Chapter 15 - Broken

Ankmor

Hookshot stared, red optics focused on a point beyond the Autobot's head. She'd tried reasoning with the Constructicon, but appealing to his better side had failed completely.
''Maybe so, if you were a Decepticon and Krusher was having one of his random hissy fits.'' Hookshot had said, his voice flat and uncaring.
The Autobot formerly known as the Decepticon Jetstream wriggled fruitlesly against her heavy bonds once again, and once again, to no avail. Her energy levels were running dangerously low, but at least the flow of escaping Energon had been stemmed.
''If you help me get out of these,'' she had said, fidgeting to indicate the thick chains and the old support girder she was bound to, ''I could see abou-''
''No.'' He'd said flatly, cutting her off mid-bribe.
Then his optics found hers and locked in. He held her gaze for a moment.
''You stole a dead mech's identity. I may be considered one of many evils nowadays, but even I think that's wrong. You can't steal a good, hardworking mech's identity once they've keeled over no matter what faction they were. It's not right. Even I know that.'' He rumbled bitterly.
He then went silent, his gaze sliding elsewhere. His processor throbbed and buzzed, and his body was still having a hard time recovering. He put a large, purple alloyed hand flat on the floor, his metallic expression rearranging itself into one of mild puzzlement. The ground was vibrating. It was very faint, but it was. Something was comming. It was either something very big, or a lot of somethings. Either which way, the small tremors were growing in intensity every second. He listened hard, but the static in his audio receptors decided to take that moment to become a loud nuisance. He growled something and cast a look at the captured Autobot. She was looking around with a mixture of interest and worry upon her own features.

Hookshot grunted something and heaved himself upright, shimmying up the wall he had been sat against. He swayed momentarily on his feet before lurching across to one of the computers. He pressed several of the buttons in sequence and the monitor fizzed with static of all colours. A few more buttons were pressed in sequence and the static cleared enough for him to see the view from atop the building. A large tank was trailing a fire engine, a car and four relatively small Constructicons. Flying above them, keeping pace, was a deep green military helicopter.
''Oh slag...'' He muttered and turned around, optics wide.
''It's Raid.'' The Autobot commented quietly, a hint of hope edging her voice.
The rumbling was more solid now, and the noise of engines cut through the fading day. Hookshot made a staggering run to one corner of the room, disappearing into the shadows that seperated two computer work stations. The former Jetstream heard a door being force open then closed. She wriggled against her bonds, putting as much energy into it as she could, steam escaping her mouth as the laboured movements started to overheat her systems. The noise of engines came to an abrupt halt. She paused in her efforts to listen. Then familiar voices echoed in whispers down the main corridoor.
''There's only one here.'' Flashpoint said quietly. ''Directly ahead, in the main control room.''
She swallowed her pride and lifted her head, looking out into the main corridoor.
''Help!'' She shouted, the word leaving her as an embarrassingly feeble whine.
''Friend or foe?'' Shouted an unfamiliar, worried sounding voice from the darkness.
She swore. Her infrared was starting to fail horribly, leaving her with a mass of randomnly placed heat signatures in her vision.
''Friend.'' She replied weakly, albeit slightly annoyed.

