Of Machines and Men

Another fan-fic short story I wrote, this one more liek a different version of the final battle of the 2007 Transformers movie. Requires a little background knowledge. Written mainly for fun, as I wanted to see what it would be like to write from the point of view of a sentient machine.

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Of Machines and Men
By Tristan

Megatron landed in front of the assembled Decepticons that Starscream and Devastator had gathered. Megatron stood over Starscream, and the second-in-command bowed reproachfully.

“Lord Megatron, your armies await your commands.”

The Decepticon leader waved off his devious air commander with the sweep of a huge metal arm.

“Decepticons,” he growled, “The All Spark is in Mission City, defended by these pitiful insects and a single Autobot scout. The other autonomous bots will arrive soon. We will go now, destroy them, and take the Energon Cube for ourselves!”

“Starscream, you and Blackout eliminate any human reinforcements. Barricade, kill the humans; Devastator and Bonecrusher, take out the Autobots.” Megatron growled, the robotic approximate to anticipation running through his system. “I will kill Optimus Prime before I seize the Cube.”


Bumblebee scanned a brand-new concept Camaro before returning, in his new vehicle form, to where Sam and Mikaela waited with the downsized All Spark in their hands. All around them, soldiers of Captain Lennox or Sector Seven scrambled to build up a defense.

Bumblebee received a transmission from Optimus Prime. His leader was arriving with the rest of the Autobot force. They had landed and gained new alternate modes. The scout could only hope it would be in time.

Four vehicles went hurtling toward the street, just as an alien jet, F-22 Raptor, and an MH-53M Pave Low helicopter soared through the sky. On the ground, a Saleen S281 Extreme police car, M1 Abrams tank, and Buffalo H Mine-Protected vehicle became rolling towards them.

Technical sergeant Epps immediately began trying to communicate to the air forces following using a radio Lennox can taken from a pawn shop. He got no response. As four cars behind them transformed into huge alien robots, the answer was revealed to them.

“Those are Decepticons!” bellowed the massive Optimus Prime, transforming from a Peterbilt 379 semi-truck to his natural form. As he did so, the Cybertronian jet swooped lower, heading towards him.

Optimus drew an ion blaster from his back, activating his targeting and weapon systems, and fired, striking the transformed Megatron and sending the Decepticon leader hurtling towards him. The Autobot leaped up, grabbing the plane and sending both leaders crashing into a nearby building.

While Starscream and Blackout hovered higher, avoiding the fight, the tank that was Devastator opened fire with its turret, sending shells crashing towards the humans’ position.

“Jazz, take Ratchet and protect the humans!” barked Ironhide. The Autobot weapons specialist changed from his GMC Topkick C4500 pickup truck to a hulking, armed and armored robot mode with huge cannons on his wrists. Charging towards Devastator, he was hit by a flying car as the Buffalo rolled forward, tossing cars aside with its giant fork. Ironhide watched the carnage with fury, lunging forward as the vehicle transformed into Bonecrusher. The Decepticon hurled himself at his enemy, tackling him to the ground and swinging his powerful hands at the robot beneath him.

Jazz drew his shield and fired blasts of blue plasma from the Gatling gun mounted on it. Ratchet fired his own large, machine gun carbine he held in his right hand. Together, the two Autobots drew the attention of Devastator, who began unleashing missiles in their direction. Jazz launched himself forward, changing to a Pontiac Solstice GXP and swerving around the projectiles hurled at him. Transforming, he dove and landed on top of the Abrams tank, prompting Devastator to transform and grab him, flinging Optimus’ first lieutenant into a building before Ratchet’s ceaseless fire tore off one of his shoulder-mounted missile racks. Angrily, the Decepticon soldier fired the Gatling gun on his wrist, forcing Ratchet and humans shooting sabot rounds at him to take cover.


Starscream and Blackout watched the battle with dissatisfaction. Megatron had engaged Optimus Prime, Barricade had slipped through a side street and was bearing down on the humans, Devastator was fighting Ratchet, the humans and Jazz at the same time, and Bonecrusher was engaged in combat with Ironhide. However, until something changed, the Decepticons were outgunned.

Blackout was thinking along similar lines as Starscream. Sending a burst of sonic transmission, he requested permission to deploy Scorponok. The Decepticon air commander approved.

A huge metal scorpion-shape was launched form below Blackout’s cargo hold, plummeting toward the battle, hitting the pavement and burrowing underground.

“He will take out Ratchet,” said Blackout, satisfied. Starscream concurred.

