The Ultimate Price

Divided into three parts, this fan fiction is the last in the Uprising series. To start it off, I do some explaining on the technical matters of the story, but after the first three chapters or so, the story takes form and will flow right until the very end. I hope you will enjoy this story and have enjoyed the series as much as I have writing it. Many thanks – the Authouress – Tessa Barratt (Sapphire)

There were only six Generals in the room. The Tripedicus General (Vortech) was on a big screen on the wall so he could participate in the discussions all the way from his ship in space. EA General Smith had attended the meeting and he had managed to get full permission from the Presidents League back on Earth to do what ever was required of him in this war. The names of the six seated around the circular meeting table, were General Smith, General Zirek, Tripedicus Lieutenant Tarantulas, Launch Control General Rextron, Mission Commander Serequi and Colonel Dax. The purpose of the meeting: to discuss the defense they were going to put up in seven days time around Hashlyn City, where Phoenix was to be launched; to discuss how long it would take for the ship to reach orbit and, most importantly, how they were going to go about retrieving the plans of Vector Sigma.

On the day before the launch, ships from Aswade would be sent to Hashlyn to prepare for the air defense. Selected troops from all functional Maximal cities were to be sent to the city to prepare the ground defense. The Tripedicus Air Force were to be disguised as Maximal ships within the Aswade Air Force. On the launch day, early in the morning, Special Unit (Magnanimous) and Lieutenant Diamond were to be taken to Sector Virex, three miles away from the Vector Sigma Base. Upon COM. command from both the Tripedicus Air Force General and Launch Control General Rextron, Lieutenant Diamond was to order Special Unit to proceed to the V.S. base under invisibility and an anti-detection shield (to be provided by Lieutenant Tarantulas). Special Unit must obtain a plan of Vector Sigma and then leave the base and report back to Lieutenant Diamond, who would be waiting for him at her station. She was then to take the plans from him and fly to Hashlyn Air Base and give the them to Mission Commander Sereqi.

These plans were to be put onboard the Phoenix as quickly as possible, after which the ship was to take off. After Special Unit has delivered the plans, the Tripedicus AM bomber, a neutral ship, was to fly in under invisibility and anti-detection (Signature and Radar) and destroy the V.S. base. The Predacon army will not anticipate this move. In Hashlyn, the Air Force is to protect the Phoenix at all costs as it makes its way into space and the ship is to have three guardian EA Fighters. The ground troops are to defend the city outside of the shields to make sure that sentinel stands long enough to protect the rising Phoenix. Two Space Guiders provided by the Tripedicus are then to guide the Phoenix to its destination: The Planet of Youth.

“Our spies have leaked information that there is some kind of large scale construction taking place in the Maximal City Hashlyn. The population there is rapidly increasing with ships delivering troops every day. So far, we have intercepted only five of these ships. The Maximals are planning something, and whatever it is, we are not allowing them to succeed.”

“I have gathered up our best Air Force and forged an army of thirty thousand ground troops and five hundred hover tanks. We are to attack the Maximals before they launch their attack.”

“You suspect it is an attack, Sir?” Megatron suddenly asked. The other Predacon officers around the table all turned and looked at him. The room was dark save a light shining over the middle of the table. Their optics glowed a violent red in the dark and pierced the shadows.

“Yes, Colonel. I do. I plan to quell this miniature uprising against us before they launch anything that will inflict damage on our numbers.”

“You don’t suppose they may be planning something else, do you? Perhaps in alliance with the EA…or the Tripedicus?” he questioned, his voice low.

“The Tripedicus? Why, they are neutral, and their numbers are small. I do not see what they could offer the Maximals, and visa versa,” he answered, his face stern although his eyes expressed a hint of curiosity.

“Thank you, sir,” Megatron responded. He had heard enough. The Predacon intelligence had not uncovered anything…yet.

“We will launch the attack in six days. Your orders will be sent to you in full detail later today. Warn your respective armies and air forces that some of them will be required to fight in this attack,” the General finished, rising from his seat. The other officers did the same.

Megatron left the room after having one of the shortest Military meetings of his life. Then again, it was pretty straightforward. They were going to reclaim Hashlyn, if there was anything left, and bomb the slag out of the Maximal inhabitants. It seemed that none of them had even sniffed that there might be treachery within their own ranks. Megatron already knew that Tarantulas was up to no good and he himself was planning something other than what was ordered of him by these useless Generals.

