely for a little while after until he resigned himself to the fact that he was pretty much alone in this. He wasn't sure what he'd find when he reached the Nemesis. He knew that Tarantulas wasn't able to match Depth Charge's strength and fighting finesse, but he was more than capable of finding other ways of ridding himself of his enemies. It was also possible he had Rampage on his side, in which case they were probably screwed. Still, he needed to try. He'd come too far and gone through too much to give up now.

While Myst and Rattrap closed in on the crash site of the Nemesis from opposite sides, and Waspinator and Optimus watched events unfold as best as they could from the scanners in their respective bases, two bots engaged in their fight to the death. Both knew this was not just another skirmish.

Depth Charge kicked Rampage in the stomach, sending him staggering back. He advanced on him and punched him in the mouth. Rampage snarled in pain and flung his fist outward. Depth Charge ducked and rammed his head into the crabbot's midsection. Rampage was driven back and pinned against a tree. He brought up his knee into Depth Charge's face and the raybot was knocked backwards. He landed with a thud, limbs sprawled. Rampage spat mech fluid and took a step forward. He raised his foot above the ray's pelvis and brought it down hard, but Depth Charge rolled in time. He sprang to his feet and lunged at him from the left but Rampage turned in time to block him. Using the side of his hand he struck Depth Charge in the throat and he pulled back, clutching at his neck. Rampage strode over to him and hit him across the face. Depth Charge spun in the air as he fell. He hit the earth with a cry. Rampage jumped on him, pinning the ray onto his stomach. He grabbed the top of his left fin and pulled with all his might. Depth Charge screamed in agony as Rampage rent the metal. Sparks flew and exposed wires twisted out like worms from the wound. Depth Charge arched up violently and Rampage had to let go of the fin to balance himself. He brought his hands together in a combined fist as Depth Charge bucked, trying to get him off his back. He brought his balled hands down onto the back of the raybot's head. Depth Charge groaned, face buried in the mud, and Rampage resumed tearing his fin apart.

"Stop your whimpering! You make me sick when you do that," he snarled, consumed by hatred. His body was throbbing all over from his various wounds and injuries, a sensation he was not used to having for such a long period of time. Some were newly inflicted, but others should have been repaired long ago. His spark was worn out and weakened and it was getting worse. It was all Depth Charge's fault. He had to finish him now or he'd soon discover his vulnerability and act upon it. The game was over now and Rampage was determined to be the one to have won it.

Depth Charge had never had the advantage of a healing spark and so was very aware of how close to his limit he was. He was unable to throw Rampage off him by sheer strength alone, so he tried something else. He fired a chest missile straight into the ground and the back-blast sent them both flying. Rampage landed in some bushes ten meters away, while Depth Charge smashed into a large tree. He slid down and landed, exhausted, on his rear. His internal computer blared warnings, but he ignored them. He still had some strength yet and while he had that, he would continue fighting. With painful effort, he got to his feet and turned to face the crabbot who had also just righted himself. Depth Charge glanced fleetingly at his torn fin and glowered at the battered Transformer across from him. Rampage was looking just as roughed up as he, which surprised him. When they'd been fighting on the ship, he'd been so swift and ruthless he'd barely gotten a few punches in. But now... Now the crabbot looked like he'd been through a ferocious battle, which was something new to him. He'd always been frustrated by how Rampage would self-repair shortly after he'd been injured and he'd taunt him by displaying this ability openly. But there were no signs of wounds closing up, no dents and scratches fading away. It was like his spark had lost its special power.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come get me," Rampage hollered. Despite his damage, his optics still glowed vibrantly and attentively Although there was something different in them this time. There was a sort of wildness, a hint of desperation...

"You can't stop now. You have that mission of vengeance to complete, remember? Because you know, everything will be all right once you've done that. All the pain and the grief will just...fade away. Won't it?" he lilted sarcastically.

