Transformers - Robots in Disguise

206 - Alternating Currents, part 2

by Mike Watson

"Hightower!" X-Brawn yelled.  He ran over to the fallen Autobot, Sideburn followed quickly.

"Is he-?" Sideburn didn't want to finish.

X-Brawn flipped Hightower over so his face wasn't in the dirt.  His right arm had been completely ripped off and had taken a lot of his shoulder with it.  The huge gash left where his arm once was sparked with open wires.  Some of them were struggling to repair themselves, as was evident by a few small soldering tools that somehow had survived the blast.

"His internal repairs are working!" X-Brawn cried.  "He's alive!"

"Not for long if we don't do something!" Prowl yelled from behind them.

Scourge had literally just jumped from the ledge and was now walking towards the Autobots.  "You can't stop me," he said.  "I will destroy you and all and the rest will follow."

"Not a chance, pal!" Prowl yelled, transforming and driving, full speed, towards the approaching Scourge.  Scourge simply fired a few blasts, one of which missed by only a few feet, but caused the ground in front of Prowl to explode and his car mode to flip over and slide back towards the others.

"I'm not your pal," Scourge said, disgust in his voice.

"Sideburn," X-Brawn said.  "Think of something!"

"What do you want me to do?!" Sideburn yelled.

"Not the time to argue, guys!" Prowl said.  The three of them were slowly edging back from Scourge, who was walking slowly as if to prove nothing could stop him.  They had to drag Hightower, which only slowed them down a lot more.

Scourge drew his sword, which was brighter than it had ever been before.  Without a word he raised it above his head, about to strike a blow that would probably kill all four Autobots, when he suddenly stopped and doubled over, dropping his sword.

"What's...happening?" Scourge struggled to talk.

"Let's get out of here," X-Brawn said.  The three of them picked up Hightower and ran off as quick as they could.

Scourge, meanwhile, fell to his knees.  He felt like he was frying from the inside.  "System diagnostics," he said.

"System energy depleted ninety-five percent.  Convert to vehicle mode, or stasis lock will commence," his internal computer chirped.

"Slag," Scourge sputtered.  "Transform," he said, reverting back to his truck form.  Just then Movor approached from overhead.

"Problems, boss?" he asked, lowering his altitude to only a few feet above Scourge.

"Get the machine ready again," Scourge commanded.  "I'll be there in a second."

Movor looked at Scourge for a second, who hadn't moved the whole time he'd been there, and flew back towards the mountain ledge.  Scourge slowly followed, near exhaustion.

					* * * * * *
					
"What happened to him?" Prowl asked, unsure of what to say.

"He boosted his power systems or something," Sideburn said.  "I'm not sure exactly how, but that sort of thing is punishing to the internal circuitry.  He can't keep it up for more than a few cycles at a time before recharging again."

"Recharging?" Prowl asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure if he did it once he has capability to do it again," Sideburn said.

"We have to stop him," Prowl said.  "If he recharges, he'll go on a rampage.  Not good."

"Right," Sideburn, looking down at Hightower.  "Slag.  What about Hightower?"

"Heavy Load will pick him up," Prowl said, clicking his link.  "Prowl to Heavy Load."

"What eez eet man?!" Heavy Load blared over the link.

"Come to my coordinates," Prowl instructed.

"What for, boss?" Heavy Load asked.

"Just come to my current coordinates, and alert Optimus," Prowl said.  "Prowl out."  He looked at X-Brawn and Sideburn.  "Let's go, boys."  The three of the transformed and sped back towards the mountain.

					* * * * * *
					
Scourge could feel the power again.  It revitalized him.  He let go of the handles, this time without falling backwards.  He squinted into the distance.  Three cars were approaching fast, clouds of dust behind them.  The Autobots.

"Need any help?" Mega-Octane asked, looking at Scourge.

"Nope," Scourge said, not looking at Mega-Octane.  He walked to the end of the ledge and jumped off it again.  The three cars screeched to a halt.

"Okay guys," Prowl said.  "Uh, don't let him shoot you."

"Great advice," X-Brawn muttered as the three of them quickly transformed.

Scourge wasted no time.  He drew his missile launcher and fired a single shot at the three Autobots.  The missile connected with the ground in front of Prowl and sent all three flying in opposite directions.

"That hurt," Sideburn groaned.  He flipped over on his back only to see Scourge looming over him.  Scourge reached down and picked up Sideburn, holding him by the engine block on his chest, and crushing it in the process.

"This will hurt more," Scourge said darkly, making a fist and pulling his arm back to strike.  Sideburn cringed and closed his eyes, expecting the worst.  But it never came.  Instead Scourge dropped him.  He opened his eyes to see that Scourge had been hit by Grimlock's shovel in the side.  The shovel had left a fairly large gash, but Scourge seemed unaffected.

"Come on, pal," Heavy Load said to Scourge.  He and Grimlock had somehow found the car Autobots and of course rescued them at the last second.

Scourge ignored Heavy Load's comment and aimed his gun at his two attackers.  Heavy Load was quick to put up his shield which absorbed the blast, however the power behind the blast also shattered his shield and sent him and Grimlock flying backwards a good distance.