He walked down the corridor and entered his office, his mind alive with thoughts and plans.

The Predacons are focusing on destroying the Maximals by force, which is expensive, but quick. They are not, however, keeping their eyes open. They are not scratching below the surface and all they see are Maximals that need to be destroyed. They currently hold Vector Sigma, and on land the base is well protected, but they have not thought about the oldest lesson in the book. If one looks at every great empire, he will see that it reaches a peak, and then suddenly starts to slide downhill from there. And it is often not external attacks that make it slide, but it is internal corruption that rots it from the core. They’re blind to the fact that there are other threats to their plans, not just the Maximals. I am going to make that ‘General’, Alesion, wish that he had paid more attention to my words this meeting. For now, though, I must stop Tarantulas from achieving his goal. I know that he is somehow going to gain control over the most important part of this planet – Vector Sigma, and I know that his plans required Kismet. Now that she is dead, no doubt his attention has turned to hers – Diamond. Well, Tarantulas. Let’s see how you fare when Diamond is suddenly…terminated.

Megatron let out his typical evil chuckle and then slapped a hand across his mouth when he remembered that is was never a good idea to do that in the heart of the Quantile Military Base. He switched on his computer, and began hacking into the Quantile Scanners. He was going to locate this Diamond, one way or another.

“I’m sure Tarantulas has protected his scan reports as best he can, but once you have stolen the password to access all Quantile documents, it suddenly makes getting those scan reports…a lot easier…hah hah!”

He cleared his throat and continued typing furiously on his computer. He would save further corny laughs for later.

He made a breakthrough. He had broken into Tarantulas’ scan files. He quickly went through them until he found the file he was looking for. When he did, he saved it to a disk, which he then inserted in a compartment in his body. He read the file and discovered that Kismet had located Diamond in the Maximal city of Vixadonia.

“That was some time ago,” he said thoughtfully, “she may have moved. No matter, I will use Tarantulas’ scanner to find her again. Speaking of which…”

He activated his communications link.

“I’m ready,” he said softly, “Move into your position and carry out your task.”

“Right away, Megatron” was the response, after which he broke the link, shut down his computer and left the building as unnoticed as possible.

After the meeting, Tarantulas had returned to Quantile to try and learn of any attack plans the Predacons may be making in the next seven days. He would then leak them to the Maximals. He wanted their operation to work with as little hitches as possible. It meant a fat paycheck for him, as well as a future.

He had entered his lab at Quantile Laboratory and, being the master of computers he was, he managed to hack into the Predacon Military System. Tarantulas discovered the attack planned on Hashlyn in six days. He knew that he could not risk communicating with the Tripedicus in the laboratories.

"Someone may be watching or listening," he thought, eyeing his wall for hidden cameras.

He knew that he would have to get to safer ground. A Maximal city was risky too, as he may be caught on the way there. However, if he wore his anti-detection shield again he should make it.

He closed the computer down and as he was leaving his lab, he noticed a flashing red light coming from his scanner. He frowned and turned to look at it. Immediately, bells began to ring in his head.

He switched on the computer and pressed a few buttons - a window appeared that confirmed his worst fears.

He tried to find out which files the Colonel had accessed, but Megatron was sneaky and had blocked his path. Tarantulas was almost certain, though, that it was him.

He switched off his scanner computer, transformed to beast mode and headed out of his lab, his mind a whir.

"That sneaky devil thinks he can outsmart me! He's after Diamond too! No doubt when he finds her, he'll kill her. I have to warn her - and the Maximals," he thought.

Just as he turned into the dark corridor that would eventually lead him to the exit of the lab, he heard a voice.

Slowly he turned around to see Blackarachnia staring at him intently. Not only that, she was aiming her weapon at him.

Blackarachnia eyed him warily. He was strong in that transmetal body and although she was strong too in hers, he was still the more powerful of the two.

"I know what you've been doing. You're not the only one who works in this lab," she told him, her eyes fixed on his.

"And what is it that you think you know?" he asked, giving her a look of contempt.

"Huh," she began, "That you've teamed with the Maximals! You're trying to assist them in some plan against the Predacons. And, guess what? I know whom you work for. Tripedicus..."

"Tarantulas. Hm hm hmm. Yes, I know a lot about you. Yet you don't seem to know much about me! I've been ignored - you didn’t think I was important in this war. That was your first mistake!"