Depth Charge felt a hot flare of anger rise up inside him. He was taunting him again! Primus, he couldn't take any more of it!

Rampage took a step forward and out of the bushes. "I don't suppose you've stopped to think that far ahead. What life will be like once I am gone."

"I'm sure I'll manage without you," Depth Charge sneered derisively.

Rampage cocked his head to the side with a smug smile in his eyes. "Really? Because somehow, I'm not convinced that you can. I am, after all, all that's been driving you these past five stellar cycles. There's nothing else to you anymore, Depth Charge. You're devoid of dreams and ambitions apart from the single goal of my destruction. Nothing else moves you, or interests you. I mean, come on, you almost killed someone last night because she was in your way. That is not very guardian-like behaviour. But then, you stopped being a force of protection long ago."

"Shut up! All I've ever done has been to protect all those you intend to harm!" Depth Charge shouted vehemently.

"And what a fine job you've done of it! You only had a handful of Maximals to look after on this planet and where are they now?"

Depth Charge started to say something, but it turned into a shrill cry of fury and anguish. He brought up his hands around his audios and continued screaming while Rampage stood motionless, silently absorbing the sheer volume of pain and sorrow he was emitting. Finally, Depth Charge's scream tapered off and he stood with his arms hanging limply at his side, chest heaving, eyes wide and full of grief as he stared at his adversary. For the first time, they pleaded with Rampage, they asked why. Why had he done it, why did he continue to do it and torture him. Why didn't he just die?

Rampage regarded him thoughtfully. The ex-guardian was merely standing there, seemingly waiting for a reply. After what felt like an eternity, he gave him one. He shrugged.

Depth Charge shook his head slowly, an expression of pure hatred and revulsion reappearing on his face. He reached for his subspace pocket and drew a long, sharp blade of energon. Rampage's gaze fell on it.

"I won't suffer this...anymore...X," Depth Charge breathed raggedly. Rampage looked back at him. He stared at him searchingly.

Holding the blade like a sword, Depth Charge strode towards him. Rampage remained in the same spot, watching his advance calmly. Depth Charge swung the blade out.

Myst flinched as a spiky branch smacked into her face. She pushed it aside as she continued running. She leapt over fallen trees and rocks, ducked under large branches and swerved to miss ditches and holes. Her wings hung limply behind her, ripped to shreds and trailing black feathers. She didn't care that they were broken, she didn't care that her energy levels were low, she didn't care that she had wounds that needed tending to. All she cared about was getting to Rampage, if he was indeed there.

She wasn't able to keep up her speed and caution simultaneously for long before a root snagged her foot and she fell. It was in that brief moment of calm as she pushed herself up off the ground that she sensed it. Emotion... Strong emotion. Myst listened carefully. The gunshots had ceased. She sat up, tuning into the feeling. It was definitely anger, unrestrained and powerful anger. There was also immense pain, of the emotional kind. Myst slowly got to her feet and walked uncertainly forward. Suddenly, a distant scream rose up and echoed through the hills. Myst gasped at the sheer agony in it. "Oh Primus..." she murmured, and took off again.

Rattrap too heard the scream. He recognised it as Depth Charge's and that inspired great alarm in him. It was obvious the mantabot was in trouble of some kind and Rattrap immediately feared the worst.

"You're an idiot, 'Charge. A great, stinkin' buffoon," he lamented, fearing deeply for him. He increased his speed.

Rampage jumped back from Depth Charge's swipe at him. He ducked as the blade went for his head. He sprang back again and onto a rock. Kicking outwards, his foot connected with Depth Charge's chin and knocked him back, but not off his feet. Shaking his head rapidly to clear away the red speckles clouding his vision, Depth Charge charged forward again and this time managed to slash Rampage across his arm. Rampage snarled and clutched at the wound, ducking again to avoid another sweeping blow. Depth Charge fired a laser-disc but it was weak and barely grazed the crabbot, who raised his eye ridges in surprise. "Running out of steam?"