“The human air force is almost here. Let’s destroy them utterly.”


Optimus Prime saw Megatron charge and fire his energy rifle again. The Decepticon leader was knocked off his feet. Growling angrily, he fired his own pulse blast at Optimus, sending the Autobot flying. Megatron took advantage of the opportunity to grab his opponent, driving his enormous metal fist into his face and slamming him into the ground. Optimus saw Megatorn’s claw raising over his chest, knew what his enemy would do, and rolled over, using his foe’s potential energy to fling him into the nearest building, calculating the projector to leave his upper body trapped. Ready to finish the despot off, Otpimus extended an energy blade from his arm and prepared for the killing strike.

Megatron tore himself free not a moment too soon. Seeing Optimus swing the blade down towards him, he fired his arm blaster again, the energy blowing Prime over. Snarling, the Decepticon leader extended a flail from where his right hand was normally located and sent the head whistling through the air above Optimus’ head before bringing it down.

Prime sliced it off with his blade and lunged, winding back to drive the sword through is enemy’s chest. Megatron backhanded the Autobot and shot him again. Growling, he reached for Prime’s spark.


Without warning, a police car rocketed behind the wall of rubble the humans and Ratchet were using as cover and transformed into the robot designated Barricade. Ratchet saw him, but a bladed tail emerged from the ground behind him, forcing him to turn and fire at the subterrarian Scorponok. Barricade procured a flail, and Bumblebee changed into his robot form only to be struck dead-on and hurled away from Sam and Mikaela. The All Spark dropped to the ground.

Ratchet had turned on Barricade were Scorponok exploded from beneath him and drove his tail between the other ‘bot’s shoulder blades. As the mechanical Scorpion tried to pull in underground in a spinning flurry of movement. Ratchet whirled around and flipped over, saw blades on his wrists activating and slicing the tip of the bestial Decepticon’s tail off. Screeching, the monstrosity disappeared beneath the ground once more.

Bumblebee got back up and saw Barricade bearing down on him, as a small form shot out of the Decepticon’s chest and scrambled towards Sam and Mikaela. The small Decepticon spy known as Frenzy saw the two humans hastily picking up the Cube and fired several shurikens from his chest. Mikaela saw the projectiles coming and pulled Sam to the ground, barely avoiding the deadly spinning discs.

Ratchet’s buzz saws swept around, decapitating the unlucky Frenzy before the Decepticon could react. However, Scorponok took advantage of the opening to leap from the ground and grab Ratchet’s arms in his pincers, holding the Autobot still.

Blackout transformed and alit atop a building. Despite his mission to destroy the air force, ratchet was helpless, and the Decepticon couldn’t resist an opportunity to finish him off.

Blackout charged up an energy blaster on his left arm, aimed, and fired.


Starscream saw Blackout fire at Ratchet and swung around, flying towards the air force. Hopefully, they could destroy Megatron’s stupid pet while he killed those that were shooting at him.

The Decepticon unleashed missiles from his F-22, shooting down one of the other Raptors without warning. The humans reacted with shock before they concluded the other plane was an enemy alien, by then, Starscream had already unfolded himself from the bottom of the jet and pounced on another vehicle, tearing it to bits before firing with wrist machine guns at the rest.

Ratchet saw a burst of blue energy hurtling towards him from Blackout’s direction and turned quickly, swinging Scorponok in front of the blast. The bestial Decepticon screeched angrily and released him, retreating below the pavement.

Blackout furiously opened fire, maddened by the loss of his symbiont. Ratchet took cover from the bullets streaming from his right arm.

Bumblebee grabbed Barricade’s flail as the Decepticon spy swung it and grabbed hold, tugging the unfortunate towards his swinging fist. Barricade hit the ground hard, and Bumblebee stomped down on his arm before bringing his plasma cannon up and shooting him in the face. Barricade rolled over, and Bumblebee fired again, this time hitting him in the chest. Leaving Barricade’s mangled form behind, he walked over to where Sam and Mikaela were huddled. Music blared from his speakers.

“Time to get out of here,” Sam said.

Captain Lennox ran over. “Two Blackhawk’s are going to meet you at the top of that building! You have to get the Cube there now and get it out of here!”

“I-I have to run through that?” he asked, dizzy, and not because of the extreme height of the building. He was looking at Ironhide, Bonecrusher, Devastator, and Jazz’s fight that was ripping up the street.

“C’mon, kid, you’ve gotta do this!” Lennox pushed Sam forward. Ratchet staggered over. “I’ll protect you,” he said. Scorponok’s tail had done him a lot of damage. Bumblebee also walked over, extending missile launchers from his shoulders in a clear show of protection.