Raid was the first to enter through the gaping hole that was all that remained of the doorway. Flashpoint and Deadmetal appeared at his sides, while the four Constructicons and Blue Falcon fought to get a view into the room.
''It's Jetstream!'' Commented Blue Falcon bitterly.
''I'm an Autobot spy,'' She said. ''My unit commander is Juggernaut. I've been working as a Decepticon under the guise of Jetstream for quite some time now.''
''Why should we believe you?'' Blue Falcon snorted from behind Flashpoint. ''Afterall, you've tried killing us numorous times.''
''True... And I'm truly sorry about that, but if I didn't act like a Decepticon, then I'd have been found out.'' She said.
''Looks like you already have been found out.'' Wrench said from somewhere within the mass of bodies, his two red optics the only things visible.
Raid stepped forward and the others piled into the doorway.
''Woah... What a mess...'' Shrapnel commented absently as he took in the room.
''Yep. Got Galaxy written all over it.'' Flashpoint said with some semblance of a sigh.
''What's your designation, soldier?'' Raid rumbled as he towered over her.
''Turbine, sir.'' She said.
There was a brief flicker of recognition behind his lenses.
''Thought I recognised the voice.'' He said and leaned down, prying the bonds apart. ''I may require some help. These chains are tough.'' He grunted.
''Stand aside, I got this in the bucket!'' Lokjaw said as he stepped in to the room.
Raid gave him an odd look and caught Flashpoint putting a hand to his face and shaking his head solemnly out of the corner of his vision. Deadmetal merely chuckled in amusement.

''All right, let's see...'' Lokjaw mumbled as he crouched down and inspected the chains.
Turbine looked over her shoulder and watched him with curiosity.
''I didn't realise you had some Constructicons on your team.'' She said slowly as Lokjaw started burning through the thick bonds with his intergrated blow torch.
''We didn't.'' Blue Falcon said flatly, still not keen on the idea of having a member of the team wearing Decepticon insignias.
''Galaxy 'persuaded' them, from what I gather.'' Flashpoint said.
''Absolutely. It were an offer we couldn't refuse.'' Shrapnel said brightly.
''Well, we could've. It'd just ended up in lots of death.'' Sideblast muttered, almost to himself.
''Such a nice female. Very polite.'' Wrench added unnervingly cheerfully.
Sideblast glared at him momentarily whilst everyone else, Turbine included, gave him an odd look.
''What? You ever been threatened by her before?'' He said mildly defensively.
''Many times.'' Raid said.
''Then you know how scary it is!''
Raid gave a quick grin and returned his attention to the welder.

''Nearly there...'' Lokjaw said.
There was en masse clattering as the chains fell away, piling up on the floor and across Turbine's lap. She leaned forward, gently and carefully flexing her arms and the remains of her wings. She winced as several pops and creaks rang out. She opened her mouth to say something, but Flashpoint was already bearing down on her.
''Let's get you into the medical bay.'' He said and heaved her to her feet.
''Gundog, I want you up on the roof keeping look out. Blue Falcon, Lokjaw, the main gates. Sideblast, Shrapnel, the back door. Wrench, you're with me. We're gonna go find Speeder. Let no Decepticon get near, understand?'' Raid said. ''And until Galaxy returns to us, Deadmetal's in charge.''
There was a chorus of Yessir's and Raid walked out, Wrench following closely behind.


Gygax

Krusher rolled and bounced across the ground, sparks skittering as he went. He came to an abrupt halt against a chunk of felled bridge. The wrecked, metal corpse of a dead Autobot hung limply over the piece of charred and twisted roadway, dark optics staring blankly at him. Energon bubbled into his mouth and pain seared through his systems. He wondered how he was still online and how Galaxy was still functioning perfectly.
''Oh now, don't lookit me like that.'' She purred dangerously as she encroached on him. ''Y'know I like challenges. And I know you do too.''
Krusher hauled himself back to his feet, his body creaking and clickling, sparks fountaining from every joint. Several pieces of his armour had been torn away and discarded as if they were nothing more than mere household waste. Beneath all that forboding armour, she mused, he was actually quite slender and delicate looking. He drew himself to his full height, locking gazes defiantly. He had no ammunition left and to use his EMP or plasma based weaponry would render him unconscious. He'd much rather go out seeing what was happening, than die in sleep mode. He lurched and used what momentum he could muster to throw himself at her. They collided with an almighty CLANG. Galaxy staggered backwards as Krusher worked his fingers into a seam between her armour. He heaved and metal gave a grudging moan as it started to buckled and peel away, trailing a dribble of Energon and a few sparks. Galaxy growled and finally managed to pull him off of her body. She held him out at arm's length, his feet on the floor, but not being of any support. She had a large hand around his neck. She looked him dead in the optic, that one remaining, undamaged visual sensor gleaming with a malicious red. He smiled at her as she brought her other hand up, gripping his right shoulder.