"Don't play dumb with me! I've hacked into your files! I know more about you than you even want to think about!" she shrieked.

"So it was you who hacked into my Scan files! You witch! I could have you jailed for that!"

"Wouldn’t be a smart move, Legs. You're the one who belongs in jail! And besides, I didn't do the actual hacking. I just provided the hacker with a few helpful codes and passwords," she explained.

Blackarachnia brought forward all her legs in a pose that Tarantulas knew meant that she was preparing to fire her leg guns.

With that, she opened fire. Tarantulas let lose his own missiles but he never saw if they hit, as a moment later his world exploded.

When he awoke, he was tied up against a pillar. It took him a while to figure out where he was, but he soon realized he was in The Crown – an empty Predacon building.

He felt a burning pain in his chest and he looked down to see a gaping hole in his torso, smoke still streaming out from it.

His eyes darted about. It was dark here. There was nothing but pillars and the odd pile of scrap. Things seemed to move in the shadows. Suddenly he spotted two glowing optics. He expected to see Blackarachnia come out from the darkness, but he gasped when he saw it was in fact Megatron.

“What is this insanity? Why did you have Blackarachnia tie me up?” he hissed.

Megatron shook his head. He was in beast-mode and Tarantulas could see his tail swishing irritably behind him.

“Don’t act like a fool Tarantulas. You know all to well why I asked her to bring you here. You’re aiding the Maximals in something – you and your Tripedicus, that is. I now understand what you meant in our last discussion about not quite being a Predacon,” Megatron told him, his voice low and menacing.

“Don’t try to escape, you wretched spider. Those energy ropes are too strong for you. Now, I believe you are working with a femme bot that our past comrade, Kismet, was in some kind of alliance with,” Megatron began.

“You obviously know less than I thought you did! There was no alliance between them! And that girl you were looking for, she is useless to both of us. She has no connection with Kismet. At least not anymore! There really isn’t much more to say on the matter. The plan that you thought you had discovered has fallen through. The Tripedicus have no need for her,” Tarantulas told him, all the time he was summoning one of his cyber insects to come to him from his lab and destroy the bonds from behind so Megatron wouldn’t notice. He only hoped that the signal he was sending through a tiny device inserted in his right claw would reach the little cyber insect.

“And you expect me to believe that? Even if it were true, the Tripedicus would have made other plans, yes. I want to know them. Now.”

“I’m giving you one last chance, Tarantulas! Tell, or I will torture the information out of you. And if you won’t spill the beans, then I’ll force Diamond to!” he snarled.

He didn’t like the sound of being tortured. He also didn’t want Megatron to locate Diamond, as the truth was she was still a crucial part of the operation. She was needed to aid her brother once he came back with the plans and she was to deliver them to Hashlyn base as well.

Just when he was at a total loss, he heard the soft, tell tale beep of his cyber insect behind him and he felt the bonds around his wrists being broken. He was free.

Megatron’s face turned into one of fury and he let lose a charge of laser fire. Tarantulas leapt to the right and rolled. He jumped to his feet and tried to let lose his shoulder weapons, only to find they’d been disabled.

Megatron had gasped in surprise, but he was already over the shock and began firing mercilessly at Tarantulas.

He could hear Megatron roaring in anger and he knew that the T-rex was closing in.

Tarantulas saw that the exit door was blocked, but he figured he could still get free. He rode up to it, transformed rapidly to robot mode and stood in front of it, looking bewildered and afraid.

Megatron, who had been flying, landed with a thump in front of Tarantulas and aimed his tail gun.

Megatron let loose a volley of shots but Tarantulas ducked and they instead blew open the door. Tarantulas dashed out of the hole and ran as fast as he could. He turned around at the corner of the outside of the building and stood against the wall, panting.

“I’ve discovered a Predacon attack planned on Hashlyn in six days time! One of their Generals, Megatron, has betrayed them and he’s after Lieutenant Diamond. I’m-”

Tarantulas never finished his sentence. He felt a surge of pain rip through his chest. He slid down into a crumpled heap against the wall. He looked up weakly through cracked optics to see Blackarachnia standing there, her gun aimed at him.

“Uh uh uuh! One move and you’ll be fried spider in a nanoclick!” she chuckled.

Megatron landed beside Blackarachnia and the two of them aimed their guns at him.

