Post by Jazz Man Crothers on May 19, 2023 13:28:42 GMT -5
Renegades Reactivate: Prologue, Judgement Day
Bug couldn't remember the last time she saw a blue sky.
The shades of crimson clouds painted the late evening sky, barely allowing a glimpse of the atmosphere above. She looked at each cloud and was reminded of a game her mother taught her. Finding familiar shapes in the smokey textures of the clouds above. Bug remembered it was mostly forms of animals that caught her eye.
Nowadays, all she saw were monsters in the clouds. Twisted, unfriendly faces with threatening features. During a storm, those faces came to life when lightning flashed across the sky. Bug wished the rains that followed would wash the sky free of the clouds, but they never went away.
She had heard stories about the sky being red even when they were clear of clouds. They would say that matter where you were looking from, it was like heaven and hell had traded places. Bug was too young to understand the concept of the afterlife and internal damnation but the unnatural colour of the sky bothered her. It reminded her of the red stains she came across on the streets though out the city where she used to live.
Bug missed her home town of New York City. She only had a few memories of the area. Central Park's green hills, the local neighbourhoods where you could visit one culture, cross the street and enter a completely different world. She loved to look over the water from the top of the Statue of Liberty. But most of all, Bug loved the subway system.
Troy, Bug's older brother, used to take her down into the New York tunnel system. There, they could sneak into any building complex with an adjoining basement or garage. Troy was a graffiti writer and would show Bug how he and his crew would, as they called it, 'go bombing' any surface they could. Bug didn't understand the need to paint on walls illegally but she loved the art her brother made. And she had no fear when she went underground and even knew her way around the tunnels. That was one of the freedoms Bug missed most of all.
Bug now lived in a town called Utopia, far away from the city. It was full of blue-collar workers who worked at the local refinery. The refinery produced a product not originally of this planet; energon.
The refinery was designed and constructed to assist the Autobots in the war against the Decepticons. Alongside the workers were Autobot engineers and warriors whose job was to guard the refinery. The Decepticons never attacked and the supply of energon was always delivered to the Autobots without incident.
Until years ago, when the first alien ships appeared in the sky. All the people on Earth and the Autobots believed them to be more Decepticon reinforcements. Until a close analysis of the shops revealed they were not of Cybertronian design.
And as soon as the alien spaceships appeared so did the invasion of the planet. With so many alien crafts approaching the surface it was as if the sky was falling. And when they approached the surface, they didn't just land, they drove almost half of the bulk of their spaceships into the ground.
Then the swarm came.
From the alien spaceships came hordes of militarized troopers and nightmarish monsters. They littered the grounds and killed anything that breathed. More took to the air and hunted anything that moved. The larger ones tore apart anything that stood in its way. And the biggest ones, beasts that walked on all fours, knocked down any buildings in their path.
Nothing stood against them for long. Not even the Autobots.
The forces that kept the Decepticons at bay for so long were overwhelmed by the aliens. Their numbers were vast and their fury was merciless. Countermeasures were useless and strongholds fell. The most Earth's heroes from Cybertron could do was protect the humans as they tried to escape the massacre that sought to take their lives.
The situation was so bad that even the Decepticons were at their mercy. The Decepticons soon found out the aliens could not be reasoned with, even though it seemed they shared the same ideals. The Decepticons were viewed in the same vein as the humans and the Autobots; an obstacle that needed to be removed. And soon the Decepticon army experienced heavy losses. So bad in fact, they had no choice but to join forces with the humans and their sword enemies the Autobots.
Everything short of nuclear strikes was done to stop the aliens. And everything failed. And now, all the humans, Autobots and Decepticons could do was hide. The survivors of the first wave went underground and laid low, planning their next move and collecting all the ammo and supplies they could find. Also, whoever remained was tasked with finding those who had fallen in combat in the hope they could be reactivated.
That was all Bug knew about life. That the invaders, the aliens who were called the Legion, came to Earth to take what they wanted. No one knew for sure what they wanted, information was hard to get a hold of. But that didn't matter, what mattered was keeping the town and the people who lived there safe.
Sitting on the playground swing where she liked to daydream, Bug hardly swayed in the suspended seat. She hated how the swings would squeak when they were moving. But they were comfortable enough to sit in and get lost in thought.
