Book II
     "Acts of Vengeance"

     Chapter VII
     "Fall From Grace"


     The weeks went by.  Optimus
Prime never left his quarters.  He
spent most of his time sitting in the
dark with his thoughts.  Only Rodimus
had seen him on a few occasions. 
Optimus wanted him to see to the day
to day running of Autobot City. 
Optimus felt it would be a good
learning experience.  Ultra Magnus
had gone to oversee things on
Cybertron, leaving Rodimus to tend to
things himself.
     Rodimus walked down the corridor
towards Optimus Prime's quarters.  It
had been two weeks since Elita's
death.  He thought it was time for
someone to do something about
Optimus.  Unfortunately, Kup and
Springer had both found an excuse. 
Just as well he thought.  It was
really his duty as second in command.
     Rodimus stopped in front of the
door to Optimus's quarters.  He heard
the door signal that he was there
once, and then again.
     "Come", came Optimus's voice
from inside as the door slid apart.
     Rodimus walked inside, expecting
to find Optimus sitting in the dark. 
Instead, he found Optimus at his
terminal working on something. 
"Optimus, I heard there is a new
exhibit on fictional robots in human
history at the museum in town.  Why
don't you go with me.  You ought to
get out of here for a while." 
Rodimus hoped to get a positive
response.
     "No", said Optimus.  He knew
Rodimus was trying to be helpful, but
he did not need any diversions right
now, he had work to do.
     "Oh come on.  If you sit in here
much longer, you'll rust", said
Rodimus, trying to sound cheerful. 
"You can't just sit in here and do
nothing all day."
     "Nothing", said Optimus.  "Is
that what you think I've been doing?" 
Optimus was containing his anger,
because he knew Rodimus was trying to
help.  "I've been hard at work for a
week now.  I'm searching for
Megatron.  I've got every spy
satellite in orbit looking for him. 
When I find him, I intend to avenge
Elita."
     It was less what he had said,
and more how he had said it that
worried Rodimus.  Optimus had never
sounded so cold and completely devoid
of feeling.  "You can't be serious",
said Rodimus.
     "And why is that", said Optimus. 
An edge of anger clearly audible in
his voice.
     "Do you really think that
killing Megatron will take away the
pain.  We have Cybertron.  We need
only to defend it.  This quest for
revenge will not bring Elita back."
     Optimus stood up from his seat. 
"Why?  This is what I should have
done the day Orion Pax died.  If I
had hunted down Megatron and killed
him then, maybe we would not have had
to fight a war for nine million
years.  Maybe we would not have
endangered the planet Earth,
maybe..."  Optimus stopped in mid
sentence, and sat back down in his
chair.
     Rodimus finished his sentence. 
"Maybe Elita would still be alive."
     Optimus looked away.
     "Optimus, I understand how you
feel..."
     "No!!"  Optimus yelled, rising
to his feet again.  "You can't
understand.  Megatron murdered her. 
He shot her in the back.  She was
just trying to help me.  She wasn't
even threatening him.  She just
wanted to help me."
     The anguish in Optimus's voice
was almost too much to bare. 
"Optimus, I'm sorry, I really wish I
knew what to say", began Rodimus, but
he could not finish his sentence.
     Optimus sat down heavily in his
chair.  "There is nothing to say,
Rodimus."
     "Optimus, I'm..."
     "Rodimus, please leave. 
Megatron will pay, one way or
another, and you won't stop that",
said Optimus.
     "Optimus, please try and get
some rest.", said Rodimus.  "Think
about what you are planning to do."
     "Yeah Rodimus.  I will."
     Rodimus left Optimus's quarters. 
He wasn't sure he had made the right
decision to go and see him, but what
was done was done, and maybe for the
better.
     Optimus just sat at his desk for
a long while.  Elita wanted him to go
on.  He did not feel that he could. 
How could he lead the Autobots if the
only thing he cared about was
revenge.  Optimus Prime, the great
leader of the Autobots, now had but
one purpose in life.  He would avenge
Elita's death, one way or another.


