Chapter 10

The last few days had been very interesting to say the least. First Ratchet had received a message from the republic that they were sending their best pilot to retrieve Master Kota. So after a day of planning a ship landed in front of the base and a blond woman named Juno had stepped out. Jack didn't really mind her except she was very formal, she was standing straight and always had her hands behind her back and addressed him and the others as sir or ma'am (he really hated that).

Before Juno and Kota had left, Juno said that she had a warning for Jack, and it was a warning that had slightly frightened him. 'I cant believe that Vader is close to earth' Jack thought to himself as he made a plan for when Vader did come to earth. He always knew that Vader was going to come for him, but had hoped that vader would be to busy with the war to worry about him... apparently that wasn't the case. Vader was close and he was coming for him.

A couple of days after that Jack had found out that the decepticon Breakdown was captured by MECH. Optimus had decided that they were going to rescue him before MECH had learned anything from him. Bulkhead didn't like that plan and had stayed behind but was later convinced by MIko that if Breakdown died then Bulkhead would never be able to beat him himself. In the end though they had saved him.

Today, Jack planned on doing nothing but resting on the couch at the base... or at least that 'was' the plan.

Jack sighed as he folded his hands behind his head and laid back in the sun and stretched his legs on the slab of rock that he was currently sitting on, it would have been comfortable if it wasn't for the whining girl beside him.

"We're supposed to be at a rock concert, but all I see is ROCK" Miko said as she motioned to the mountain and the cave that was in front of them.

"relax MIko the show doesn't start for two hours" Jack said, trying to calm his friend down.

"Do you know how long I have waited to see Slash Monkey?" Miko asked glaring at Jack

"uh..."

"FOREVER, and its their only U.S. date" Miko cried throwing her hands up in the air.

"There's a shock. I mean, who doesn't love obscure Bulgarian shriek metal?" Jack asked sarcastically

Their conversation was cut off by the loud foot steps and a faint beeping sound, Turning around they saw Bulkhead, Arcee, and Airachnid walking out of the mine.

"By all appearances, the mines been stripped." Arcee told said to the others.

"But I'm getting a signal. It's faint, but it's definitely energon." Bulkhead said as he looked at the device in his hand.

"Whoa" Miko said in amazement as she looked at Jack, who narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"That doesn't make any sense. This operation has been abandoned four, maybe five years. And decepticons never leave energon behind." Airachnid said with a thoughtful expression.

"Uh, guys" Jack said getting the autobots attention before pointing a finger to the entrance of the mine.

once they looked over they saw a faint outline of Mikos running form as she ran into the mine "COOL!" They heard echo through the mine.

"She went in. Unbelievable." Arcee said with a hand on her hip.

"Really? Have you...met her?" Jack asked as he stood between Airachnid and Arcee.

[groans] "MIKO!" Bulkhead called out as he ran back into the mine.

"It would be pretty interesting to see, you know if it were - " Jack started to say, but was cut off by Arcee.

"safe? A stripped mine can be structurally unstable, Jack." Arcee told him.

"I promise to step lightly" Jack said as he motioned to his human body.

[sighs] "Just don't tell your mom" Arcee said as she walked back into the mine.

Jack and airachnid shared a smile as they followed behind her. Sadly, once they walked inside they didn't see Megatron and Starscream fly to the front of the mine and transform.

o~O~o

"Uh, Lord Megatron, Far be it from me to question your intentions, but I do not understand why we've returned here after all this time... alone" Starscream said with fright.

Megatron didn't say anything, but walked to the front of the mine.

"Uh... Every last trace of energon was extracted from this mine. There's nothing left." Starscream said as he stopped at the front of the mine.

Megatron turned back, "Indulge me, Starscream, wont you?"

o~O~o

"MIKO!" Bulkhead called out. "MI-"

"CHECK IT OUT! Now, this would make an awesome rehearsal space." Miko said as she motioned to the empty cavern in the mine. [echoing] HELLO! HELLO, CLEVELAND! ARE YOU READY TO ROCK!? WHOO-HOO-OW!" Miko cried as she spun around.

Bulkhead heard the faint beeping sound and radioed Arcee, "Arcee... found something."

"Bulkhead? Bulkhead, do you read?" [static] "Scrap. the mineral composition down here must be causing interference." Arcee said.