The silence allowed her to concentrate on her thoughts and listen to whatever animals might be nearby. Birds were a rare sight these days. Mainly coyotes, wolves and deer roamed the lands and escaped farm animals. When it was quiet, it also meant Bug could hear if something large and unnatural was close by.
The familiar thump of giant, metallic feet registered in Bug's ears. They came closer at a decent pace but Bug wasn't scared. She turned around to look up and smiled at the friendly face smiling back.
"Hey kiddo, how you doing?"
"Good morning, Springer. I'm fine, thanks."
Springer, former second in command of the feared Autobot commando unit, the Wreckers, walked up next to Bug to join her. "You’re supposed to ask me now how am I doing, squirt."
"I know that. But you're always in a good mood so their no point in asking."
Springer chuckled. "You got me there, kiddo. Sharp as ever."
Springer decided to relax and sit down. He already had a busy morning, securing the area outside the town with troops and patrolling the skies. Now was his time to take a break if only for a few minutes. "So, what's on your mind, Bug? I hope you're not thinking of taking on any new adventures."
Bug had violated curfew a few days ago and it was Springer who found her, exploring the woods and collecting pinecones. "Oh don't bring that up. I was bored. It's boring here Springer. Take me on one of your patrols next time and I'll never do it again."
Springer liked Bug a lot. She made him laugh even after the toughest days. "It's not so simple, kiddo. It can get kind of hectic some days. And downright dangerous the next."
"Aww, hexanuts to that, Springer!" Bug said. "I've seen you in action. Watched you take down ten Legion troops by yourself. Ain't nothing you can't handle."
What Big said was true, to a point. There had been attacks, but Springer and his team of hand-picked Autobots and Decepticons had handled it. Almost with ease. "Easy, kiddo. Still, it's not something you should get caught in the middle of. And next time, watch the language."
Bug giggled and returned to looking at the clouds. "Springer, do you think my Mother and Father are in heaven? If so, I'm not sure heaven is what it used to be."
Springer understood enough about the human's belief in another place for their life force, or soul as they called it, to go after death. "Bug, I'm sure your parents are good no matter where they are."
"I know I'll never see them again. So I was wondering if maybe, me and you could go looking for my brother one day?"
"Sure, kid." Springer knew about Troy. But what he didn't want to say was all the evidence pointed to the chance that he was dead too. Springer didn't want to crush her last bit of hope. "One day. I promise."
"Autobot swear?"
Springer put a hand on his chest. "As an Autobot and a Wrecker, I swear to -"
The rumble off in the distance, the sound of approaching vehicles, engines in top gear broke the silence. Bug and Springer looked in the direction of the disturbance. It was covered up by the trees and impossible to tell who it was.
Then bursting out into the open came a two-wheeled vehicle, like a motorcycle but with no rider on top. Though it was large enough for a Cybertronian to use, the vehicle had no seat. Instead, a pod-like cockpit occupied that space. It sped up across the ground, moving toward the town.
Then more vehicles followed. Cars of all makes led by a mainly black race car. A tank followed, and rising from the tree, a helicopter joined the group.
The group of vehicles were dozens of meters away from the town and even further away from Bug and Springer. The former Wrecker was on his feet and pulled out electro-binoculars to get a closer look at who was approaching.
Bug stood on top of the swing seat. "Who are they, Springer? Can you see?"
Springer was too busy trying to make out if the approaching vehicles were friends or for to answer Bug. He focused on one vehicle after another and didn't recognize anyone as an Autobot or a Decepticon. But what he did see was an insignia that he didn't know.
Then Springer's question was answered when the tank fired. The top of the closest building outside town exploded, and soon the rest of the vehicles began to open fire as they got closer.
Springer put the electro-binoculars away. "Bug, go up the hill and find somewhere to hide."
"But I want to go with you!" The little girl protested.
"I mean it, go! This isn't an adventure, people's lives are at stake here."
Springer began to run towards the town, which had taken more hits from the tank and other heavy vehicles. Then jumping into the air, Springer transformed into helicopter mode and flew at top speed towards the town.
