Optimus part Fifteen.

Shockwave grabbed Botanica by the arm and pulled her up before shoving her over to the ship. She crashed against the hull. Jetfire recovered and charged, but with one mighty punch Shockwave sent Jetfire flying back with a crater in his chest. Botanica turned. Shockwave stood before her. He was grievously damaged, not a single part of him wasn’t deformed in some way. She saw where he broke or cut the fused panels and parts of his body to regain motion, and his left arm remained partially melted into a single mass. He must’ve endured great pain transforming. His face, or what he had in place of one, was lopsided, one of his “ears” was bent sideways, the other was melted down to a nub. His eye was misshapen, the lens that tinted it red was missing, leaving it an orange-yellow, but it burned bright regardless. “I have been looking for you, Autobot.” He said, his voice sounded tinny and raspy. “What for?” Botanica could think of nothing else to say. “Revenge.” He answered. She half nodded, supposing it was a stupid question. Shockwave moved his right arm over to his left, and awkwardly, and painfully, pulled panels lose, allowing him to draw his weapon from it. He pointed it at Botanica who thought fast, pushing it aside. She contorted and slithered around him, shoulder-checking him into the ship hull. He swung at her, hitting the side of her head and she went down. Shockwave lined up for another shot, but Botanica quickly rolled away and he vaporized a sizable hole where she used to be. No longer seeking to stun, Shockwave’s cannon was at full power, and he fired it like a madman. He let out and enraged growl, like an animal. It unnerved Botanica almost more than the threat of death. She dived, glided and rolled across the ground, dodging as many shots as possible. One shot clipped the ship, creating a neat dip in it’s roof. “Guess I won’t be flying that ever again.” Botanica groaned before having to evade more blasts. Shockwave, tired of the obstacle, reached to change the setting of his weapon with his weak arm. Botanica saw the opening and stood. She deployed her hip mounted guns and took aim, charging as she did. Shockwave saw this and hurried with his gun. Botanica fired. So did Shockwave. Their energy beams collided in a massive discharge of his weapon’s positrons and Botanica’s energized electrons. They cancelled each other out, leaving both weapons depleted. However unlike Botanica, Shockwave’s weapon was not fuelled directly by his own systems, and he did not just lose the ability to stand. Shockwave panted like a rabid dog from the battle as he trudged over to the energy-depleted Botanica. He grabbed her by the throat with his good arm and held her up, her stalk dangled. Shockwave squeezed, more with the intent to make her head pop off than restrict energy supply. Botanica clawed at him, but without energy it was about as effective as mouse in the claws of a wild cat. Just as the world began to darken, Shockwave’s arm separated at the elbow. Botanica fell, Shockwave merely stood still, and between them was Jetfire, his blade separating the ground between them. “That hurt.” Jetfire said. He backhanded Shockwave, still stunned from the sudden loss of his arm. But it did not last, as Shockwave managed to land on his feet. Jetfire charged, making another swing, but Shockwave ducked and swept Jetfire’s legs from under him. As Jetfire fell Shockwave jumped, intent on landing on Jetfire’s head. But the behemoth was quicker than he appeared and was able to roll to the side. Shockwave roundhouse-kicked at Jetfire, who parried with his left arm and swung his blade with his right. Shockwave leaned back, expertly avoiding the attack, and retaliated with more kicks. Jetfire blocked them all, but was blindsided by a swing from Shockwave’s limp arm. Momentarily dazed Shockwave curled up, dropped to the ground, and pushed Jetfire back and upwards with his legs. Shockwave, determined to not leave without his vengeance satisfied, turned back to Botanica. Her watched as she crawled into her ship, damaged and depleted of energy. Shockwave turned to give chase, but his left leg buckled and he fell. Summoning all his will he limped on, seething with anger. Botanica had crawled all the way to the med bay and pulled herself inside. Shockwave limped inside. “Autobot!” He snarled, limping towards her. Botanica scrambled as fast as she could away from the insane robot. As she pulled herself into the bay she hit the lock and the door slammed shut. Shockwave roared like a rabid beast and bashed against the door. It dented, and Botanica knew she was trapped. She looked around, and saw the stasis pod. She crawled over, her energy levels were beyond red. The door began to dent and spilt as Shockwave relentlessly battered his way in. Botanica quickly crawled into the pod as the inner screen lit up. “Please find something, please find something…” She repeated over the crashing at the door. The pod hissed as it sealed the hatch and began it’s work. Outside the hull an electromagnetic scanner deployed, sending waves through the air, looking for any non-Cybertronian machines. Shockwave snarled and roared like a madman as he bashed the door down through a series of violent shoulder-checks and head butts until finally the door broke inward. As he looked up, his single cracked eye burning, he was struck by something small and fast. He barely flinched, but whatever it was escaped past him, and he took off after it. “You can’t run, Autobot!” He screamed. “I will have my revenge for what you did!” He snarled to himself as he limped after it. As he exited the ship he looked around, knowing she couldn’t have gotten far. From behind him he heard a voice. “Heads up.” Shockwave turned and from atop the ship a likewise teal and green vehicle leaped down, this time with enough force to stun him. It hit the ground behind Shockwave, screeching as his U-turned. The small car split apart in the turn’s momentum, the headlights were sucked inward, the windshield cracked and slid over itself, the doors pulling apart into thin arms, the wheels moved up to the hips and shoulders, the roof flipping open to reveal the head, and Botanica finished by flipping out her newly rebuilt and recharged cannons. She fired, forks of lightning catching Shockwave, but instead of