     Rodimus Prime sat in the command
center.  It was late, and no one else
was there.  He was reading a data
pad.  He was reading, but his mind
was on Optimus.  His conversation
with Optimus three days ago was fresh
in his mind.  He had told no one of
Optimus's search for Megatron, or his
need for revenge.  How could he
function as Autobot leader, if
revenge on Megatron was his only
goal.
     "Hello", said a voice from
behind Rodimus.
     He turned around.  Kup was
walking towards him.  "Hi, Kup, how
are you this evening."
     "I'm fine lad.  What are you
doing", Kup asked.
     "Just going over some reports",
said Rodimus.  It was a lie.  He
could not hide the truth from Kup.
     "You're worried about Optimus
aren't you", asked Kup.
     "Yes.  Since Elita died, he has
not been himself."  Kup did not know
the half of it, but Rodimus did not
want to talk about what had happened.
     "He'll be all right.  Give him
some time", said Kup.  "I remember on
Beola Nine, King Gontor lost his
Queen Alandra to an enemy attack..."
     Just then, an alarm sounded. 
Rodimus was silently relieved.  He
really did not feel like listening to
one of Kup's stories.  Rodimus went
to the computer.  "Teletran,
situation report."
     The computer began to speak. 
"Receiving priority one message from
San Francisco Regional Solar Power
Collection Station."
     "Put it on screen", said
Rodimus.
     A man in a hard hat came onto
the screen.  "I am Jack Lofton,
Senior Engineer of the San Francisco
Regional Solar Power Station.  I need
to speak to Optimus Prime."
     "He's not available, can I
assist you", said Rodimus.
     "I hope so.  We are under
attack.  It appears to be two
Decepticons.
     "We are on our way", said a
voice from behind Rodimus.
     "Optimus", said Rodimus,
startled to see Optimus when he
turned around.
     "Mr. Lofton evacuate your
people.  We are on our way", said
Optimus.
     "Rodimus, Kup, get Skyfire and
Springer, and let's go.", ordered
Optimus.
     Optimus knew that he was giving
the appearance of being the same old
Optimus Prime, rushing off to save
humans from a Decepticon attack as he
had done countless other times.  Deep
down though, he knew it was all a
show, and was unsure he could
continue to lead the Autobots.  Now
he had but one mission in life.  He
had to avenge Elita's death, make
Megatron pay for what he had done,
one way or another.  There were more
ways to get revenge on Megatron than
just killing him.  Optimus would have
to see what opportunities presented
themselves.  He did not know exactly
what he would do.  The only thing he
did know was that he would accomplish
nothing as long as he sat in his
quarters.