"Ok, maybe the acoustics aren't perfect." Miko told Bulkhead.

[sighs] "Well, we're here. Ratchet's going to want a sample." Bulkhead said as he walked to a wall and transformed his hand into a mace and started punching the wall, breaking pieces of it off.

o~O~o

Megatron and Starscream were walking through the mine until they found three energon drills. "How interesting" Megatron said as he gave a pointed look over to Starscream, who was shaking and wimpering in fear.

Star scream was shaking in fear before he realized that he needed to play the tough guy, [groan] "Incompetent fools!" He yelled as he walked to the drills. "This mining equipment should have been relocated. Why is it still here!?" he yelled. "A most valid question" he head Megatron say from behind him, making him shake and duck down.

"My apologies, master. I believe Soundwave was in charge of coordinating transport." Starscream said as he tried to shift blame, but only got a growl as a reply. "But in fairness, during you interstellar travels, we all had to assume additional responsibilities. Clearly, mistakes were made." Starscream rambled nervously.

"Yes. Clearly" Megatron said before turning and punching his fist through the wall of the cave, making Starscream gasp. Megatron brought his hand out from the wall and help a chunck of energon in his hand. "Every last trace of energon extracted?" he asked Starscream.

"Lord Megatron, I can explain." Starscream said as he backed away.

"Explain what?" That you've been hoarding a supply of energon for your own personal use." Megatron said as he dropped the energon onto the cave floor.

"NO! Not exactly. You see, I-" Starscream tried to explain but was cut off by Megatron stomping his foot and crushing the energon beneath it.

"Do not take me for a fool, Starscream!" Megatron yelled out in anger, making Starscream stammer and shake. "I have been wise to your transgressions from the beginning. Not only did you pluck the dark energon from my chest in a failed attempt to snuff my spark, but you tried to raise your own undead warrior with it. Its no secret that you lost your arm in the process, which you've since had replaced." Megatron said as he walked closer and closer to Starscream.

"You know about that!?" Starscream asked loudly in shock. "Soundwave in quite competent at surveillance, I can assure you. The fact is, Starscream, despite your treachery, I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in following your string of failures. But you've finally become tiresome, predictable. You've hit rock bottom." Megatron said as he aimed his arm cannon at Starscreams face and charged it up.

[whimpering] Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!" Starscream begged as he fell to his knees.

Jack was walking ahead of Arcee and Airachnid and checking the cave wall until he came to a cavern where he heard voices. Looking over he froze when he saw Megatron and Starscream. "You have ceased to be of anymore use to me, Starscream, so you shall simply cease to be." he head Megatron tell Starscream as he was about to fire. He saw Starscream pathetically whimper and cover his face with his arms until he looked over and saw Jack, Which made Megatron look over and see Jack, and a second later he saw Arcee and Airachnid who were frozen as well.

Every one narrowed their eyes at each other before Megatron growled loudly and fired three shots at the trio. Arcee and Airachnid dodged theirs but jack simply raised his hand and used the force to make the shot miss and go over his head. Arcee tried to shoot back but was forced to hide behind a rock piller as megatron kept shooting at her and walking towards her.

While Megatron was shooting at the bots and at their human, Starscream saw this as his chance to escape and ran out of the cavern an to the cave that lead to the door. The problem was that he felt the need t scream as he ran which drew Megatrons attention to him.

"Starscream, you dare abandon me?!" Megatron yelled before he turned his cannon to his former second in command and started firing at him which made Starscream transform into his jet form and try to fly away but was hit by a falling rock and was forced to watch as the front of the cave was blocked by the falling rocks, "NOOO" Starscream yelled as the front of the cave was blocked off.

While Megatron was busy shooting at Starscream, Arcee saw her opportunity to shoot at Megatron while his back was turned. Sadly her small blasters were not enough to damage Megatrons large frame, once Megatron felt the small blasts to his back, he turned around and attempted to shoot back. But Airachnid a very good shot and shot at his arm, but Megatron had already started shooting and when his arm snapped up because of the shots, he accidently shot at the ceiling, making the unstable mine fall apart.

Jack, Arcee and Airachnid tried to run but the floor broke out from under them and the ceiling fell on top of them.A boulder fell on top of airaqchnids leg, making her cry out in pain. Jack was beside her and saw that the ceiling was about to crash down on top of them. Thinking quickly Jack used the force and pushed Arcee away from him and Airachnid, and then used the force to make a protective dome around Airachnid and him self as Boulders and rocks fell all around them and on top of them.

