raisedbymoogles (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
raisedbymoogles) wrote2015-05-24 03:34 pm
raisedbymoogles) wrote2015-05-24 03:34 pm
Entry tags:
Marissaverse - pre-fic snippet
This is what's called 'motivation.' ;)
*
Optimus Prime leaned back against the wall, fighting to stay upright as the pain of his wounds and the hopelessness of their situation threatened to overwhelm him. “I didn’t realize Shockwave could field that many soldiers.”
“You’re a high-value target.” The closest of his companions shrugged unconcernedly, as though the prospect of facing upwards of a hundred warriors in a high-security POW facility with only the six of them, with no weapons and no fuel was something that happened every day. “Shockwave probably summoned every grunt in the sector to recapture you.”
“Before retreating to his bunker to panic,” his second put in with a grin that was at least half feral. Chuckles rippled through the rest of them, low and dry and mocking.
“I’m interested in escape, not revenge,” Optimus answered, a bit sharper than he’d meant, but the mech only grinned again. Optimus looked away and tried to settle his agitation as their sixth member, their scout, swooped overhead and landed with a muted clatter of plating on the deck.
“I found a way through,” he reported in an eager half-whisper. “A service corridor that leads straight through to the hangar! We just have to get Prime through the engagement hall.”
“You mean that engagement hall?” Optimus pointed down the hallway. “The one currently filling up with Shockwave’s backup troops?”
“That’s the one.” The scout tilted his head. “Why?”
“Oh, Primus.” Optimus’s spark sank; he saw his hopes of their escape burn to ash before him. “Fine. We’ve come this far - let’s see how many of them we can take down.”
His comrades exchanged glances, patient and grim. “No,” said their leader. “You are going to run. We are going to cover you.”
Optimus’s engine growled. “Excuse me?”
The scout reached out, gingerly touched Optimus’s arm; he managed not to flinch. “We all agreed. The war effort comes first. You come first. If we can get you out of here…”
Optimus stared at him. Then he stared at the others, wildly searching for - something. Some hope, some other way. “You’re asking me to abandon you,” he protested faintly.
Their leader moved in close, clasped Optimus’s arm below his shoulder. “Go,” he ordered. “We will cover you. You have to escape, or everything we’ve sacrificed is for nothing. You know that.”
Optimus felt his vents wheeze tightly. This was wrong, this was against everything he held dear, but his friend would never be argued into changing his mind and every moment they delayed could be the difference between one of them escaping and none of them escaping. “Primus keep you all,” he whispered. “Grimlock… I will write your name on my spark casing. All of your names.”
“Spare us the mush,” Grimlock laughed, squeezing his shoulder once before letting go. “Now get ready to run like the Pit.”
The Dynobots thundered down the hallway and fell upon the leading ranks of Shockwave’s guards, all their rage and pain from their captivity vented on their bodies. Over the roar and whine of laserfire, Grimlock roared, ”RUN!”
For the first time in his life, Optimus Prime left his honor and his friends behind. He ran.
*
Optimus Prime leaned back against the wall, fighting to stay upright as the pain of his wounds and the hopelessness of their situation threatened to overwhelm him. “I didn’t realize Shockwave could field that many soldiers.”
“You’re a high-value target.” The closest of his companions shrugged unconcernedly, as though the prospect of facing upwards of a hundred warriors in a high-security POW facility with only the six of them, with no weapons and no fuel was something that happened every day. “Shockwave probably summoned every grunt in the sector to recapture you.”
“Before retreating to his bunker to panic,” his second put in with a grin that was at least half feral. Chuckles rippled through the rest of them, low and dry and mocking.
“I’m interested in escape, not revenge,” Optimus answered, a bit sharper than he’d meant, but the mech only grinned again. Optimus looked away and tried to settle his agitation as their sixth member, their scout, swooped overhead and landed with a muted clatter of plating on the deck.
“I found a way through,” he reported in an eager half-whisper. “A service corridor that leads straight through to the hangar! We just have to get Prime through the engagement hall.”
“You mean that engagement hall?” Optimus pointed down the hallway. “The one currently filling up with Shockwave’s backup troops?”
“That’s the one.” The scout tilted his head. “Why?”
“Oh, Primus.” Optimus’s spark sank; he saw his hopes of their escape burn to ash before him. “Fine. We’ve come this far - let’s see how many of them we can take down.”
His comrades exchanged glances, patient and grim. “No,” said their leader. “You are going to run. We are going to cover you.”
Optimus’s engine growled. “Excuse me?”
The scout reached out, gingerly touched Optimus’s arm; he managed not to flinch. “We all agreed. The war effort comes first. You come first. If we can get you out of here…”
Optimus stared at him. Then he stared at the others, wildly searching for - something. Some hope, some other way. “You’re asking me to abandon you,” he protested faintly.
Their leader moved in close, clasped Optimus’s arm below his shoulder. “Go,” he ordered. “We will cover you. You have to escape, or everything we’ve sacrificed is for nothing. You know that.”
Optimus felt his vents wheeze tightly. This was wrong, this was against everything he held dear, but his friend would never be argued into changing his mind and every moment they delayed could be the difference between one of them escaping and none of them escaping. “Primus keep you all,” he whispered. “Grimlock… I will write your name on my spark casing. All of your names.”
“Spare us the mush,” Grimlock laughed, squeezing his shoulder once before letting go. “Now get ready to run like the Pit.”
The Dynobots thundered down the hallway and fell upon the leading ranks of Shockwave’s guards, all their rage and pain from their captivity vented on their bodies. Over the roar and whine of laserfire, Grimlock roared, ”RUN!”
For the first time in his life, Optimus Prime left his honor and his friends behind. He ran.