It was still dark when her internal alarm clock awoke her. She lay on her bed in her cabin, staring into darkness. Above ground, she could hear the roar of the engines of ships as they powered up for their long flight to Hashlyn. She was to be aboard one of these ships: she, Magnanimous and her father…but not Cheetor.

Selected troops were to be sent to Hashlyn to prepare the defenses for their city. She had heard that six days ago the Tripedicus had received a distress call from Lieutenant Tarantulas. He had managed to warn that there was an attack planned on Hashlyn but unfortunately Tarantulas had been cut off and they did not catch what day. He was presumed dead – the Predacons had found him out. At first there was mass chaos among the generals who feared that the Predacons may have tortured the information out of Tarantulas, but the Tripedicus had reassured them that Tarantulas would not tell, no matter what they did to him. He was fiercely loyal to them, although he was well known for his treachery elsewhere. Still, the Maximal Generals were worried enough to bring the launch forward a day. Today, she and her brother were to be flown to Hashlyn. They would then take the best stealth fighter plane available with all the latest anti-detection devices installed and would fly to Sector Virex, where Diamond would wait for Magnanimous to fetch a plan of Vector Sigma. The Predacons would not even lay a thought to this because they still believe they are the only ones who have this anti-detection technology. They were not aware that their own scientist was leaking information to the Maximals. Well, not until they caught Tarantulas. Now they might be more alert and are most probably developing a scanner that can break through the anti-detection field transmitted from these devices…. Which is why the Maximals were moving fast. Once she and her brother, code named simply ‘Special Unit’ arrived at their post, he was to fly, invisible and aided with a signature blocker, into the Vector Sigma base. He would have to do this quickly because they both knew he could not hold invisibility for long. He was to get inside the base as quietly as possible, but if he could not, he was to blast his way in and get the plans quickly. He would then return to Diamond and, once he was a safe distance from the V.S. base, the Tripedicus were to send in a bomber (invisible, of course) and destroy the original Vector Sigma, along with the entire base. Now, because it was anticipated that Magnanimous would be weak when he returned with the plans, Diamond was to retrieve the plans from him and return to Hashlyn in the stealth fighter. She was in command of the operation and appointed head supervisor. When she returned to Hashlyn, she was to give the plans to the Mission Commander, who would then get the plans aboard the Phoenix. The Phoenix would take off, and hopefully make it into space.

She lay still for a long time contemplating this. She had been worrying about her brother ever since she heard the plan. She had a terrible feeling that he would not make it back. It was going to take too long. Too slagging long.

She sighed and eventually pulled herself out of bed. She switched on the light and walked over to her armor case. The noises, coming from above were distant and muffled against the silence of her cabin, created an ominous atmosphere.

She felt so terribly alone in that moment. Her world was coming to a close, after all. She was frightened, nervous and miserable. She slowly put on her armor. When she had finished, she opened her case, which had inside it a variety of weapons. She took her laser gun and fastened it to her left leg and attached another gun to her right leg. Her sword she slipped into a compartment she had attached on her back. When she was ready she turned to leave but paused a moment. She closed her eyes and listened to the silence. This was to be the last peaceful moment she was going to have, and she savored it. Once she got to Hashlyn, all hell would break loose and within a few days, she would be destroyed, one way or another.

She wished she never had to leave, but when she heard a knock on her door, she knew it was time.

She opened the door and there he was, wearing his full armor and layered with weapons and ammo. He must have had about four different guns attached to himself as well as his sword. She had told him everything last night. About her powers, Kismet and why she and Magnanimous were needed. He had listened the entire way through. When at last she finished, he told her that she was brave to have done what she did, and that he trusted both her and Magnanimous with all his spark. He knew that they would succeed in their final mission. She guessed that, seeing as it was the last night she’d be able to talk quietly with him, he wasn’t going to throw a tantrum at not being told sooner or panic when he heard what she was going to be doing the following day. Instead he calmly accepted it. It which was all she could have hoped for.

“Well, I hope I won’t have anything to fight while I’m out there. I shouldn’t, if all goes well. Once I get back to Hashlyn, I might add some extra weapons. But three should be adequate.”

Dinobot noticed her voice was dry and flat. He could see that she was despondent. He knew perfectly well why. She was going into something so big, so important, and her reward would be retuning to a city, which after the departure of the Phoenix, was almost certainly doomed. She was being cheated of life, and it infuriated him so much, made him feel so frustrated and desperate, he felt like going insane. For 18 short years, he’d raised this precious, intelligent young femme, and now she was going to die, like him, only she had lived so much less. It was every father’s nightmare.