Sam nodded bleakly and sprinted for the building.


Jazz leapt back at Devastator, firing incessantly. The huge Decepticon lumbered towards him, Gatling gun blazing. Jazz caught it on his shield and returned fire. Furious, Devastator hurled missiles at the small Autobot from his shoulder launcher. Jazz was blown off his feet.

Nearby, Ironhide had gotten Bonecrusher off him and was blasting the Decepticon without letting up, adding missiles whenever his opponent got too close. He knew his only chance was to engage the big Decepticon at a range.

Bonecrusher finally hurled himself forward, his tail lashing out and snapping at Ironhide. The weapons specialist was forced to dodge, and Bonecrusher grabbed him and threw him at Devastator, who pounded the battered Ironhide into the ground.

Jazz saw Devastator raise his foot to step on his comrade. Jazz let loose without abandon, his ferocious attack driving Devastator away. Ironhide dragged himself to his feet and sent plasma streaking at the Decepticon, sending him staggering back.

Jazz was joining in the attack, but he didn’t see Bonecrusher approaching behind him until a bladed tail speared him through the midsection. Internal circuits failed, alarms went off like crazy, and Jazz’s body resisted the disruption of its working. It failed.

Bonecrusher whipped his tail back, growling in hatred, and smashed Jazz into a wall before letting him drop to the ground. Ironhide had just finished battering Devastator to the ground when he saw Bonecrusher standing over the badly damaged Jazz. Smashing a cannon into the ground and hitting the fallen Devastator with a wave of energy that removed an arm, Ironhide sprinted towards his fallen comrade.

“No, Jazz!”

Bonecrusher reached down into Jazz’s chest with his clawed hand and tore out the glowing, sparkling piece of circuitry that was the Autobot’s spark and life force. Jazz gasped and then crumpled, limp and unmoving.

Ironhide stared at the Decepticon with barely contained fury. “You will die for that,” the Autobot said menacingly. “And you will die painfully.”


Optimus rolled away from Megatron’s grasping claws and fired again. This time, Megatron spun around and shot the Autobot leader with another pulse blast. The Decepticon advanced on him.

“Let’s finish this now, brother,” he hissed, activating a powerful weapon within his arms. Armor plates slid backwards, revealing technology beneath. Slamming his forearms together, Megatron extended a long fusion cannon. Optimus was nailed by the bolt and hurled into a building, stunned.

Megatron considered killing the despicable Autobot then and there, although the All Spark was infinitely more important. A quick look around the battle showed him only two damaged Autobots and a fleeing human kept him for ultimate power.

The leader of the Decepticons transformed into jet mode and launched forwards, zeroing in on Sam Witwiky as he sprinted towards a building.

“Starscream,” Megatron transmitted. Abandoning his attack of the human aircraft, his second-in-command swooped towards him.

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Kill the Autobots guarding the boy,” said Megatron. “I will retrieve the All Spark.”

Diving lower, the Decepticon leader hurtled towards his only purpose in life.


Blackout was being pummeled by human sabot rounds, and he was not enjoying it. Firing a missile down at the pitiful resistance, he transformed into a helicopter and flew towards Ratchet, eager to extract a painful revenge on the Autobot.

Bumblebee saw him coming and fired his plasma cannon. Blackout transformed into reverse, landing as a robot and sending a pulse of energy through the ground to knock the smaller Autobot off his feet.

Ratchet opened fire, and the humans behind him concentrated their weapons. The Decepticon staggered around, high-heat blasts tearing through his exoskeletal armor.

Megatron landed directly in front of Witwiky before the boy could turn to reach the building. Bumblebee saw him and hurled himself from where he lay, firing plasma and missiles at the Decepticon leader. Bumblebee was hit by a blast from the armored titan’s arm and smashed into the ground. Before he could rise, the Raptor/Starscream fired two missiles, striking the Autobot’s feet and sending him flying, his legs destroyed.

“No! Bumblebee!” yelled Sam, running towards his protector. Megatron advanced, blocking him from going either direction. “Give me the All Spark, boy! GIVE ME THE CUBE!”

A shot from Optimus Prime’s blaster spun the Decepticon leader around and hurled him into a building. Prime thundered into the fray, extending his energy blade as Blackout swung his propeller blades towards him and stabbing the Decepticon in the chest. Leaving the heap of metal to collapse motionless to the ground, Megatron turned around, vengeance in his eyes.