Bulkhead and Miko were exploring the cavern when the cave started shaking. Bulkhead new what was happening and grabbed miko before running as fast as he could out of the cavern, but sadly didn't get very far before a boulder hit his arm and he accidently dropped Miko. "Miko" Bulkhead yelled as bulders and rocks fell from the ceiling and formed a wall and blocked him from getting to her.

Miko felt Bulkheads grip on her loosen and she fell to the ground. She still felt the ground shake so she covered her head with her arms and pulled her legs up close to her body, and waited for the shaking to stop. Once the shaking stopped, Miko stood and coughed from the heavy dust that was around her. Looking around she tried to find Bulkhead, but couldn't find a trace of him, [echoing] Bulkhead! Bulkhead" she cried as she looked around, but didn't see a trace of him. She looked around the cavern and saw a hole that was big enough to crawl through. She didn't know if the others were hurt or not, so she dicided to look for them herself. With that thought in mind she walked over to the hole and started to crawl through.

Airachnid wiped the dust out of her optics with her fingers and looked around the cavern, she didn't see anyone and was starting to get a little scared, her leg was injured and she didn't know if the others were ok.

"Are you ok" she heard Jacks voice say. Spinning around she saw her crush standing there with his hands above his head and a hard set look on his face. Airachnid looked above her head and saw that there was nothing to hold the ceiling up, so why wasn't it crushing them. Looking again at Jack, she saw that his face was scrunched up in concentration and his hands were shaking slightly. It clicked in her head that Jack was using the force to keep the roof from falling on top of them.

"Jack, are you ok?" Airachnid asked with concern on her face.

"Peachy" He replied back. "Don't worry, Airachnid, I've got everything under control. I just hope that Arcee and the others are safe, cause we could definitely use some help.' Jack said with a frown.

"Don't worry, Jack, I'll get us out of here." Airachnid said as she tried to stand, but ended up falling back down. Seeing no other option she crawled over to the wall and started moving rock out of the way. Normally she would have used her spider legs to carry herself so she wouldn't strain herself, but there wasn't enough room in here and she didn't want to put anymore strain on Jack.

o~O~o

Starscream finally managed to push his body out of the rubble that was blocking the door to the mine. Standing to his full height, he turned to the front of the mine and started laughing evilly. "Predictable, master? Is that what you called me? Well, now who has hit rock bottom?" He said before mockingly putting his hand over his 'ear', "What's that? I cant hear you beneath all of that rubble!" He said as he started laughing again. "Farewell, lord Megatron. May you rust in peace." he said as he started to walk away, but stopped after taking a few steps. "But you have survived far worse. If you managed to free yourself, you would blame me for your setback, and there is nowhere that I could possibly escape from your wrath. Or, worse yet, your mindless followers will come looking for you, and take credit for your rescue- credit that could rightfully be mine! RAAAH! MEGATRON!" Starscream yelled out in anger.

Miko was walking through the rubble as she tried to find her friends, [echoing] "Bulkhead! Arcee! Jack!" she called as she looked around the destroyed mine. Her thoughts were pulled to the sound of falling rocks, and was surprised when she saw a decepticon drill, "Well, that could come in handy." she said as she walked towards it.

Airachnid was grunting as she pulled rocks from the wall, she knew that she had been doing this for a few hours and it looked like she hadn't done anything. She tried to hide her leg from Jack so he wouldn't see she was losing more energon from her wounds, but Jack could tell that she was feeling weak. He was proven right when Airachnid tried to lift a big rock and her arms gave out and she dropped it and fell on her back.

"Airachnid!" Jack called out in worry.

"I'm fine, Jack" She said as she tried to pickup the rock again but dropped it a second time.

"No, you're not." He said as if he was scolding a child.

"I just need to rest for a second." She said as she tried to cover her leg would so she wouldn't lose anymore energon.

"Airachnid, listen to me, there is no more energon down here, if you keep pushing your self, you will die from energon loss." Jack told her.

"Ok what if I slowed down, lifted less" she said as she tried to move her body, but didn't have the strength.

"Mo, you need to stop... now." he said in a hard voice.

