Reconciliation 11

24.March.07

Chapter 11: Spark Searching

Explosions sounded throughout a rundown, abandoned section of Cybertropolis. Surrounded by crumbling buildings, Maximals exchanged fire with Predacons and Vehicons. Both sides were at a deadlock with each other, unable to overwhelm their opponents.

"Why do you Maximals always have to disrupt my plans?" Tarantulas hissed.

"Check our job description, loser! Let's see how you like getting bombarded!" Cheetor roared back.

Tigerhawk hung back, deploying only his missiles. In such a structurally unstable location, he was worried that his elemental powers might bring more harm than good. "No need to antagonize him, Cheetor. Our Predacon adversaries are angry enough as it is."

"You fools are doomed! I will rip out your Sparks and feast on them!" Rampage howled.

"Burn!" Scavenger screamed, unleashing all his firepower.

"Idiot!" Obsidian cried as the Predacon ant's shots went wide. Striking the buildings, they caused the structures to explode. Maximal, Predacon and Vehicon alike watched as an avalanche of rubble came down on them.

Primal Prime groaned, coming awake after being knocked out by the falling rubble. Exercising his powerful limbs, he hurled aside the boulders that covered him. He rose and found himself face to face with Nemesis Prime. Both reacted instantly, drawing their guns and aiming at each other. However, no matter how much they depressed their respective triggers, all that was produced was a dull clicking.

"What in the Pit is going on?" Nemesis growled.

"Looks like that building collapse somehow damaged our weapons systems...in addition to burying our comrades," Primal Prime added, realizing that none of the other Cybertronians were visible.

"Seems that we have two options. One, we can disregard the damage we have taken and our comrades and fight to the death. Two, we can agree to a truce while we search for our teammates."

"Truce? Predacons only talk truce when they need time to reload their weapons."

"Usually, you would be correct. But while they are the lowest, most pathetic lifeforms on this planet, I still hold loyalty for my associates. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

As Nemesis Prime tromped off, Primal Prime followed him. "We might as well work together; I doubt either of us can clear all this rubble alone. Besides, two heads are better than one."

Grunting noncommittedly, the Decepticon/Predacon hybrid continued deeper into the piles of rubble. As Primal followed, he made a remark. "You know, loyalty such as you're displaying is something of an Autobot trait."

Nemesis Prime froze at that, and his black optics turned to stare at his nemesis. Then, to the Maximal's surprise, he smiled ironically. "I suppose it comes from being part Optimus Prime."

Jetstorm came awake beneath the rubble, shaking off rocks that had piled on him. By chance, the fall of several large boulders had formed a small cavern, which the Vehicon now found himself sitting in. To make matters worse, he could see Silverbolt stirring across the space.

Moaning, Silverbolt opened his eyes to see his nemesis. Golden eyes going red, he moved his wings into firing position. However, his missiles refused to fire, and were locked in place. Undaunted, he tried to stand, intending to tear apart his enemy with his bare hands. However, he soon realized that one of his legs had been crushed by the debris, and was immobile.

"Luck is with you this day, Vehicon! If my weapons and leg were not damaged, I would destroy you this instant!"

His own legs pinned by a large rock, Jetstorm winced. "You don't need to shout, you know; this place echoes. Aside from that, your weapons and leg are damaged, and my systems are screwed up too. You and I are going to be stuck here for a while."

Growling, Silverbolt retorted. "Your comrade's stupidity has spared you my wrath."

"What do you have against me anyway?"

The question, asked out of pure ignorance, took Silverbolt aback. For a long moment, the Fuzor was silent. "You don't know why I hate you?"

"No, I don't. I know that you were the original Jetstorm, and that my personality programming was extracted from your Spark. But I don't have any of the original Jetstorm's memories, so I don't know why you hate me."

Feeling as though he owed an explanation for his animosity, Silverbolt spoke. "As you know, I was the original Jetstorm. When my comrades and I arrived on Cybertron, my Spark was extracted and reprogrammed by Megatron. I became a Vehicon general, commanding Megatron's aerial drones. Eventually, my love Blackarachnia was able to restore me to my Maximal status.

"However, my Vehicon persona left heavy scars. As Megatron's minion, I had attacked the beings for whom I cared most. My actions were deplorable, and the worst part was that I enjoyed it. I was so consumed by guilt that I allowed my anger to make me into a being I did not want to be; a being as bad in his own way as Jetstorm. Thus, when you appeared, reborn in a new form, it rekindled anger I had thought cooled forever."

Quietly, Jetstorm thought over the Maximal's confession. When he at last spoke, his tone was surprisingly compassionate. "I admit that I haven't been around for very long, but I do know some things. For one, you can't let whatever you've done wrong in the past affect your present or future behavior. My appearance is evidently the focus of your guilt; you need to move past that. Feeling bad about what you did won't make up for it."

Silverbolt stared, surprised at the wisdom of a Transformer who had only been online for a matter of weeks. As he looked at the Vehicon, he felt something change inside him. With a start, he realized that he no longer looked and Jetstorm with any animosity greater than that of soldiers on opposing sides of a war. All the hatred that he had felt was seeping away into nothingness, relegated to the abyss that held all the feelings he had left behind.

In the darkness where no one could see, Silverbolt smiled.

Working together, the Primes were able to move the rubble covering their comrades. Speaking to each other with comradery that belied their antagonism, they worked together to free Maximals, Predacons, and Vehicons alike. Warily, their companions joined in the efforts, never turning their backs on each other.

Last to be uncovered were Silverbolt and Jetstorm. As Blackarachnia helped Silverbolt to his feet, she was surprised to see him smiling warmly at her. His golden optics showed not a trace of guilt, anger, or doubt, despite the fact that he had spent a megacycle trapped with the being he hated above all others. "Silverbolt? Are you alright?"

The Fuzor responded with a passionate kiss. "Better than you could ever know, beloved."

Regrouped, the two sides faced each other. Depth Charge glared at Rampage. "I can still take you on, X."

"While I would love to finish this little fight, I believe that it would be in the best interests of everyone for us to withdraw to our respective bases," Strika said.

"For once we agree, Vehicon," Tigerhawk rumbled.

"Never! I will destroy these enemies of the colony now! Prepare to taste my--"

Scavenger was cut off as a small metal orb flew into his open mouth, going down into his throat. His crimson eyes went wide, and he struggled to cough out another word. Then he exploded into countless components, obviously destroyed beyond repair.

Everyone turned to see Rattrap, a second explosive being tossed up in the air and caught repeatedly by his hand. "I've got more where that came from, chumps!"

One by one, the Predacons and Vehicons traveled away, vanishing from sight. Primal Prime's gaze turned hard as he glared at Rattrap, but he just sighed and transformed. "Let's go home."

Megacycles later, Tarantulas cackled as Rampage and Strika moved aside two huge boulders to reveal the entrance to an underground tunnel. "The Maximals may think that they thwarted my efforts in this area, but Scavenger's destruction is a price I'm willing to pay to find this!"

Jetstorm and Nemesis Prime looked at their "leader" out of the corner of their optics. Each felt apprehensive, not sure how much loyalty they should have for an individual who so easily disregarded the death of one of his minions. The Vehicons looked disinterested, while Rampage's only thoughts were on how soon he would be able to say goodbye to Tarantulas as he had with Scavenger and Quickstrike.

It was not a group atmosphere that spoke of unity.

To be continued...