"Not yet," Depth Charge growled and slashed forward again. Rampage leapt away and rolled. Depth Charge was assaulting him as soon as he was on his feet again. The blade was extremely sharp and cut right through Rampage's metal, as he discovered when he sliced off a finger.

The raybot laughed wickedly as Rampage observed the bare space of the missing appendage. He glared at him.

"I'd say you were the one running out of steam. You don't look so good," Depth Charge jeered.

Rampage had no retort to that so instead he treated the raybot to a roundhouse kick. Depth Charge landed hard on his back, his torn fin folding awkwardly behind him. Rampage rushed to grab the blade that he was still loosely clutching, but he underestimated Depth Charge's speed and before he could reach it, the raybot had closed his hand firmly around it and brought it up. He succeeded in gouging Rampage in the chest. Rampage drew back quickly, denying Depth Charge the opportunity to thrust it in further, but he had suffered a terrible wound all the same. Grunting in shock and pain, he looked down to see the faint blue glowing of his spark coming from the hole.

Depth Charge tried to get up, but found he was sapped of almost all his strength. His systems were beginning to shut down and his power levels were at a dangerous low. Rampage turned his attention from his wound to the manta bot on the ground. He started towards him but stumbled and fell to his knees. Depth Charge stared at him in astonishment. Rampage's optics were squeezed shut and his hands were curled up stiffly. He was trembling all over. With a sharp intake of breath, he opened his eyes and started to get up. He was obviously also battling against his dropping energy levels. Motivated by this display of weakness, Depth Charge reared upwards and started clambering over to him. Rampage suddenly lashed out and struck him on the side of the head, throwing him to the ground. Depth Charge rolled from his side onto his back with a groan.

Rampage was panting furiously now. He gradually climbed to his feet and shakily hobbled over to the prone raybot. He stepped on the blade just as Depth Charge tried to raise it to strike him. His dull optics lit brightly and he stared up at the contorted face of his enemy. Mech fluid slid across one of his burning emerald optics like a tear. Dropping down to a crouched position, with his right foot still firmly in place over the blade, Rampage reached for Depth Charge's free hand. He responded by throwing it as a fist, but Rampage deftly caught it by the wrist. He crushed it in his grip and Depth Charge gasped in pain.

"Not today, Fins," Rampage whispered, replying to his earlier statement when they'd started their fight on the ship.

"Not today, not ever." He raised his fist, aiming it for the raybot's face. By the time the soft beep coming from Depth Charge's internal computer registered with Rampage, his fist was already plummeting towards him and Depth Charge had just brought up his right hand, snapping the pinned blade in half. The ray had diverted all of what was left of his energy to his right arm and with it, he had pulled upwards and broken the blade from under Rampage's foot. He thrust the ragged edge of it directly into the wound over the crabbot's spark, just as Rampage's fist smashed into his face.

Depth Charge had already blacked out when the explosion occurred, blowing his body to pieces.

Myst stumbled to a halt when she heard a loud, deep boom. The ground shook and a few dozen birds erupted with noisy calls of alarm from the trees. Along with the boom had been a scream of such agony that Myst's breath caught in her throat. She knew that scream.

With speed that amazed even herself, she shot forward and through the trees, racing towards the source of the explosion. It didn't take her long to get there.

Myst rounded the rear-end of the ship to see the clearing in which Rampage and Depth Charge had fought, not far from the buried left wing. The area was a mess of charred foliage, scorch marks, splatters of oil and mech fluid and broken trees. She followed the trail of destruction and soon came upon pieces of metal. Body parts littered the area around a black ditch in which she found the torso, head and what was left of the pelvis of Depth Charge. "Oh Primus," she breathed in horror. She raised her eyes from his mangled corpse and spotted another red and grey body lying several meters away. Her body went cold with dread as she walked over to it with tentative steps. As she approached, she saw that it was who she feared it to be.