“You are doing a very honorable thing. You will succeed; I have faith in you. And when your moment finally comes when you are face with death, I know you will face it with pride and dignity. I am very proud of you, Diamond.”

Diamond was taken aback by his rare show of emotion, but then again, it was possibly the last day of their lives. She closed her eyes and held him closely. For just a moment, she felt like that little terrified girl that she was 18 years ago and when in her father’s arms, she felt a sense of comfort and protection. She cherished the moment and squeezed him. After a lengthy moment, he pulled away.

“Yes, but I need to consult with the General quickly. I shall meet you aboard the ship. You go and wait for me there.”

She turned and left him and made her way out of the cabins. When she surfaced above ground, the first thing she saw was a dark night sky littered with bright stars. She stood up and looked around. There were lots of transformers and humans lining up and marching towards about twenty odd ships. They were mostly very large transport ships, but hers was an EA fighter because Magnanimous would also be on that ship and he required extra protection. The EA fighter would reach its destination quicker and was also equipped with anti-detection fields provided by Tarantulas before his assumed demise. She stood still and watched the officers yell orders and technicians scuttle around the ships to check everything was all right. She spotted Joe being lined up and he shot her a quick smile.

He was standing behind some piled up fuel barrels as he wasn’t supposed to be above ground unless he was leaving Vixadonia.

She knew that she couldn’t stay long. The ships were filling up quickly and her father and Magnanimous would be on the Fighter, waiting impatiently. She had gone to the trouble of arranging her dad be on the same ship as her.

“Me too, Cheetor. I love you,” she whispered, her voice close to breaking. She needed to go before she broke down into tears. The mere look on his face was killing her.

The air around them was filled with noises of people shouting, engines roaring and loud speakers crackling.

“No matter what happens to either of us, we’ll find each other again. Our sparks will unite in the Matrix and we will be together,” he said.

Then they kissed, but it wasn’t the shy, reserved kisses they’d had before, it was full of passion and love.

Someone else was above ground when he should still be sleeping in his cabin, but he hated officers and had no problem with disobeying orders. He was also lurking in the shadows and was slowly, carefully, making his way to a line of human soldiers.

Rattrap crept in beast mode towards Joe. He needed to ask the human something. His optics darted about, watching for officers. He spotted two bots in the shadows and sighed. It was Cheetor and Diamond. The kids were smooching each other in the shadows away from daddy’s glare. Yet he knew that is wasn’t typical teenage fun they were having, it was a painful goodbye.

“Eh, I won’t interrupt ‘em,” he muttered and moved away from the couple. He scampered across an open area of land that was lit with floodlights and thankfully he wasn’t spotted. He was now on the other side. He moved stealthily behind rows of barrels and looked through the cracks. On the other side was the line of humans that Joe was in. They were all standing still listening to an officer talking in front. His rat paws padded softly along the narrow strip between the barrels and a wall. Finally, he spotted Joe who was unusually attentive.

Joe squinted his eyes in the direction of the barrel Rattrap was behind and saw through the crack. There was the red metallic rat, his green eyes glowing in the shadows.

“What is it Rattrap? Can’t you see that I’m busy,” he said from the corner of his mouth.

After his self-debate, he broke away from the line of humans and moved the barrel, widening the crack so that he could just slip inside. He crouched next to Rattrap.

Joe sighed irritably and started to leave. Rattrap transformed and grabbed his arm and pulled him back sharply.

“Don’t ya go yet. I know you have an idea where she’s gone an’ why. Spit it out, Joe-Joe,” he said, his voice threatening

In a sharp, mocking whisper he said: “It’s always, do this Joe, do that Joe, keep your mouth SHUT Joe, spit it out Joe!”

“What the heck did poor Joe do to deserve this,” he whined, looking up to the heavens.

“So ya do know! Well, it’d make it a lot easier an’ less painful if you told me now,” Rattrap threatened.

Joe glared at Rattrap, but then his eyebrows went up again in more of a defeated expression.

“Huh. Who am I kidding? I’m not going to live much longer. No matter what I say or do I’m toast anyway,” he muttered wearily.

“She left for the same city I’m going to. Hashlyn. I’m not sure what she is going to do there, but she left because she was pregnant,” he said flatly.