''It's been an honour fighting you, Galaxy.'' He rumbled, his voice filled with static. ''You were a good student and you've evolved into a fine warrior. It's just a shame you decided to defect from our cause.''
''You're a slaggin' good teacher, Krusher, I'll admit. Your choice in faction and friends just let you down.'' She said, her grip suddenly tightening. ''I hope you find peace from whatever demons haunt your Spark.''
Krusher gave one last smile. It wasn't a cruel or a bitter smile. It was a welcoming, warm smile. His optic dimmed. Galaxy heaved, pulling his body apart in a flurry of sparks, Energon streaming down from the two pieces of the Decepticon. She grunted and let him drop to the floor. She turned around. She was one of the few left on the battle field that was still alive. She could see Ironhide and the remnants of his unit walking slowly across the carnage, finishing off any still functioning Decepticons and gathering their fallen comrades.
''Gundog? You still out there?'' She transmitted.
There was a shout from the opposite side of the basin. All optics focused on the location where it had come from. One of Ironhide's unit scrabbled through the debris and bodies and hauled him from his hiding place, grinning like an idiot, weapons still smoking. Galaxy looked down at the Krusher's remains. A lone spark jumped for freedom from his left hand. She silently made her way across the basin towards Gundog.
''I got 'im.'' She said, picking him up and depositing him over her shoulder. ''I need to get back to my own unit and see that this one gets some medical attention before he shuts down. Think you guys can cope without an extra set of hands for the clean-up?''
''Yessir. We have more on the way to help and sort through the deceased.'' The scarred Autobot said and paused, casting a mildly worried look at Gundog who was hanging over her shoulder, playing with a loose bit of armour and singing softly to himself in a low, burbling tone.
''He's lost a lot of Energon.'' Galaxy commented.


Nyxen 3 - Bresham

A Doberman and a Dalmation dressed in the dark blue uniform of police officers looked down at the white sheet that was tented in the corner of the old yard. The Crime Scene Investigation unit was swarming the place and their chief was slowly running out of questions to ask the two officers.
''So you just found him as is.'' The Pug said.
''Yeah. No fur, no flesh, just bones.'' The Doberman said bleakly.
His partner looked as if he was about to lose his lunch.
''Not even a foot print to suggest who did it.'' He shrugged helplessly.
''Yeeaah...'' The chief said slowly, with a hint of annoyance. ''There isn't even any finger prints.''
''I'm wonderin' why anybody would want to skin someone!'' The Dalmation exclaimed, still horrified by the discovery.
''If we find out, we'll let you know.'' The chief said. ''But right now, you better get yer partner here some water and possibly some counsillin' too.''
''That might be an idea.'' The officer conceded with a slow nod. ''C'mon man, let's go. Jerry and Sue are here to take over guard duty.''
He put a paw on his partner's shoulder and guided him out back into the street where various people were gathering to gawk at the sudden influx of police officers.


Lurking on the otherside of town, Spinner hauled his two old potatoe sacks into the undergrowth of an old park. In one sack was the pelt of the luckless George Furman, neatly folded so as not to get too much blood on the fur. In the second sack that was slung over his shoulder was the contents of the Fox's body. Everything from his soleus muscles to his gall bladder was squeezed haphazardly into the large sack. It was a blessing that it was only now that the contents of that particular heavy sack had decided to start dribbling red across the ground. It would be few more days until the police would see fit to extend their search throughout the entire town. By then he'd be long gone, and on the otherside of the galaxy, trading in the pieces of organic for something much more valuable. What that was, though, he wasn't entirely sure. He'd have to browse the shelves once he got there.

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