"I cant, Jack. I have to get you out of here." she said in a scared voice as she tried to move again, but fell for the thirde and finally stopped for a little while.

"Airachnid, please. Don't worry about me." Jack told her as he heard more rocks settling and felt more weight being added to the load that he was holding. "I'm fine" he told her in a strained voice as he tried to hide how tired he was becoming.

Miko climbed the drill and found the controls, so she hit a series of random buttons and did a fist pump when the screens flickered on. "Roll out" she said as she turned on the drill bit and drove the drill forward.

Jack was breathing heavily when he heard the sounds of drilling in the mine. "Do you hear that?"

"Sounds like-"

"Drilling. It has got to be either Arcee or Bulkhead and Miko." he told her.

"We're in... here! Here!" Airachnid cried out weakly.

"Airachnid, Grabe something and bang it on the wall. Can you do that?"

"What about your lightsabers?" she asked, thinking that she could melt the rocks with them.

"They were damaged from the fall and the rocks, they don't work" He said as he looked at the lightsabers that were bent and scuffed up.

Airachnid nodded sadly ad grabbed a rock before walking to the wall and started beating the rock on the wall.

Miko drilled another hole in the wall and was about to call out when she stopped in fright when she saw what she had uncovered, or in this case who she had uncovered.

Megatron turned his head and looked out of the hole, "I suppose helping those less fortunate would be completely out of the question." He told the scared girl who was covered in the red light from his optics. "if that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. I guarantee you will never have a better opportunity then right 'now'. " He said with a growl.

Miko looked at the drill bit before looking back at megatron with a look of confidence.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Think of the glory! seize the day! Optimus would." Megatron told her.

"No, he wouldn't. Not like this. And besides, even if Optimus doesn't kill you, my friend Jack will stop you before you ever hurt anyone on earth." Miko said as she climbed back into the seat and drove away.

"I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with Optimus- the day I rip out his spark!" Megatron called out to her, which she ignored. Once she was gone, Megatron forced his hand up to the hole and started pushing rocks away so he could escape.

Airachnid continued banging the rock on the wall so the others could hear her.

"Thatagirl" Jack called as he cheered her on in his head to take his mind off of how tired his arms were feeling. Sadly, Airachnids attention was cut off by the sound of some of the smaller rocks falling to the ground and rocks moving above her head.

"What was that?" she asked as she looked around the cavern.

"Nothing. go on. keep banging." Jack told her as his arms shook and he groaned and more rocks fell to the ground.

"Jack, what's happening? Tell me!" She cried, worried about Jack.

"My arms, they are starting to give and I don't know how much longer I can keep the roof from falling on top of us. I am so tired." he said as a little blood started to fall from his nose from the strain.

Airachnids face changed from worry to horror. She watched as Blood fell from his nose, how his arms and legs shook, and how he seemed to be hurting. "Does it hurt?" she asked with fear and pain in her voice.

[grunts] " a little." Jack said as he his arm fell a little, the pile of rocks falling with it.

"JACK!" Airachnid cried as she covered her mouth in worry.

"Helps coming. We just have to guide them here. Hit the wall again." Jack told Airachnid, who looked even more scared for him. "Airachnid, do it"

Airachnid grabbed the rock again and started to bang it on the wall, but after a few times her arm gave out and she slumped down.

"Are they any closer?" Jack asked.

"I cant tell. I cant narrow down the sound in here." Airachnid said, but stopped talking when they heard thudding and watched as the wall started moving. Airachnid smiled and turned to look at Jack.

"Ha-ha, Yes!" Jack cried out in happiness.

"Arcee found us!" Airachnid said in happiness. But that happiness went away when the wall exploded and evil laughter came before they saw Starscream.

"Put any doubt of my allegiance to rest." Starscream announced, before looking and realizing that he didn't find Megatron. Looking in he realized that he found Airachnid with an autobot symbol on her shoulder, and the male human that made a fool out of him on the nemesis.

"What's he doing down here?" Airachnid cried out as she looked at starscream in fear, she didn't even have enough energon to shoot at him and Jack was busy with the ceiling.

"Airachnid get behind me! Now! " Jack yelled out in alarm.

Airachnid crawled over to Jack, just as Starscream pushed his way through the rest of the rubble.

"Well, well, if it Airachnid and her pet vermin. My, my, you sure do have your hands full, don't you, boy?" Starscream taunted with a smile.

