Please Take My Spark

"Commander Optimus Prime, they're here. Looks like this will be our final battle today. Old friend, I hope you can break through!"

This was an Autobot warrior named Ironhide. Aside from Optimus Prime, he was one of the few commanders everyone trusted, as well as an experienced warrior who had spent years on the front lines. It was Commander Ironhide who had brought the final bad news. The vast mass of enemies before them was now visible even without radar.

This time, aside from the Decepticon air force led by Starscream, Megatron had even assembled a massive force of heavy tanks and armored vehicles to confront the Autobots on the ground, all to ensure nothing went wrong. Rumor had it that laser cannons had also been deployed in outer space, all to make sure not a single fish slipped through the net. It seemed Starscream would have no ordinary difficulty completing the system mission this time!

"Megatron thinks too highly of me! But even so, we have to carve out a path to survival for the Autobots! Assault squad, step forward! Today, we fight for the honor of Cybertron!"

At Optimus Prime's rallying cry, dozens of Autobot warriors of all sizes immediately stepped forward. Behind them, the space modules had begun to activate, while numerous cables extended from Fortress Maximus's body. Crackling blue currents continuously surged from his core power unit, steadily charging a massive Ark nearby.

"Optimus Prime, once I fall, please take my Spark with you. If possible, let me be reborn on another planet. I will still fight for the Autobots!"

This was likely Fortress Maximus's final request. As a symbol of the Autobots' former glory, this super Autobot warrior had finally reached his last moment. All Optimus Prime could do now was leave with this hero's final Autobot Spark. But could they truly escape the Decepticons' encirclement and pursuit?

The answer to that unknown question would have to be left to Optimus Prime and Starscream. One was the Autobots' public leader, while the other was a Decepticon infiltrator in the shadows. Who would ultimately prevail depended mainly on Starscream.

In truth, Starscream had made a decision that seemed foolish but was actually incredibly bold.

At the final meeting of frontline commanders before the full assault began, this right-hand man who appeared utterly loyal to Megatron suddenly let out a baffled sigh. Though his voice was not loud, everyone heard it.

"Ah, I actually miss the days when we were evenly matched against the Autobots! At least back then, I felt I was useful to the Decepticons. But after tonight, the Autobots will be wiped from the universe entirely. Will I be unemployed then? I wonder what new task Boss Megatron will give me?"

On the surface, it seemed Starscream was merely whining for no reason, but he had voiced everyone's concerns. These Decepticon leaders, large and small, had all earned their promotions through their previous battles against the Autobots. But now that their prey was nearly extinct, what use would there be for loyal hunting dogs like them? Besides, Megatron was the sort who discarded people once they had outlived their usefulness. That much was obvious from the way he treated his own senior brother, Optimus Prime.

"I suddenly realized that my troops aren't suited for tonight's operation. The boys' weapons haven't even finished charging yet. We wouldn't be able to show off the true strength of the Great Dinosaur Legion!"

Great Dinosaur Saurus was the first to openly drop the ball. He was also one of the few Decepticon regional powers who could directly refuse to give Megatron face.

As for the other Decepticon commanders, though none of them said anything, all they had to do was feed the information before them into their central processors and run a simulation to reach the desired conclusion: once the Autobots had been eliminated, Megatron would dispose of every one of them present, one by one!

Thus, before the campaign to exterminate the Autobots had even begun, several cracks had already appeared within the Decepticon ranks. No one wanted the Autobots to be completely wiped out. Otherwise, what value would any of them have? As for the sly Starscream, he had already vanished without a trace. At a time like this, an offhand sigh was more likely to strike a chord with everyone.

These robots might not necessarily understand the saying that once the rabbits were dead, the hunting dogs would be cooked, but they understood more or less what it meant!

Most of the Autobots might not survive tonight, but quite a number of elite warriors could still escape. It would be best if Optimus Prime was not killed as well. At the very least, Ironhide had to survive—otherwise, what value would they have left in Megatron's eyes?

"Thundercracker and Sunstorm, go guard G90 airspace. Skywarp and Direct Current, guard the other side. Everyone else, stand by and move out with me at any moment. Understood?"

This was the greatest maneuvering Starscream could manage. By sending the two air squadrons most prone to acting on their own to the perimeter, he was effectively clearing a free takeoff and landing zone for Optimus Prime's retreating Ark, so it would not be destroyed before even getting airborne. Naturally, this arrangement quickly drew Thundercracker and Skywarp's displeasure.

"General Starscream, why aren't you giving the main assault to our men? We're clearly the most elite Decepticon air force!"

"Yeah! Won't the ground forces take all the credit that way?"

Starscream knew those two would ask that. Fortunately, he had already prepared an answer.

"You know the ground forces are taking center stage this time, right? Switch your wide-angle signal sources to the frontline armored formations. Turn your sensors up to maximum power and take a look. Who is that?"

The one seated where Starscream pointed was none other than Megatron, the Decepticon leader. He had originally said he would wait in the rear for Starscream and the others to bring him good news. In fact, he had told every commander the same thing. But in reality, the true commander of this ground army of armored vehicles and tanks was Megatron himself. He was not waiting for good news at all—he was personally leading the expedition!

This was the brilliant escape plan Starscream had devised for Optimus Prime and the Autobots, and the only viable way for him to complete the Ever-Changing Steel System's high-difficulty mission.

Even if Megatron's combat power was currently off the charts, historically, he had never managed to defeat Optimus Prime in a single battle. Then everyone only had to deliberately hold back a little and let the two senior brothers fight it out. Optimus Prime could then slip away right under Megatron's nose with perfect justification. That should do it!