Bug didn't move. She watched from the playground, frozen. She has seen war before. What made her freeze up was the thought of losing all her friends again. And people who were almost like family to her. And most importantly, Springer.
Bug began to walk towards the town. She dragged her feet across the muddy grass, then got quicker. She started to pick up the pace and soon began running toward the chaos. She didn't care how loud it was or how close the explosions came, Bug needed to find anyone of her friends. She didn't want to lose everyone again.
She saw the Autobots and Decepticons fighting with robots she had never seen before. Townspeople were running, panicking and trying to get away. Some fought back, trying to aid their Cybertronian comrades but their weapons had little to no effect. Bug could feel the heat, the fires were growing, and the town was set ablaze by the battle. Families ran for their lives while others cried in pain, and begged for mercy or for God to save them.
Bug realized she was lost. With so much fire surrounding her, she didn't know where she was within the town.
But it didn't matter because all she saw was Springer.
Bug saw him, her Autobot friend, caught between three robots about his size, pummeling him with blow after blow. Springer had lost his rifle but still had his sword. She swung it at each robot only to have it blocked or countered. Bug could see that Springer was having trouble standing. Weakened by his wounds and loss of energon, Springer was in bad shape. Bug had never seen him like this before and it terrified her. Again the horrors of war were tearing down Bug's reality as she watched her friend, her hero, at the mercy of these unknown robots.
The amount of damage Springer had received was taking its toll. The Autobot began to move slower, clumsy, every action was a struggle to perform. Springer was barely able to defend himself as the enemy moved in, sensing they were close to landing the killing blow. And in a moment of hesitation, Springer second-guessed his opponent's next move, resulting in a costly mistake.
Springer screamed in agony as a sword was raked across his back. The Autobot arched his back and fell forward, knees hitting the ground. His opponents took a moment to taunt their foes before they decided to finish him off. At that moment, Springer looked up. "Bug?"
Bug found herself stepping forward, about to run to Springer when a foot came smashing down in front of her. Bug fell backwards and looked up to see sadist eyes staring at her.
"What do we have here?" Said the robot in a cold, female voice. Bug tried to move but couldn't. Fear had finally taken over her.
Before the blade that would take his head off struck, Springer rolled off to the side to avoid the fatal blow. The move caught his opponents off guard, allowing Springer to drive his sword into the midsection of one of the mechs, critically wounding him.
Springer now had two foes to fight but more importantly to him, he had to reach Bug. The two robots approached Springer, weapons raised high, held tight and ready to strike. Instead of waiting for them to make the first move, Springer did the unexpected.
The sword left Springer's hand and flipped through the air, coming to a stop in the chest of one of the robots. The other robot looked on, stunned by the sudden death of his comrade but only for a moment. When he returned his attention to Springer it was too late.
Springing through the air with his powerful legs, Springer crossed the distance between himself and the last robot in less than a second. He brought a right-handed punch down on faceoff his enemy, knocking him off his feet. Springer could have finished him off but he had other priorities.
Pulling his sword out of the dead robot, Springer ran for Bug. Any robot that got in his way, Springer knocked them aside. He would have transformed to either mode to get to Bug faster, but he feared he has suffered too much damage and could slow him down. Springer pushed himself to move faster, ignoring the pain, his wounds, and his inner warning system reporting that stasis lock was imminent due to the amount of loss energon.
Bug tried crawling backwards but it was no use, the larger robot followed her, taunting her like a hunter who had cornered their prey. "Where are you going?" Asked Bug's tormentor. "Where are you going to hide? Understand little one, no one can escape the wrath of the Renegades!"
Bug lost all hope as she watched the robot raise her foot above her. The awful realization came over Bug that she was about to be crushed with nothing she could do to stop her fate. She wanted to protest, she wanted to beg for her life but all that came out of Bug was a panicked scream. At the last moment, Bug turned away -
- and missed Springer coming up behind the robot as he tackled her from behind.
The two mechs flew a short distance over Bug and fell behind her. As they hit the ground, Springer got up to see if Bug was hurt. Seeing the little girl, crying but relieved to see her friend ok, Springer yelled at her. "Bug, get out of here!"