"Do what ever you want to me, Starscream, but let Airachnid go!" Jack cried out, as he knew that Starscream was still holding a grudge.

"No! I'm not leaving you." Airachnid cried as she moved closer to Jack.

"It would appear that the traitor wishes to remain. Starscream said as he reached out t grab her, but she moved out of the way.

"Starscream, don't push me!" Jack yelled in anger.

"You like playing with the little humans, don't you, traitor?" Starscream asked as he reached out to her.

Jack saw him reach out to Airachnid and lifted a boulder that fallen and sent it flying to Starscreams face, making him fly back and hit the wall. Jack groaned as he lowered himself to his knees, the weight was becoming to much.

[growls] That's it, Vermin... I will..."

"you'll what? Make me drop the ceiling on top of all of us!" Jack exclaimed. "Run, Airachnid!" Jack cried as he prepaired to fight starscream.

Airachnid shook her head and placed her hand on Jack's back.

"Yes, run, Airachnid. I would love to see you try. Really, I would." Starscream taunted, but turned his head when he head the sound of drilling that was getting closer. A few seconds later a purple drill bit came through the wall and slammed in to Starscream, barley missing Jack.

Jack looked and saw that Miko was on the drill and Bulkhead was behind her, (I didn't want to write how Miko found Bulkhead. Just know that she found him before she found Jack) "Bulkhead get Airachnid out of here...Now!" Jack cried out.

Bulkhead heard the urgency in Jacks voice and ran to Airachnid , who was trying to crawl away from him.

"Run, Airachnid" Jack yelled as more blood came from his nose and his arms shook uncontrollably.

Airachnid felt energon tears fall from her eyes as Bulkhead grabbed her in his arms and ran out of the cavern, with miko behind him. [crying] "We cant leave Jack!" she cried as Bulkhead ran down the cave.

Starscream stood up once they were gone and turned to Jack, "And then there were two."

Airachnid continued to cry as Bulkhead ran stopped running and turned to another cave. "Arcee will save him, wont she?" Airachnid cried.

"We just have to get out of here before Megatron digs himself free" Bulkhead said as he continued to run, but stopped when a he saw another cybertronion step out of the shadows, making the others gasp.

Starscream stood over Jack chuckling. "If you think I am going to beg for mercy, Starscream. forget it." Jack said with a hard face.

"Yes, begging for mercy would be quite pathetic, wouldn't it? No, you're much more valuable to me alive. Imagine Megatron's appreciation when I not only rescue him but deliver the human that has caused the decepticons so much trouble. I believe that would restore my stature quite nicely." Starscream said as he made a thin cut on Jacks face with his sharp finger, but froze when he heard the sound of a weapon being charged up from behind him. Turning around he saw the autobot arcee aiming her blaster at his face.

"Don't move, Starscream." She said, before turning her head and looking at Jack, "Hey, Jack"

"Hey, Arcee" Jack said with relief on his face.

"Raise your hands" Arcee commanded as she nudged her gun closer to starscreams face.

"Aww" Starscream said as he slumped over in defeat.

o~O~o

Arcee was carrying Jack and Miko, while Bulkhead carried Airachnid, they set them down when they walked outside the mine before turning back and facing the front. "We could finish them here and now." Arcee said.

"Shame we didn't bring any grenades." Bulkhead exclaimed as he slammed his fists together.

"Would Optimus... finish them?" Jack asked as his cloak flowed in the breeze.

"No. He probably wouldn't. Not like this." Arcee sad as she shook her head.

"But Optimus wouldn't rescue them, either, right?" Miko asked as she held on to Jacks arm.

"Lets go home" Bulkhead said as he picked up airachnid and everyone walked away.

o~O~o

Starscream was struggling to hold the ceiling above his head, he wasn't strong enough to hold it up for long. He turned his head and gasped when he saw Megatron standing at the doorway of the cavern, "Master! You're alive! Thank the allspark!" He exclaimed with a smile, which went away when he saw that Megatron wasn't going to help him. "I...I did not abandon you, Master! I returned...to save you!"

"Save me?" Megatron asked

"Look into my spark, lord Megatron. My intentions were true." He said. "Please! Have mercy!" He cried out to Megatron, who just narrowed his eyes and grinned.

Hey guys, here is chapter 10 (Whoo-hoo!)

Untill next time!