“You heard me! She didn’t want to tell you and God knows why she told me. Now really, I have to go. My line is moving and I don’t want to be left behind,” he said and rejoined his fellow soldiers.

He was silent for a long time, his emotions going so haywire he didn’t know how to react.

He heard the sudden noise of the shields being switched off. The ships were taking off. This was his chance.

He eyed a quiet, open spot where there were no officers or soldiers, only an exit out of this prison of a city.

“I don’t know what she’s doin’ there either, but my guess it’s somethin’ crazy. I gotta stop her before she hurts herself…or…”

He didn’t want to say it aloud. He hadn’t quite come to grips with it. Instead, he burst into speed and raced off through the gap and into the night, heading for Hashlyn and hoping to Primus he wouldn’t get caught. By Maximals or Predacons.

There was a lot of construction going on indeed. The shields around the city were being powered up and trenches were being dug outside them. EA and Maximal ships were constantly landing at the airfield and out from them came soldiers. Each ship was marked with the name or the symbol of the city it had come from. She’d been watching ever since they first arrived and none had come from Vixadonia. Probably just as well.

It was still quite early in the morning, here in Hashlyn, but the sun had begun its rise and the orange light fell upon all the figures that moved around. Tourmaline leaned against a wall and stared across the airfield, watching the ships come into land. There was nothing special about this airfield, except that at the far end there was a huge garage and within it, she knew, was the ship that would carry the new sparks to the Planet of Youth.

After her rest a few days ago, she had moved around the city and taken in her surroundings. Most of the areas had been cornered off and the transformers lived in the center of the city in designated camps so their movement could be controlled. So far, roughly two thousand humans had arrived at the city in three huge ships. Right now, they were marching past her towards a weapons stall.

She sighed and looked up at the dim sun. Today was the day they were planning to launch this ship. She knew it - she could feel it.

And here she was. Alone. She wasn’t frightened though, but calm and she had slipped into a melancholic mood over the past two days.

She remembered working in Relentrax, the parties she’d had and the friends she’d made. Hyra stood out as her closest friend and she could almost see her happy face smiling at her. Poor Hyra…at least she’d died before the war really started. She thought about the times they’d had at Nystrin. Dinobot and his training center and all the lessons she had learned. He was a good trainer and she had the utmost respect for him and his daughter. Diamond was such a lovely little thing, so alive and bright. She remembered staying with them for the first night and had loved the atmosphere between father and daughter. They were constantly teasing each other, but there was so much love. She then remembered Rattrap and with a smile, she remembered the first day they’d met.

Rattrap had been walking down the busy street, as she was walking up it. He didn't see her (he was, after all, very short) and she didn't see him. They ended up smashing into each other as they hurried along their way. She'd fallen backward and landed hard, a bit disorientated. She’d just purchased a gun for Dinobot's training lessons and without noticing, she aimed it at Rattrap while she rubbed her head and wondered whom she’d run into. He was sitting on the pavement and suddenly she heard:

She had looked across and there he was, holding up his hands in defense. She’d then realized the position of her gun and she slipped it back into her sub space pocket.

"Didn’t mean to run into you like that, but you know how ruthless these crowds are.”

He’d then stood up and helped her to her feet. She’d had a good look at him. The first thing that struck her was that he had an interesting second mode, it looked like a rat. She was correct. The look on his face when he studied her form was priceless. It had said “Sexy! Whoo hoo!" Yet at the same time, there was something different about him she just couldn't quite put her finger on.

Her smile softened. He'd taken her back to Dinobot's War Training place as she was lost and their relationship had grown from there. Funny, it seemed like yesterday.

And now here she was, wandering aimlessly around the city of his birth, except without him. What about him? Was he wondering where she was? Was he looking for her right now? Did he care all that much? Their relationship had been calm and smooth, relaxed and enjoyable. So...what would his reaction be when he heard of the more serious turn it had taken?

She shook her head gently and sighed. It didn't matter. If Diamond kept her promise and didn't tell him, and she trusted the intelligent femme, he would probably never find her, and they'd die apart, wondering about each other.

She broke out her trance and looked about. The airfield had grown a little quieter and she decided she’d also go to the weapons stall. There was going to be a big fight soon. All the signs were there and the air was heavy.

“I’m going to have to fight today. Fight for the freedom of our child and the others going up with him or her on that ship. I’m going to finally put all that training to work, for what it’s worth.”