For his trouble, Springer received an elbow to his face. He rolled away to get some distance from his new opponent and got to his feet with a sword in hand. He saw the black and red robot was now armed with a blaster. But Springer's combat experience kicked in allowing him to react quickly and slice the weapon in her hand with one clean stroke. Then a kick to her midsection sent her flying back as Springer's legs were as powerful as any blunt melee weapon.
Springer, though low on energy, struck a battle stance and stood between his opponent and Bug. The black and red femech got to her feet despite the pain she felt from Springer's attack. And instead of a grimacing expression, her face wore a smile.
The femech again raised her foot and brought it down with all her might. The cracking of electricity cut through the air as the ground in front of her lit up with energy. Springer realized too late that a surge of electricity was travelling across the ground towards him. And before he knew it, Springer's body was engulfed in raw, burning energon.
Bug saw Springer fall hard. She couldn't believe it. She had seen Springer in action and had heard the stories of how he beat the odds, but now he laid their defeat and -
- Springer rolled over to look at Bug. The girl's face lit up with hope but she was also concerned, knowing how hurt Springer was.
Inner warnings flashed across Springer's optics. His systems were in crisis mode, threatening to shut down momentarily. With so much pain running through his body, Springer didn't need his internal cpu telling him so.
Springer spared a look at the black and red femech, and saw a group of the robots she came with approaching with her in the lead. Springer didn't think the end of the road was going to look like this, but a dead end is a dead end.
Stranding his head to look at Bug, Springer did his best to hide his emotions. "It's ok, kiddo. But you got to go. Go now. And don't look back."
Bug's head was shaking as she raised a hand towards Springer.
"Go, Bug. And don't look back. Don't you dare look back!"
No words came out when Bug tried to talk. She started to step back the more Springer yelled at her. And then, she did as she was told as she turned around and began to run away from the town.
Springer watched as Bug got further and further away until she disappeared into the trees. Unable to see her anymore, Springer turned his attention to the robots surrounding him. He saw no remorse in their faces, only hatred and spite. Springer knew what was coming. He just hoped they made it quick.
The femech was looking in the direction where Bug ran off in. "The rest of you watch him," She said as she pointed a finger at Springer. "I'm going after the child."
"Stop!"
Springer heard the voice. Full of dread and authority. All the robots began to back away from him as the femech stood where she was, obeying the command.
Up came a red, white and dark blue robot. Taller than the rest with large arms and legs. Despite his size, he looked fast. It wasn't the bulk that made Springer worry, it was the mech's optics. They were the optics of a dead robot, black and yet observant with a cold intelligence behind them. Springer had seen his share of warlords, but not like this.
The robot looked down at Springer, studying him. "I know you. You're part of the Wreckers. Or should I say the last of them? At least at the moment."
Springer spat at the robot, spitting energon on his leg. "Just get it over with, I don't have all night."
"Really?" Taunted the robot. "It doesn't look like you have better things to do. So I suppose in that case, it's time to die."
With a wave of his hand, the leader of the group ordered his troops to bear their weapons on Springer. Without another thought, every gun fired at point-blank range, hitting the downed Autobot all at once without mercy. Springer barely had time to register the pain before his spark chamber erupted, sending a surge of energy through his system, destroying his cerebro-cortex.
Bug heard the gunfire as she ran. She didn't stop, she kept going, knowing that Springer gave his life for hers. She wished she had listened to him earlier, maybe he would have still been alive. The thought made her cry more but also run faster. She had no destination but she knew that once she stopped running, she would be there and she would be safe.
"Put him with the rest." The leader said as he looked at what remained of Springer. "And cease the attack on the town. It's ours now. And we need the humans to produce the energon. Round them up and take inventory."
"What about the small one?" Asked the femech.
The leader looked at the trees where Bug had disappeared. "We need only the significant ones. Get rid of the weak, the wounded and the old. But be sure to gather the young ones. They have a favourable work expectancy, also they can be used to motivate slaves into working more proficiently when they tire and slow down."
"As you command, my Leigh."
The leader turned away as his troops carried Springer’s dead body away and the femech repeated his orders to his troops. He ignored the fires raging behind him as they consumed the town. Instead, he looked out at the surrounding area, which in his mind was now his. As the rest of the world would soon be. It would be all his after every human, every Autobot and Decepticon and every alien calling themselves the Legion were gone. He wouldn't stop until they were all gone or until all were Renegade!