     Optimus Prime, Rodimus Prime,
Kup, and Springer boarded Skyfire,
and headed for San Francisco.
     Rodimus was still worried about
Optimus, but there was not much he
could do.
     "Approaching San Francisco
Regional Solar Power Collection
Station", said Skyfire.  "Scans
indicate that all the humans are
evacuated.
     "Let's go", said Optimus.  He
went and opened the outer door. 
"Skyfire, get us close enough to
jump.  When we are clear, cover us
from the air.
     "Sure thing.  Go on my mark",
said Skyfire.
     "Get ready everyone", said
Optimus.  The other Autobots were all
ready to jump.
     "Now", said Skyfire.
     Optimus jumped out, followed by
Rodimus, Kup, and Springer.  Springer
transformed into a helicopter.  The
others landed on the perimeter of the
base.  Springer landed and
Transformed back to his robot form.
     "Split into two teams, and find
Megatron and Nightbird.  Kup, you're
with me.  Springer with Rodimus."
     Optimus and Kup went one way
around the building, and Rodimus and
Springer went the other way.  Optimus
knew that Megatron must be up to
something.  There had not been so
much as a peep out of him since
Elita's death.  He would not be lying
low, so he had to have been planning
something.
     "It's too quiet", said Optimus
to Kup.
     "Definitely too quiet.  Whatever
they are up to, they've planned it
well", said Kup.
     Optimus and Kup entered the
station through a hole in the wall.
     "Looks like we found their way
in", said Kup sarcastically.
     "How nice of you to join us",
said a voice.  Optimus turned around
to see Megatron and Nightbird. 
Rodimus and Springer were lying on
the ground in front of them.  They
each were wearing energeon
restraints.  Optimus Prime barely
noticed them lying there.  It was
Megatron, and he was all that Optimus
needed to see.
     "Fancy meeting you here
Optimus", said Rodimus.
     "Quiet", said Megatron, kicking
Rodimus in the head.
     Rage filled Optimus.  A blind
fury he had never known before. 
"What are you waiting for Megatron",
said Optimus.  "I'm here, come and
get me."
     "If you insist", screamed
Megatron, as he jumped into the air,
and turned his jets on full blast.
     He hit Optimus full force, and
they both went flying into the far
wall of the room.  Kup turned around,
and aimed his weapon at Megatron, but
he was hit from behind, and in an
instant was locked in energeon
restraints.
     "Never turn your back on a
ninja", said Nightbird with a smirk.
     Optimus Prime was still stunned
by Megatron's attack, when Megatron
started attacking him again.  Optimus
fought back, but Megatron was
stronger than he had ever been.  Then
Optimus got the upper hand.  He
hoisted Megatron up into the air, and
sent him flying across the room.
     "Curse you Prime", said
Megatron.  He got up and charged at
Optimus.
     This time, Optimus was ready for
him.  He caught him with a fist to
his face, which sent Megatron to the
ground.  All this time, Optimus did
not notice that Nightbird had moved
his three companions out of the room. 
Optimus noticed nothing except how
much damage he was inflicting on
Megatron.  Only Megatron's
destruction mattered to him.
     "Give up yet Megatron".
     "Not quite", he said, and
continued his attack.
     Optimus and Megatron continued
to battle.  Megatron had never seen
Optimus fight so ferociously.  It was
as if he had gone mad.
     Megatron caught Optimus off
balance and sent him crashing to the
floor.
     "My, my, my, we do seem somewhat
angry today, don't we", said
Megatron.  "Are you still upset about
my attack on Elita.  I trust she
recovered."  Megatron did not know
that Elita had died.
     Optimus pulled himself to his
feet.  "You monster.  You killed her. 
You killed Elita", said Optimus with
rage in his voice.
     Megatron was somewhat startled. 
He was unaware that Elita was dead. 
He made a mental note to add her to
his kill list.  "Well, I guess that
frees you up to look for a new girl",
said Megatron coldly.  If he could
not defeat Optimus outright, he would
enrage him, and make him make a
mistake.
     Optimus took on the look of
someone possessed.  Not only had he
killed her, but now he was rubbing it
in.  It made Optimus snap completely. 
He was on Megatron like lightening,
viscously beating him.  He did not
even try to use a weapon.  Optimus's
bare hands were weapons enough.
     As he tried in vain to fight
Optimus off, Megatron began to look
for a way out.  He knew he was not
going to defeat Optimus now.  Optimus
was fighting in a rage, and there was
no stopping him.
     Megatron winced in pain as
Optimus grabbed his right arm.  He
sunk his fingers deep into his
shoulder, and pulled with an
incredible force, tearing Megatron's
arm from his body.
     "Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh", screamed
Megatron as he fell to the floor. 
Optimus stood over him holding the
arm in his hands.
     "Mercy Optimus.  Grant me mercy,
I beg of you", pleaded Megatron.
     Optimus surged with rage.  "I
almost did that once Megatron, do you
remember.  You want to know something
Megatron?  I was going to let you
live.  Even after everything you had
done, that  Autobot city, I was going
to let you live!", screamed Optimus.
     At this moment, Megatron learned
what it was to feel fear.
     "I could not bring myself to
kill you that day, Megatron.  I don't
know why it was.  You were unarmed,
and I could not bring myself to shoot
someone who was unarmed.  Perhaps
deep down, I even had compassion for
a murdering scum like you.  I've
killed, but only when I absolutely
had to.  But now, I know one thing. 
I'll not contemplate mercy for you
again.  You've used up your quota."
     Megatron had lost this round. 
He had to find a way out of this. 
"Fine Optimus, kill me.  I'm sure
your revenge is worth the lives of
Kup, Rodimus and Springer.  Any time
now this whole place will go up, and
take them with it."
     Optimus had forgotten about
them.  He had allowed his personal
vendetta to endanger his friends. 
Optimus stood there in shock.  He
dropped Megatron's arm, and went to
look for the others.  Before he left
though, he turned to Megatron and
said, "this isn't over Megatron."
     Megatron got to his feat, and
headed for the exit.


     "Optimus Prime has done the one
thing he felt he never could do",
began Uatu.  "He has put his personal
conflict with Megatron ahead of all
else, and endangered the lives of
others.  Where will this lead?  No
one can say.  For now we can only
watch and see the outcome, so says
the Watcher."