Chapter Text
Razorblade had decided to let Wheeljack drive as he called it. And, just like that, they were off. Windstride was flying faster than he ever had before, but also quieter than he ever had before.
Wheeljack and Nightspark were pressing themselves as flat as possible for more aerodynamics while Razorblade was standing on behind them so she could see where they were going. She was surprised that she hadn’t fallen. She glanced back at Argon and Starwing. She signaled for them to fly closer to Windstride so they wouldn’t get left behind in Windstride’s sudden speed.
As soon as Windstride was close enough to the ground, Razorblade flipped off and landed on her feet. She felt as graceful as Smokie was in his younger years.
After Windstride landed and Wheeljack and Nightspark had gotten off and after Starwing and Argon had landed and Windstride had shifted into his proto-form, Razorblade started to climb the back wall, and signaled for the others to follow, but had Windstride stay.
Once on the top, she found the hole that Windstride had burst out of when they had escaped. She spotted a cable that was hanging down and slipped down it, the others right behind her.
I guess the predacons don’t use this space. She thought. Because it looks like it hasn’t been used.
Under the cable was a small outcropping. After the outcropping were two rods. After the rods was another outcropping. Razorblade carefully stepped across them and made it to the other side.
Nightspark hesitated, as if he thought the rods wouldn’t hold his weight. He finally went and made it across to his surprise. Wheeljack came after, not hesitating one bit.
Off to the right of the second outcropping were two cables with a rod connecting them at the bottom. Razorblade stepped on the rod slowly and started to swing to two vertical rods. On the other side of that looked like the end of this maze.
Razorblade heard something snap under her feet.
Her reflexes took action and she jumped to one side and hung on the cable on that side. She looked down to see that one of the cables had snapped and she was now clinging to the other for dear life.
“Razorblade!” Nightspark whispered just loud enough for Razorblade to hear, his voice echoing in the dark cavern area.
“I’m fine,” Razorblade replied, trying to find her way out of this.
She started swinging her legs back and forth and back again, making herself swing. Once close enough, she leaped to the first rod and clung to it, the others right behind her. She then reached for the other rod and successfully leaped to the second and then to the outcropping and nearly fell out into the base. There were even more predacons now than when they lost the Nemesis!
She turned to the others. “There’s even more than before!” she whispered to them. “Wheeljack, have you been leaving grenades around?”
Wheeljack nodded. “Yep. Everywhere I’ve followed you,” he said.
Razorblade nodded and slipped into a narrow shaft in the ceiling followed by Wheeljack, then Argon. Nightspark and Starwing stayed there.
As Wheeljack followed, he left grenades. On the other side of the shaft, they silently jumped out into a hallway. This hallway looked just like the cavern, but this hallway was used often. Wheeljack went up and down the hallway, sticking grenades on the walls.
Suddenly, the unexpected happened. Predaking stepped into the hall.
Razorblade seemed to shrink in the shadows as Predaking walked down the hallway.
“Wheeljack,” Razorblade whispered, via commlink. “Predaking is going in your direction. Watch out.”
“Got it,” Wheeljack replied.
After Predaking had pass Wheeljack’s position, he got out the detonator. “You’ve gotta get out of here,” he said.
Before Razorblade could reply, Predaking’s furious voice roared through the hall. They turned to see him running back down the hall.
“Is everyone out?” Wheeljack asked over the comm.
Everyone replied that they were clear. Right before Wheeljack detonated the grenades, Razorblade kicked it out of his hand and held it close to her.
Wheeljack gave her a ‘Really?’ look. “Give it back,” he said.
Razorblade shook her head, then Predaking came tearing passed them, flinging them into the walls.
“Go!” Razorblade said in a demanding way.
Wheeljack looked from her to the exit and back again.
“GO!” Razorblade repeated.
Wheeljack made one more look from the exit to her before shifting into alt-from and dashing out.
Predaking flung Razorblade into the wall, leaving a dent shaped like her in the wall. She weakly reached for the detonator that she had dropped. She got it just before Predaking got to her again.
“Good-bye, Predaking,” she said, then pressed the button.
“Razorblade!” Nightspark yelled over the comm. “Get out of there!”
He was too late. The predacon’s base went up in flames and was completely destroyed.
Nightspark was shocked. K-Vert had trusted him with Razorblade, and now she was dead. He had failed his old friend again.
Razorblade. Her name went through his head over and over again.
He looked behind him. Fireblaze and Blueflame were staring at the destroyed base, their expression blank with shock. Razorblade had been their mentor.
Finally, Fireblaze spoke. “Did Razorblade really just die?”
Blueflame shuttered. “Yes, she did,” he said, trying his best to comfort his brother.
Arcee walked up beside Nightspark, her optics wide. She hoped she would never have to witness the death of another Cybertronian.
Nightspark walked forward some and just stared at the base.
Razorblade. He couldn’t stop her name from running through his head.
Arcee looked away from the burning base. Fireblaze was about to lose it entirely while Blueflame whispered comforting words to him.
Suddenly, something full of static cam over the comm. “N . . . igh . . . spark,” it said. “I’m . . . okay.”
At first Nightspark thought he was imagining Razorblade talking to him.
“Nightspark!” it said, now clear as day. “Look up!”
Nightspark stopped staring at the ground and looked up. A figure was walking toward him.
Who is that? He asked himself.
Sudden joy and relief rushed through him.
“RAZORBLADE?!” he burst out.
The figure became clear. It was Razorblade!
Her paint looked three shades lighter because of the dust, but she was alive.
“I thought--” he started, but Razorblade cut him off.
“What? Did you really think a little explosion could kill me?” she asked.
“Razorblade!” Fireblaze said as he and Blueflame almost plowed her over. “You’re alive!”
Razorblade, who had dropped to the ground, just lay there in exhaustion.
They'd won, and everyone had survived. They were finally safe. Another war would have to try very hard if it wanted to touch them.