Transformers: Legacy Chapter Seven

Transformers: Legacy, Chapter Seven
First Contact

Oracle swept her optics down, over the land beneath them. Mostly obscured by clouds, the eight vehicons far below were more visible by their IFF tags than their actual bodies. They moved, quickly, and quietly, through low canyons, approaching their target point. Her optics then moved outward, matching up the actual, visible ground, against the satellite maps she had loaded into her systems. A topographical overlay showed her all the elevations, nearby, her internal systems automatically recommending a number of points as possible 'nests' for her to shoot from. One by one, she searched through them, checking their lines of sight, angles, and protection, calculating what spot would give her the most range of fire, while also granting her the most cover.

The two Trines flew a ways ahead of her, and slightly lower, their systems passively scanning the area, looking for autobot presence. Soundwave flew, higher than them all, his systems carefully going over the area with a fine-toothed comb, searching for any signatures that might indicate the fragment of the AllSpark. Her tight-beam radio transmitted her chosen position to the other Trines, and to the Vehicon convoy below, so that they would avoid accidentally shooting her. So, she knew, if any of them shoot my way, I know it isn't an accident. That thought drew a frown to her lips, as she dove, sharply, then angled herself for the split mountain peak. From that position, she would be completely covered from the north and northwest, with a great field of view from northeast, to true south. A collection of boulders suited her as a combination of cover, and as a sort of tripod for her rifle. She took up her position, Soundwave marking the point with a single blip, on his overwatch radar screen.

She began scouting the area ahead, using her optics to scan the surface, carefully, looking for any signs of movement. In the distance, she noticed a plume of dust. A quick check against her maps proved that it was not the Vehicon convoy. She marked the location with a small, pulsing beacon, as probable enemy location. Overlaying the topographical map, once more, she confirmed that they seemed to be traveling through another set of canyons, which mostly masked their signs of approach.

The two Trines changed their courses, slightly, using the angle of the canyons, to keep themselves out of direct line of sight, coming up, on either side of the convoy. A small chime indication that another beacon had been placed on the map: The Fragment.

Oracle, curious, swept her gaze over the location where the shard was hidden: a low opening in a series of hills and mountains, with lots of broken ground, and possible cover. Just looking at the location, she had a bad feeling; A very, very bad feeling. She began to say something, but, at the last moment, changed her mind. It had been made very clear to her, a couple weeks before, that the Decepticons had very little use for her 'feelings', as they often ran contrary to hard data. The Vehicons adjusted course, speeding up, moving to intercept the Fragment before the Autobots could. Slowly, the specific identifications of the Autobots began to make her grid map look like a chessboard, the pieces lining up, against one another, in preparation for some great game. She dialed in her scope, sweeping it over the gully, once more, twice, seeing nothing, but the feeling refused to fade. She saw the Vehicons rumble out of their low canyon, and bolt toward the opening, three fanning out to each side, and two diving straight in.

The first of the two barely had time to slam on its' breaks, before a hail of gunfire tore into its' front, splitting metal, a thundering explosion tearing it apart. The second sped forward, dashing for the fragment, as Oracle swept her scope over the area around the gully, looking for targets. A gun barrel flashed, and she zeroed in on it, sweeping her gun backward along its' length, calculating – And firing a single shot that threw back an armored form, one of its' hands gone, from the wrist down, and out of her sight. She traversed, firing a second shot at a half-hidden form, which spun from the impact. The second Vehicon leapt through the gap, and transformed upward, reaching for the Fragment, only to be intercepted by a sudden, close-range shot to the chest. Another autobot had concealed himself behind the shard, its' energy concealing his presence. Like a lightning bolt, he vaulted the falling Vehicon, and sprinted for the gully's narrow exit. He sidestepped a shot from another Vehicon, dodging away as someone else's shot blew it apart. Dancing through their lines of fire, he leapt outward, speeding toward the nearest canyon. He dropped down into it, laser fire spattering around him, and began to make good his escape.

Calmly, carefully, she made a few swift calculations, predicting his movement, and tracing the best aiming point. As he came around a sharp corner, the canyon would take him in an almost perfectly straight line toward her. A perfect shot.

Trine 3 swept down from above, firing bolt after bolt of energy down, biting at Blurr's heels, small fragments of hot stone peppering his legs and back. He carefully avoided every attack, throwing himself backward, so their fire passed on, ahead of him. Before they could wheel around for another pass, he sprinted farther down the canyon, frowning at the straightway ahead of him, gritting his teeth at the necessity. His movements were lightning swift, closing the distance to the other end of the canyon. He had just enough time to recognize the slender flash of light, from the split peak, of a distant mountain, before his processors were violently shut down.