Megatron got up early that morning. He’d finally figured out where Diamond was. He had used Tarantulas’ scanners and picked her up. She was still in Vixadonia but he had a feeling she was going to move soon: most probably Hashlyn, where all the Maximal action was happening. He wanted to catch her before she got there and stop her from completing her task, which he’d find out from her seeing as Tarantulas wouldn’t tell. The spider was still alive, but tied up, caged and guarded in The Crown by Vindictive and Waspinator. He’d tortured the spider in some of the most horrific ways he could dream up. He had screamed and squirmed but was determined not to let Megatron know any thing more, which made Megatron realize that the plan the Tripedicus and Maximals had going was big and very, very important. He was almost certain that it had something to do with Vector Sigma and had casually pointed out to the General that the defenses around the V.S. base were not very strong. General Alesion had commended Megatron on his observation and security was strengthened. This would not make Megatron’s job of retrieving the plans any easier but at least it would prevent Diamond from getting them – if this was indeed what she was meant to do – before he did. His theory was that Diamond was something like Kismet and had the ability to break into the Altron Chamber. She could get the codes for the Maximals. What the Maximals would do after that was anyone’s guess. He had to stop her somehow.

He had put on the invisibility cloak and blocked his signature and had stolen across the Quantile airfield in the dark. Once there, he had broken into one of the stealth fighters. He had arranged that Blackarachnia install Tarantulas’ scanner in the ship and the moment Diamond began to move away from Vixadonia, he would take Vindictive, leave in the ship and follow her until he felt he had opportunity to attack. He wanted to get her alive, preferably. He could still possibly reprogram her as a Predacon, cut some wires and override some programs and make her nothing but a drone to his will – that would make getting the plans a lot easier if she was able to, like Kismet had been. If not, he’d torture information out of her. Of course, this plan was all very well. Capturing her was another story entirely.

He waited in the dark and watched Blackarachnia working at the console and kept an eye on the screens. On the map of Vixadonia, hers was the only flashing green signature. He had absolutely no idea how Tarantulas had managed to tune his scanners into just her from this distance, but he’d done it.

The sun was beginning to rise and he waited expectantly. He had a strong feeling that the Maximals were going to move their forces to Hashlyn today, especially after that message Tarantulas had sent his leaders, most likely a warning. Blackarachnia had told Megatron that was what he was doing before she had shot him. She insisted they couldn’t have heard much but he still suspected they’d heard quite enough and were building up their defense. Whatever it was the Maximals were hiding, it was in Hashlyn and it required one of their units getting to Vector Sigma for some reason.

Diamond pulled away from Cheetor and closed her eyes, her lip trembling and on the brink of sobs. She looked into his eyes and he stroked her face gently with his hand.

“Good bye, Cheetor,” she said softly and left, not turning to look back because she knew if she did the emotional agony she was feeling would worsen. Holding back sobs she put her hand over her spark and proceeded forward to the ship, feeling a kind of sadness that seemed to strangle her.

Cheetor watched in silence as Diamond moved away from him. He watched as she boarded her ship, as the door closed and the engine fired up. He watched as the vessel rose up in the air, turned to the correct direction and silently sped away from view, going invisible just before leaving Vixadonia.

All the while his spark shuddered in misery and anger and he felt an energy rushing through his mech fluid like he’d never felt before.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of a speeding vehicle bot.

The bot slammed on the brakes just before he went past him and looked at Cheetor.

“I gotta go fix somethin’,” he said simply and his wheels spun in the ground.

“Good luck kid!” he yelled above the roaring of his blasters and sped off into the distance.

Cheetor wondered briefly what he meant but his thoughts quickly moved back to Diamond. She had looked so afraid and yet determined to do…to do something. She was playing some part in a top-secret mission of the Maximals and naturally, she couldn’t tell him. All she said to him was that she was not coming back and he couldn’t leave with her – she had to do it alone.

It was wrong that they had to part like this when they had had so few opportunities to be together.

He powered up his own jets and set his course for Hashlyn, which he had learned from eaves dropping on a conversation between two Lieutenants, was where these ships were headed.

“Some one will be waiting for you in Hashlyn, Diamond. You won’t die alone,” he said adamantly and blasted off and away from Vixadonia, making sure he wasn’t taking the same route as the ships. He couldn’t risk being seen and possibly shot.