Bug couldn't remember the last time she saw a blue sky.
The shades of crimson clouds painted the late evening sky, barely allowing a glimpse of the atmosphere above. She looked at each cloud and was reminded of a game her mother taught her. Finding familiar shapes in the smokey textures of the clouds above. Bug remembered it was mostly forms of animals that caught her eye.
Nowadays, all she saw were monsters in the clouds. Twisted, unfriendly faces with threatening features. During a storm, those faces came to life when lightning flashed across the sky. Bug wished the rains that followed would wash the sky free of the clouds, but they never went away.
She had heard stories about the sky being red even when they were clear of clouds. They would say that matter where you were looking from, it was like heaven and hell had traded places. Bug was too young to understand the concept of the afterlife and internal damnation but the unnatural colour of the sky bothered her. It reminded her of the red stains she came across on the streets though out the city where she used to live.
Bug missed her home town of New York City. She only had a few memories of the area. Central Park's green hills, the local neighbourhoods where you could visit one culture, cross the street and enter a completely different world. She loved to look over the water from the top of the Statue of Liberty. But most of all, Bug loved the subway system.
Troy, Bug's older brother, used to take her down into the New York tunnel system. There, they could sneak into any building complex with an adjoining basement or garage. Troy was a graffiti writer and would show Bug how he and his crew would, as they called it, 'go bombing' any surface they could. Bug didn't understand the need to paint on walls illegally but she loved the art her brother made. And she had no fear when she went underground and even knew her way around the tunnels. That was one of the freedoms Bug missed most of all.
Bug now lived in a town called Utopia, far away from the city. It was full of blue-collar workers who worked at the local refinery. The refinery produced a product not originally of this planet; energon.
The refinery was designed and constructed to assist the Autobots in the war against the Decepticons. Alongside the workers were Autobot engineers and warriors whose job was to guard the refinery. The Decepticons never attacked and the supply of energon was always delivered to the Autobots without incident.
Until years ago, when the first alien ships appeared in the sky. All the people on Earth and the Autobots believed them to be more Decepticon reinforcements. Until a close analysis of the shops revealed they were not of Cybertronian design.
And as soon as the alien spaceships appeared so did the invasion of the planet. With so many alien crafts approaching the surface it was as if the sky was falling. And when they approached the surface, they didn't just land, they drove almost half of the bulk of their spaceships into the ground.
Then the swarm came.
From the alien spaceships came hordes of militarized troopers and nightmarish monsters. They littered the grounds and killed anything that breathed. More took to the air and hunted anything that moved. The larger ones tore apart anything that stood in its way. And the biggest ones, beasts that walked on all fours, knocked down any buildings in their path.
Nothing stood against them for long. Not even the Autobots.
The forces that kept the Decepticons at bay for so long were overwhelmed by the aliens. Their numbers were vast and their fury was merciless. Countermeasures were useless and strongholds fell. The most Earth's heroes from Cybertron could do was protect the humans as they tried to escape the massacre that sought to take their lives.
The situation was so bad that even the Decepticons were at their mercy. The Decepticons soon found out the aliens could not be reasoned with, even though it seemed they shared the same ideals. The Decepticons were viewed in the same vein as the humans and the Autobots; an obstacle that needed to be removed. And soon the Decepticon army experienced heavy losses. So bad in fact, they had no choice but to join forces with the humans and their sword enemies the Autobots.
Everything short of nuclear strikes was done to stop the aliens. And everything failed. And now, all the humans, Autobots and Decepticons could do was hide. The survivors of the first wave went underground and laid low, planning their next move and collecting all the ammo and supplies they could find. Also, whoever remained was tasked with finding those who had fallen in combat in the hope they could be reactivated.
That was all Bug knew about life. That the invaders, the aliens who were called the Legion, came to Earth to take what they wanted. No one knew for sure what they wanted, information was hard to get a hold of. But that didn't matter, what mattered was keeping the town and the people who lived there safe.
Sitting on the playground swing where she liked to daydream, Bug hardly swayed in the suspended seat. She hated how the swings would squeak when they were moving. But they were comfortable enough to sit in and get lost in thought.