She watched the Autobot tumble forward, momentum carrying him down, throwing up a cloud of dust and smoke, as he struck, and rolled. Despite the concealing dust, she knew he wouldn't be moving, ever again. She had seen the way his torso crumpled, the heavy slug biting through armor plating, and splitting open his spark casing. The flash of light, the small burst of heat, the ripples in the air from detonation. She marked off his location, on the map, as dead, and thought, for a long moment. She tucked her rifle back into her arm, and then leapt out, transforming, shooting down toward his unmoving form.

It was as perfect a shot as ever she had made. One shot, one kill. But this was her first chance to see her target, up-close. Someone she had shot, and killed. In her past, that half-remembered human life, she recalled the feel of her rifle bucking against her shoulder. Watching someone drop, their life's blood pouring out through the hole her weapon had made. But she had never had the chance, afterward, to come closer to them, and witness the work she had done.

His body was fairly angular, lots of sleek, sharp planes, light blue, with silver and black trimming his frame. Her bullet had struck, just beneath the fringe of his torso armor, and penetrated, at a point where several angles met, and dipped inward. The slug had shredded metal, plowing through the weak point in his armor, and broken the spark casing. Inside, she saw the faint flickering of broken electronics, the last drops of power in his system wasting themselves away in tiny twitches of metal and circuits. The scent of burnt ozone and smoldering electronics filled the air, with a sharp, unpleasant smell, that faintly seemed to catch at the back of her throat; almost more a memory than a feeling. His hand was outstretched, fingers grasping at something, but open; it seemed he had dropped the fragment, when he was shot. She traced the line of his gaze, and began walking toward the fragment, slowly, curiously. Her eyes took in the rainbow brilliance, and she felt her own spark shiver in sympathy. An intense feeling swept through her, causing her to remember her human life; Tears, crying, choking sadness. The Spark within her wept at the loss of life, at the uncreation she had done. When she lifted the fragment, it was as if the ferocity of her own sadness doubled, tripled, drowning her in Blurr's last moments; the sensation of the bullet striking, his spark ruptured, and feeling his life escape him. It was almost like his death, so close at hand, had left an imprint on the fragment he had clutched in his hand. She was so staggered by this surge of emotion, so nearly forgotten as to be foreign to her, that she didn't even feel Soundwave's silent presence. He reached around her, and plucked the fragment from her open palm, the next instant kneeling over Blurr's motionless body. He pumped energy into the failing form, his fingers feeling around behind the former autobot's head. He held perfectly still, for a long, few moments, then withdrew, allowing the body to spark itself out, once more. A long, slender cable withdrew into his fingertips, as he turned to face Oracle. He glanced at Blurr, then at her right arm, and gave a slight, slow nod.

Almost at the back of her mind, she heard the continuing sounds of conflict. Guns firing, lasers firing back, small explosions. Soundwave lifted into the sky, the shard in his hands glowing a brilliant rainbow of color. Dismayed, the Autobots began a swift retreat, a few well-played shots dissuading Decepticon pursuit.

The flight back was long, and cold, the brilliant surge of emotions her Spark had filled her with, left her feeling empty, hollow, as her wings steadily carried her back. Both Trines had emerged intact, but only two of the Vehicons could make it back under their own power. They both had extended towing cables, and dragged a third, badly damaged, inactive Vehicon behind them. The Autobots, in a desperate move, had managed to retrieve the body of Blurr, before they made good their escape, and careful defensive fire had limited the injuries they took in their escape. Four autobots had been severely injured, with a handful of others untouched, the rest sustaining minor to moderate damage. Blurr was their only true casualty, his broken body sheltered like a fallen martyr, in the heart of their retreating forces. Thinking of his shattered form brought back echoes of her Spark's all-consuming sorrow, and her circuits trembled in sympathy.
When they finally returned, Megatron and Starscream bore silent witness to their arrival. Her only acknowledgement was a nod, from Genesis, as she landed, and a gesture for her to return to her quarters. Coldly, she stepped past him, not favoring him with more than a moment's glance.

When she plugged into her berth, at last, a message downloaded itself to her.

"Alex,

There's a reason for the way I've been treating you, but I can't talk about it. Soundwave's keeping track of everything you do. Be careful not to let him behind you. There's some way that he can download the thoughts straight from your mind.

You did good work, today. I heard about what happened. I think your actions just bought you a stay of execution; Without you, we'd have lost him. Megatron refuses to believe as much, at least out loud, but I think he agrees with me.

Semper Fi,
Genesis."

His use of her name, and the phrase 'Semper Fi' indicated that he truly was Genesis, as the others didn't seem to have any real knowledge of humankind, especially small details like those. She allowed herself a small smile, before shutting down her optics, and going into rest mode. She felt her body slowly knitting itself back together, circuits thrumming with energy, as she began to drift.

And then she began to dream.