"Rampage," she cried and rushed over to him. She fell to her knees beside him. His entire front was ripped open and she could see all his sparking wires and circuits and his fading spark. His left arm had been blown off completely and his face was crumpled and covered in oil and mech fluid, like the rest of him. His optics were dull.

She placed her hands on what was left of his right shoulder. "Rampage," she said gently, voice strangled with emotion. He remained unresponsive.

"Rampage, answer me, slaggit," she demanded, sobs rising in her throat. She was distantly aware that she was trembling with shock.

He made a tiny noise and his optics flickered. Finally, they stayed lit long enough for him to see her. A small frown creased his brow. "Myst."

She smiled down at him weakly. "You've really hurt yourself this time," she whispered. He blinked, still frowning.

"Rampage..." she said softly. "Why don't you heal yourself? Why don't you use your spark to...to fix this."

He closed his eyes and sighed calmly, like one drifting off to sleep. "Can't. It's my spark...that needs the healing. It's beyond repair now."

She shook her head, frowning deeply. "No, no, that can't be true. You're immortal! You can't...you can't die. Rampage, you can't die."

He reopened his eyes and tilted his head to look at her. "It doesn't matter to you, Myst. Don't fret about it."

Myst stared at him silently and Rampage could, despite his fading spark, feel her sadness hitting him with force. He looked into her eyes with wonder.

"It does matter to me," she said so softly he almost didn't hear her. "I...I need you. I..." Her breathing grew rapid with her rising desperation. She was trying to say something, but the words weren't coming. Rampage smiled lazily up at her. He tried to lift his hand but failed. Myst spotted it and gripped it tightly, bringing it up to her cheek. She looked down at him with half-lidded, doleful eyes.

"You don't need me anymore. You got what you really needed from me. I never had anymore to offer," he told her gently. Myst's face contorted in sadness. "N-no..." she stammered, voice trembling.

"And, I guess, I got something from you. You know, it actually felt like I had a friend for a while. I never thought I'd experience that."

"You did, you did have a friend," she whispered, nodding fervently.

He snorted softly in amusement. "Strange femme," he said, rolling his head back into its original position. He drew a deep breath and said, "I never did quite figure you out." Then he released a long sigh and his body sagged, and the dull, grey orb of his spark quietly sputtered out.

"I love...you..." Myst trailed. She stared at the empty cavity in his chest for an undeterminable amount of time before she bowed her head. Her body shuddered once and she bit her lip, containing the sobs swelling in her throat.

She was vaguely aware of the sound of a vehicle coming up behind her and the whir of a transformation. From the corner of her eye she saw Rattrap running to the ditch and skidding on his knees beside the dead body of his comrade. He muttered something incoherent and buried his face in his hand. After a few seconds, he looked up and across at her. He stared at the femme hunched over the lifeless body of the Omicron murderer and tried in vain to understand why she looked so utterly devastated.

It was dusk by the time Rattrap returned to the Ark. He told Optimus that his suspicions were right, that the Nemesis had been revived and had crashed into the mountains. He said that he'd checked the ship for Tarantulas and had found his lifeless body in the control room. The Nemesis didn't look as if she'd fly again, at least not in this time period. He found it most difficult to report Depth Charge's death. Somehow, losing the ray had impacted on him the most. He cared about his friends, about Cheetor and Rhinox, but to lose the last ally he and Optimus had left packed a real punch. Still, his death had not been in vain. It was obvious to Rattrap that he had died destroying Rampage and in so doing, he had secured the safety of all his comrades, present and future. There was no threat to the Ark and its inhabitants anymore.

When Optimus had enquired about Myst and if she had been there when he arrived, he'd had to pause to find the rights words. Finally, he'd replied with: "She was there. An' I wouldn't be surprised if she still is."

Writer's Note: I've written a few notes on my thoughts and feelings about this series, which you can read here if you're interested.