The silence allowed her to concentrate on her thoughts and listen to whatever animals might be nearby. Birds were a rare sight these days. Mainly coyotes, wolves and deer roamed the lands and escaped farm animals. When it was quiet, it also meant Bug could hear if something large and unnatural was close by.
The familiar thump of giant, metallic feet registered in Bug's ears. They came closer at a decent pace but Bug wasn't scared. She turned around to look up and smiled at the friendly face smiling back.
"Hey kiddo, how you doing?"
"Good morning, Springer. I'm fine, thanks."
Springer, former second in command of the feared Autobot commando unit, the Wreckers, walked up next to Bug to join her. "You’re supposed to ask me now how am I doing, squirt."
"I know that. But you're always in a good mood so their no point in asking."
Springer chuckled. "You got me there, kiddo. Sharp as ever."
Springer decided to relax and sit down. He already had a busy morning, securing the area outside the town with troops and patrolling the skies. Now was his time to take a break if only for a few minutes. "So, what's on your mind, Bug? I hope you're not thinking of taking on any new adventures."
Bug had violated curfew a few days ago and it was Springer who found her, exploring the woods and collecting pinecones. "Oh don't bring that up. I was bored. It's boring here Springer. Take me on one of your patrols next time and I'll never do it again."
Springer liked Bug a lot. She made him laugh even after the toughest days. "It's not so simple, kiddo. It can get kind of hectic some days. And downright dangerous the next."
"Aww, hexanuts to that, Springer!" Bug said. "I've seen you in action. Watched you take down ten Legion troops by yourself. Ain't nothing you can't handle."
What Big said was true, to a point. There had been attacks, but Springer and his team of hand-picked Autobots and Decepticons had handled it. Almost with ease. "Easy, kiddo. Still, it's not something you should get caught in the middle of. And next time, watch the language."
Bug giggled and returned to looking at the clouds. "Springer, do you think my Mother and Father are in heaven? If so, I'm not sure heaven is what it used to be."
Springer understood enough about the human's belief in another place for their life force, or soul as they called it, to go after death. "Bug, I'm sure your parents are good no matter where they are."
"I know I'll never see them again. So I was wondering if maybe, me and you could go looking for my brother one day?"
"Sure, kid." Springer knew about Troy. But what he didn't want to say was all the evidence pointed to the chance that he was dead too. Springer didn't want to crush her last bit of hope. "One day. I promise."
"Autobot swear?"
Springer put a hand on his chest. "As an Autobot and a Wrecker, I swear to -"
The rumble off in the distance, the sound of approaching vehicles, engines in top gear broke the silence. Bug and Springer looked in the direction of the disturbance. It was covered up by the trees and impossible to tell who it was.
Then bursting out into the open came a two-wheeled vehicle, like a motorcycle but with no rider on top. Though it was large enough for a Cybertronian to use, the vehicle had no seat. Instead, a pod-like cockpit occupied that space. It sped up across the ground, moving toward the town.
Then more vehicles followed. Cars of all makes led by a mainly black race car. A tank followed, and rising from the tree, a helicopter joined the group.
The group of vehicles were dozens of meters away from the town and even further away from Bug and Springer. The former Wrecker was on his feet and pulled out electro-binoculars to get a closer look at who was approaching.
Bug stood on top of the swing seat. "Who are they, Springer? Can you see?"
Springer was too busy trying to make out if the approaching vehicles were friends or for to answer Bug. He focused on one vehicle after another and didn't recognize anyone as an Autobot or a Decepticon. But what he did see was an insignia that he didn't know.
Then Springer's question was answered when the tank fired. The top of the closest building outside town exploded, and soon the rest of the vehicles began to open fire as they got closer.
Springer put the electro-binoculars away. "Bug, go up the hill and find somewhere to hide."
"But I want to go with you!" The little girl protested.
"I mean it, go! This isn't an adventure, people's lives are at stake here."
Springer began to run towards the town, which had taken more hits from the tank and other heavy vehicles. Then jumping into the air, Springer transformed into helicopter mode and flew at top speed towards the town.
Bug didn't move. She watched from the playground, frozen. She has seen war before. What made her freeze up was the thought of losing all her friends again. And people who were almost like family to her. And most importantly, Springer.