melting him, they pulled him forward, into a backhand swipe from Botanica. Shockwave flew back, scorched, dented, melted, torn apart, down on one knee, but still alive. “I…” He said, his voice so distorted it barely sounded as such. “I was once… the most decorated Decepticon general of all of Cybertron’s history… I have destroyed legions of hundreds, thousands… of soldiers less than you…” He looked up, his eye burned bright white, glowing liquid dripped out. “I was to be part of a revolution!” He screamed. “I am the most powerful Cybertronian alive! What are you!?” “I’m a hybrid.” Botanica said. She began to fire, but Shockwave suddenly leaped forward in a flash, flailing his limp arm and knocking her aside. He furiously kicked and stomped her. Every time Botanica tried to block or move she was hit again. “You are nothing!” He screamed, each word in time with another blow. “I have spent years a broken robot, and finally after eons I am restored, and what happens? I am attacked by a lowly scientist!” He kept kicking, Botanica could no longer even attempt to block. “I am left to die, frozen in a state of perpetual pain! Unable to move, unable to even scream!” He gave one final kick and Botanica landed in a heap. Shockwave growled. Then became unnervingly placid. “Though I suppose I should at least give you thanks for letting me finally enjoy my revenge on Obsidian before you melted me. Otherwise I’d not know the pleasure of what I’m about to-” Shockwave’s words were cut short by a red hot blade sprouting from his chest. “That really hurt.” Jetfire said from behind. Shockwave stuttered, his eye flickered, but he didn’t fall. Instead he turned his head. He turned it all the way around until he was staring Jetfire in the face. His eye grew in intensity until it discharged a laser blast powerful enough to send Jetfire reeling backwards, tripping and falling against the ship. The sword still plunged through his torso, Shockwave turned. He turned back to Botanica, intent on finishing her at least. He pressed his foot against her head and leaned, putting his weight on his one leg. Just as he added force, however, he was knocked aside by an impact to his limp arm. A red blur circled him, a hail of bullets and rockets peppering him. He could barely hear it over the screaming and cursing coming from his attacker. Road Rage stopped and transformed into a back flip in time to avoid a boulder thrown by Ironhide. It smashed and crumbled against Shockwave who reeled from the impact. Before he could even react he was pulled forward by a hook lodged in his chest, directly into Optimus’ fist. Optimus then grabbed Shockwave in a headlock, crushing the Decepticon’ head in his grip and tossing him aside. As Shockwave stumbled Optimus slid towards him and delivered a powerful punch to Shockwave’s midsection. Bits of purple metal and gears shot outward as Shockwave finally fell, the only sign of life being the crackling of Jetfire’s blade, still lodged deep into Shockwave’s back. Optimus wasted no time running to Botanica’s aide, while Ironhide and Road Rage attended to Jetfire, who stubbornly refused help. Optimus carefully slung Botanica’s arm over his back and carefully helped her up. “I’m fine,” She said. “Just got the wind knocked out of me is all.” “Sure thing, tough guy,” Optimus said. “Looks like we got here just in time.” Road Rage said in a cheesy voice before returning to her chipper demeanour. “That fire was bogus.” Ironhide said. “It was a massive bonfire set on top of a grassless hill, it was never a real forest fire.” “But I guess it almost worked.” Road Rage said. “I’ll admit,” Botanica said. “Shockwave came very close to killing me, but then Jetfire intervened.” Botanica looked up appreciatively at Jetfire, Ironhide sarcastically elbowed him. “Way to go, old man!” He said. Road rage nodded and held his arm. Jetfire simply stood there, looking confused as ever. Optimus laughed, then looked at Botanica. “New duds?” He referred to her slightly altered body. “Eve with them I was no match,” She said. “Shockwave’s either got amazing power, amazing determination, or both-” Her speech trailed off as she looked to where Shockwave lay, or rather where he did not. Where there was once a seemingly deceased Shockwave lay only Jetfire’s sword. Botanica blinked and shook her head. “Let’s get in the ship.” The Autobots, sans Jetfire, made their way into the vessel. Jetfire patiently waited outside, sitting next to their mill by the stream which miraculously avoided collateral damage. The Autobots sat in the cockpit, looking out at him. “So about Jetfire…” Optimus said. “Are you still gonna bring him in?” Botanica leaned on the dashboard. She was physically and emotionally drained, and Optimus saw she was no doubt extremely conflicted. She seemed about to break, but then became very calm. “Bring him in?” She turned to Optimus. “Why bring him in when I’ve already disposed of him?” Optimus seemed confused, then understood. Botanica reached over and typed away and a keypad on the dashboard. A screen next to it lit up and information scrolled across. “Now all that’s left to do is mark my mission as complete…” She hit a key and the screen beeped before turning green, then winking off. “…And we won’t have to worry about anyone else coming around looking for him.” Optimus smiled and nodded. Road Rage made little fats paced claps with her hands, Ironhide gave the thumbs up. Botanica leaned back in the chair, a smile on her face. Until she noticed a small blinking light at the corner of the dashboard. She flipped up a small screen next to it that likewise blinked red. “What’s that?” Ironhide said. “It’s the homing beacon.” Botanica said with concern. She typed away. “It must have been activated, well, back when the Decepticons had the ship. “But that’s good!” Road Rage said. “More friends coming, right?” Botanica looked back, a worried expression on her green face. “Well, yes,“ Botanica said. “Unless your ship was recently in the hands of Decepticons who reprogrammed it to squawk on their frequency with the express purpose of alerting more Decepticons of it’s location?” She said, her voice trailing into a squeak. The Autobots all started at the beacon that had not only been active for days, but was broadcasting as far as the next solar system. “Well…” Optimus said. “…Poop.”