"Don't you see!?" Scourge yelled.  "You cannot stop me!"

"Can too!" Prowl yelled.  He had snuck up behind Scourge before and had now jumped on his back, his arms wrapped around Scourge's neck.  Admittedly it wasn't the best plan, but it was meant to buy time while someone else could hopefully take him out.

"Fool!" Scourge yelled, grabbing Prowl with both hands.  Prowl tried to hold on, but Scourge's increased strength gave him a huge advantage.  He ripped Prowl off his back and tossed him in front of him like it was nothing.  "You will be first to go!" Scourge growled, aiming his gun at Prowl.

"No!" a voice came from behind.  Scourge spun around.  Wedge.  "You're after me!" the small Autobot said.  Hightower was standing behind him.  How was that possible?  No matter, he would destroy them both.

Scourge quickly ran towards Wedge, his sword drawn.  Wedge acted quickly as well, aiming his cannons at Scourge and firing.  However, the shots did nothing and Scourge continued his approach.  When he got to Wedge he raised his sword over his head and brought it down amazingly quick.  However, it seemed to move in slow motion to Wedge.  He was able to jump out of the way, barely in time, and the sword hit the ground, causing a huge spray of dirt and rock.

Scourge looked over to his side to see Wedge, chest panel open once again.  Wedge let out a blast that hit Scourge, pushing him backwards.  Wedge used this opportunity.  "Build team, unite!" he yelled.

In a flash Heavy Load and Grimlock ran over to Wedge and, along with Hightower, quickly connected to each other.  Heavy Load and Hightower formed the legs, with Grimlock unfolding to become the arms.  Wedge attached himself and Landfill was completed.

"Can we take him out?" Hightower asked, unheard by everyone except the Build Team.

"We have to," Wedge said.  "Let's go!"

"This has to end, Scourge," Landfill said.

Scourge slowly got to his feet.  He felt his side, where Wedge had blasted him.  It was torn open, but there was no pain.  He stood up straight.  "It will not!" he growled, holding his sword out in front of him.

"Very well," Landfill said.  "I will have to force it then."  He pulled out Hightower's rifle and pointed it at Scourge.  He fired.  Scourge was once again pushed back, a large cloud of smoke coming from him.

Scourge looked down at his chest.  There was a gaping hole in the left side.  He was sure the energon surge wouldn't last much longer either.  They had modified the cylinders for the maximum surge length, but there was no way to tell how long it would last.

"Man, he's unstoppable," Sideburn said.  The three cars had been watching the battle, not sure of what to do.  "But the energon surge has to end eventually."

"When?" X-Brawn asked.

"I have no idea," was all Sideburn could offer.

Scourge, meanwhile, was engaged in hand to hand combat with Landfill, who was quite a bit larger and bulkier than he was.  Landfill managed to fling Scourge towards the watching Autobots, who scattered, now caught in the middle of the two battling giants.

Scourge quickly scrambled to his feet and opened his chest panels, revealing his spark.  Suddenly it became much brighter.  "It's time to end this!" he yelled.

"What the heck is he doing?" Heavy Load asked.

"Spark channeling," Wedge said, amazed Scourge even knew how to do it.  "We have to do the same, it's the only way!"

Landfill opened his chest panel as well, bright light coming from it.  Then, nearly at the same time, Scourge and Landfill let out blasts of power, both of them connecting in the center, above the Autobot cars.

"Um, maybe we should run," X-Brawn said.

The point where the two beams connected began to spark, and suddenly expanded, engulfing the three Autobots.  Landfill watched, wide eyed, not sure of what to do next.

"I'm taking him out!" Hightower said.

"What?" Wedge said, surprised.

"It's the only way," Hightower said.  He detached himself from Landfill, transformed to robot mode and ran towards Scourge.

"I can't hold us together much longer!" Wedge said.  "Hang in there, guys!"

"Hanging!" Heavy Load replied.

Scourge looked curiously at the approaching Autobot.  Where was he coming from?  It was getting to be a chore to stay conscious at this point.  Then the Autobot was upon him.  Hightower tackled Scourge, full force, knocking him over.  It was fortunate too, because at the same instance Landfill's beam gave out and the combined robot fell apart into the smaller components.

Scourge looked forward.  The sky.  Looking down he saw a red Autobot.  The Autobot reached behind him and pulled out a handgun.  Now he was aiming it at Scourge's face.  A loud sound, and then darkness.
					
"You guys okay?" Wedge asked, looking over at Grimlock and Heavy Load on the ground next to him.

"Been better," Heavy Load remarked.  "But I could be worse."  Grimlock simply nodded.

"Holy slag," came from Hightower, now standing over the three fallen Autobot cars.  The remaining build team members ran over to Hightower.

"What happened to them?" Wedge said, not sure what to make of what he saw.

Laying in the dirt, the three car Autobots lie, unconscious, their forms unchanged, but their external colors altered.  Sideburn was now red instead of blue, Prowl had blue parts instead of being completely white, and X-Brawn had turned mostly white.