Bug began to walk towards the town. She dragged her feet across the muddy grass, then got quicker. She started to pick up the pace and soon began running toward the chaos. She didn't care how loud it was or how close the explosions came, Bug needed to find anyone of her friends. She didn't want to lose everyone again.
She saw the Autobots and Decepticons fighting with robots she had never seen before. Townspeople were running, panicking and trying to get away. Some fought back, trying to aid their Cybertronian comrades but their weapons had little to no effect. Bug could feel the heat, the fires were growing, and the town was set ablaze by the battle. Families ran for their lives while others cried in pain, and begged for mercy or for God to save them.
Bug realized she was lost. With so much fire surrounding her, she didn't know where she was within the town.
But it didn't matter because all she saw was Springer.
Bug saw him, her Autobot friend, caught between three robots about his size, pummeling him with blow after blow. Springer had lost his rifle but still had his sword. She swung it at each robot only to have it blocked or countered. Bug could see that Springer was having trouble standing. Weakened by his wounds and loss of energon, Springer was in bad shape. Bug had never seen him like this before and it terrified her. Again the horrors of war were tearing down Bug's reality as she watched her friend, her hero, at the mercy of these unknown robots.
The amount of damage Springer had received was taking its toll. The Autobot began to move slower, clumsy, every action was a struggle to perform. Springer was barely able to defend himself as the enemy moved in, sensing they were close to landing the killing blow. And in a moment of hesitation, Springer second-guessed his opponent's next move, resulting in a costly mistake.
Springer screamed in agony as a sword was raked across his back. The Autobot arched his back and fell forward, knees hitting the ground. His opponents took a moment to taunt their foes before they decided to finish him off. At that moment, Springer looked up. "Bug?"
Bug found herself stepping forward, about to run to Springer when a foot came smashing down in front of her. Bug fell backwards and looked up to see sadist eyes staring at her.
"What do we have here?" Said the robot in a cold, female voice. Bug tried to move but couldn't. Fear had finally taken over her.
Before the blade that would take his head off struck, Springer rolled off to the side to avoid the fatal blow. The move caught his opponents off guard, allowing Springer to drive his sword into the midsection of one of the mechs, critically wounding him.
Springer now had two foes to fight but more importantly to him, he had to reach Bug. The two robots approached Springer, weapons raised high, held tight and ready to strike. Instead of waiting for them to make the first move, Springer did the unexpected.
The sword left Springer's hand and flipped through the air, coming to a stop in the chest of one of the robots. The other robot looked on, stunned by the sudden death of his comrade but only for a moment. When he returned his attention to Springer it was too late.
Springing through the air with his powerful legs, Springer crossed the distance between himself and the last robot in less than a second. He brought a right-handed punch down on faceoff his enemy, knocking him off his feet. Springer could have finished him off but he had other priorities.
Pulling his sword out of the dead robot, Springer ran for Bug. Any robot that got in his way, Springer knocked them aside. He would have transformed to either mode to get to Bug faster, but he feared he has suffered too much damage and could slow him down. Springer pushed himself to move faster, ignoring the pain, his wounds, and his inner warning system reporting that stasis lock was imminent due to the amount of loss energon.
Bug tried crawling backwards but it was no use, the larger robot followed her, taunting her like a hunter who had cornered their prey. "Where are you going?" Asked Bug's tormentor. "Where are you going to hide? Understand little one, no one can escape the wrath of the Renegades!"
Bug lost all hope as she watched the robot raise her foot above her. The awful realization came over Bug that she was about to be crushed with nothing she could do to stop her fate. She wanted to protest, she wanted to beg for her life but all that came out of Bug was a panicked scream. At the last moment, Bug turned away -
- and missed Springer coming up behind the robot as he tackled her from behind.
The two mechs flew a short distance over Bug and fell behind her. As they hit the ground, Springer got up to see if Bug was hurt. Seeing the little girl, crying but relieved to see her friend ok, Springer yelled at her. "Bug, get out of here!"
For his trouble, Springer received an elbow to his face. He rolled away to get some distance from his new opponent and got to his feet with a sword in hand. He saw the black and red robot was now armed with a blaster. But Springer's combat experience kicked in allowing him to react quickly and slice the weapon in her hand with one clean stroke. Then a kick to her midsection sent her flying back as Springer's legs were as powerful as any blunt melee weapon.
Springer, though low on energy, struck a battle stance and stood between his opponent and Bug. The black and red femech got to her feet despite the pain she felt from Springer's attack. And instead of a grimacing expression, her face wore a smile.
The femech again raised her foot and brought it down with all her might. The cracking of electricity cut through the air as the ground in front of her lit up with energy. Springer realized too late that a surge of electricity was travelling across the ground towards him. And before he knew it, Springer's body was engulfed in raw, burning energon.
Bug saw Springer fall hard. She couldn't believe it. She had seen Springer in action and had heard the stories of how he beat the odds, but now he laid their defeat and -
- Springer rolled over to look at Bug. The girl's face lit up with hope but she was also concerned, knowing how hurt Springer was.
Inner warnings flashed across Springer's optics. His systems were in crisis mode, threatening to shut down momentarily. With so much pain running through his body, Springer didn't need his internal cpu telling him so.
Springer spared a look at the black and red femech, and saw a group of the robots she came with approaching with her in the lead. Springer didn't think the end of the road was going to look like this, but a dead end is a dead end.
Stranding his head to look at Bug, Springer did his best to hide his emotions. "It's ok, kiddo. But you got to go. Go now. And don't look back."
Bug's head was shaking as she raised a hand towards Springer.
"Go, Bug. And don't look back. Don't you dare look back!"
No words came out when Bug tried to talk. She started to step back the more Springer yelled at her. And then, she did as she was told as she turned around and began to run away from the town.
Springer watched as Bug got further and further away until she disappeared into the trees. Unable to see her anymore, Springer turned his attention to the robots surrounding him. He saw no remorse in their faces, only hatred and spite. Springer knew what was coming. He just hoped they made it quick.
The femech was looking in the direction where Bug ran off in. "The rest of you watch him," She said as she pointed a finger at Springer. "I'm going after the child."
"Stop!"
Springer heard the voice. Full of dread and authority. All the robots began to back away from him as the femech stood where she was, obeying the command.
Up came a red, white and dark blue robot. Taller than the rest with large arms and legs. Despite his size, he looked fast. It wasn't the bulk that made Springer worry, it was the mech's optics. They were the optics of a dead robot, black and yet observant with a cold intelligence behind them. Springer had seen his share of warlords, but not like this.
The robot looked down at Springer, studying him. "I know you. You're part of the Wreckers. Or should I say the last of them? At least at the moment."
Springer spat at the robot, spitting energon on his leg. "Just get it over with, I don't have all night."
"Really?" Taunted the robot. "It doesn't look like you have better things to do. So I suppose in that case, it's time to die."
With a wave of his hand, the leader of the group ordered his troops to bear their weapons on Springer. Without another thought, every gun fired at point-blank range, hitting the downed Autobot all at once without mercy. Springer barely had time to register the pain before his spark chamber erupted, sending a surge of energy through his system, destroying his cerebro-cortex.
Bug heard the gunfire as she ran. She didn't stop, she kept going, knowing that Springer gave his life for hers. She wished she had listened to him earlier, maybe he would have still been alive. The thought made her cry more but also run faster. She had no destination but she knew that once she stopped running, she would be there and she would be safe.
"Put him with the rest." The leader said as he looked at what remained of Springer. "And cease the attack on the town. It's ours now. And we need the humans to produce the energon. Round them up and take inventory."
"What about the small one?" Asked the femech.
The leader looked at the trees where Bug had disappeared. "We need only the significant ones. Get rid of the weak, the wounded and the old. But be sure to gather the young ones. They have a favourable work expectancy, also they can be used to motivate slaves into working more proficiently when they tire and slow down."
"As you command, my Leigh."
The leader turned away as his troops carried Springer’s dead body away and the femech repeated his orders to his troops. He ignored the fires raging behind him as they consumed the town. Instead, he looked out at the surrounding area, which in his mind was now his. As the rest of the world would soon be. It would be all his after every human, every Autobot and Decepticon and every alien calling themselves the Legion were gone. He wouldn't stop until they were all gone or until all were Renegade!