"Let's get them back to base," Wedge said.  Heavy Load and Hightower transformed and each carried Prowl and Sideburn, while Wedge and Grimlock hauled X-Brawn between the two of them.  They headed in the direction of the base.

A few minutes later Armorhide, Movor and Mega-Octane approached Scourge's mangled body.

"Does he function?" Mega-Octane asked.  Armorhide opened a panel on Scourge's arm and punched in a few buttons.

"Spark functional, stasis lock has commenced.  Internal repair cycle will complete in ten megacycles," Scourge's internal computer said.

"He's alive," Armorhide said, nodding.

Mega-Octane transformed to vehicle mode.  "Load him on," he instructed.  "We're getting out of here."

"What about then energon?" Movor asked, dragging Scourge over to Mega-Octane.

"It's broken up," Armorhide said.  "Useless.  A lost cause."

"Back to the ship, then?" Movor asked.

"As always," Mega-Octane answered.

					* * * * * *
					
"Prime, they're coming back!" Rapid Run yelled.  The Build Team members hauling the three car Autobots were in the distance, approaching the new base.

"Thank the Matrix," Prime said, rushing towards the his approaching soldiers.  "Where did you all run off to?!" he yelled, irritated.

"Calm down, big guy," Heavy Load said.

"I'm in no mood, Heavy Load," Optimus said, as he approached the seven, Rapid Run and Rail Spike behind him.  However, he stopped and his anger turned to amazement when he saw Sideburn, Prowl and X-Brawn.

"Yeah, we've got something to tell you too," Hightower said.

"Hoo, what happened to those boys?" Rapid Run remarked.

"It's a long story," Wedge said.

"We've got time," Optimus said.  "Are they okay?" he asked.

"They're in stasis," Wedge said.  "And their superstructures have been altered slightly, but otherwise they're fine."

Optimus looked down at the three, then back at Wedge.  "What exactly happened?"

					* * * * * *
					
"What happened?!" Megatron yelled, furious.

"It's a long story," Mega-Octane said.  Him and the other two Combaticons had nearly gotten into the Vertigo when Megatron burst out of the very place they were about to enter, stopping them.

Megatron looked at Mega-Octane's emotionless face, then at Armorhide's sneer, and finally at Movor, who was looking at the ground.  "Leave Scourge and me alone," he finally said.

"But, sir," Mega-Octane objected.

Megatron swiftly grabbed Mega-Octane, pinned him up against the side of the Vertigo and put the tip of his sword up against his throat.  "One more word and I will dismember your head and leave you for scrap," he growled.  "Understood?"

Mega-Octane only nodded.  Megatron let him go and he and the other two quickly ran into the Vertigo, leaving the limp body of Scourge behind.

Megatron smirked at Scourge, then knelt down next to the Decepticon.  Treacherous scum.  He would pay dearly for this.  Megatron pressed a few buttons on the back of Scourge's head.

"Warning, overriding stasis lock may cause loss of spark.  Continue anyway?" Scourge's computer asked.

"Proceed," Megatron said, no emotion in his voice.

"Accessing," the computer replied.  A few beeps and blips followed, and Scourge awoke, though it was hard to tell since he barely moved.

"Scourge," Megatron said, standing up.  Scourge, lying on his side, strained to look up at the Predacon.  "You have gone too far this time."

"Not far enough," Scourge struggled to speak.

"Indeed," Megatron said, turning his back to Scourge, redrawing his sword.  "A great leader once said that treachery requires no mistakes.  You have made a rather large one."  Megatron paused, looking at the horizon.  The sun was setting.  "You were defeated."

"And?" Scourge said bitterly, waiting for Megatron to strike.

"And nothing," Megatron said, turning around, his sword pointed at Scourge's chest.  Megatron eyed Scourge for a second, then squinted in suspicion.  He put his sword away and knelt down next to Scourge again.  He put his hand into the wound in Scourge's side, causing Scourge to groan in pain a little.  "Perhaps this will make up for your folly," Megatron said, pulling the golden disc from the compartment.

Megatron stood up and studied the disc for a second, then looked back down at Scourge.  "Perhaps not though," he said, taking his sword out again.  He then quickly drove it into Scourge's stomach.  All Scourge could do was yell in agony.

"Warning, cancel stasis lock override or spark will extinguish in one half a cycle," Scourge's computer chirped.

Megatron looked down at Scourge and smiled, Scourge stared up at the Predacon, his hatred growing every second.

"Spark extinguish will occur in one fourth a cycle," the computer said.

"How does it feel, knowing you're going to die, Scourge?" Megatron asked, putting the disc into his chest compartment.  "Knowing your mistake cost you ultimate price?"

"Fifteen clicks," the computer said, sounding somewhat alarmed.

"Kind of enlightening, isn't it?" Megatron said.  Scourge said nothing, though his eyes told what he was thinking.

"Five clicks, four clicks, three, two," the computer said.

"Cancel override," Megatron said.

"Acknowledged," the computer said.  "Stasis lock achieved, spark extinguish averted."

"Don't let it happen again," Megatron said, turning his back on Scourge and walking back into the Vertigo.

THE END