“I will TEAR YOU APART, Brother!”

Optimus kicked Blackout’s body aside challengingly. “Then do so, you thoughtless tyrant!”

Megatron lunged forward, as Sam Witwiky darted up a staircase to the roof of a tall white building.


Starscream saw his leader ignoring the Cube to wreak his vengeance on Optimus Prime and was not surprised. Megatron had always been and straightforward, if brutal, leader, but he was not the strategist Starscream was. Only his commander had that cerebral processing capability, and now Starscream knew he was going to be rewarded.

Neglecting to inform the enraged Megatron of the development, he flew towards the building where the Witwiky human would no doubt emerge from.

Then, the All Spark would be his.

Bonecrusher had no hesitation in resuming his battle with Ironhide. Charging towards the Autobot, a missile collided painfully with his face. Ironhide swung around behind him and hammered his torso into the ground. Bonecrusher struggled to free himself, his tail lashing out and slashing at Ironhide’s chest. The weapons specialist grabbed it and pulled, but Bonecrusher used the energy to rise and throw off his annoying foe.

As Bonecrusher rushed him again, Ironhide fired both cannons, blasting him in the chest. Badly damaged, the Decepticon nonetheless swept his arm at Ironhide. The Autobot coolly grabbed it and put a plasma burst through it, leaving the limb sparking on the ground. An exertion of mechanical strength flung Bonecrusher across the street.

The Decepticon rose to find a cannon pointed at his face. His body was in critical condition, his spark damaged, arm lost, tail almost pulled out. An automatic diagnostic took all this into account before Ironhide coldly fired, the blast blowing in Bonecrusher’s face and leaving the ruined machine crumpled in a worthless heap.

“That was for Jazz,” growled the Autobot, before turning his attention to the rest of the battle.


Devastator, wounded, was being pummeled by the human’s weapons – and it was barely doping them any good. Without any Autobot reinforcement, the beings had no chance of distracting the Decepticon long enough for them to concentrate a flurry of firepower.

Then Epps finally got a call from an F-22 Raptor.

“We have survived alien attack, repeated, survived alien attack! Awaiting target!”

“You sure as hell got one!”

Lennox tossed his Sergeant a laser point. Epps understood. “Laze targets and bring the rain!”

The Captain sprinted to a black motorcycle, abandoned by its owner in the battle. Grabbing a sabot launcher, he gunned the engine and rolled towards Devastator.
The F-22s flew down towards Devastator, unleashing their deadly payload. Lennox leapt from the bike and fired. The missiles struck the Decepticon in the chest, the explosion blowing pieces off his armor. His spark extinguished, Devastator’s corpse toppled over as Lennox printed away. “Yeah! We got him! Where’s the kid!”


San Witwiky had just lit the flare. The helicopter was coming down, and the teenager had never been more relieved.

He ran towards the edge of the building, the man inside the chopper reaching out to take the Cube.

Then the world exploded.

Sam regained consciousness thirty seconds later. A second ‘copter was retreating, and Starscream transformed and landed in front of the young human. Idly, the Decepticon fired another rocket from the rack he had altered his left hand into and annihilated the other copter.

“Give me the All Spark, human. I have no reason to kill you, and unlike my erstwhile ‘leader’, I do not appreciate destruction for destruction’s sake. You will live. I will spare you and your close associates when we conquer this world. I will kill Megatron. Just give me the Energon Cube!”

Sam stared up at the huge robot standing over him and gulped. His breath coming in ragged gasps, the teen started backing away. Starscream advanced.

“Don’t flee. Neither you nor the Autobot will gain anything by me killing you this instant and taking the Cube for myself.”

Sam wanted to give Starscream the damn Cube. Get rid of it. What had it done for him?

Then he saw Mikaela helping prop Bumblebee’s torso on a tow truck with chains, and he realized he had gained two friends – or more than that. A protector, and, he hoped, a –

“Time’s up,” snarled Starscream, and reached for him.

“NEVER!” screamed Sam, and jumped.


Ironhide spotted Sam atop the building, being the only Autobot able to do so. Ratchet was damaged, Bumblebee crippled, and Optimus Prime fighting Megatron. Running in the direction, he quickly calculated the human planned to leap off the edge, presumably to delay Starscream’s attempt to take possession of the All Spark. However, the impact of hitting the ground would severely damage the boy’s skeletal system, as well as impeding vital bodily structures, making it a very small likelihood Witwiky would survive the experience.

Ironhide opened fire, plasma blasts bombarding the already startled Starscream. The angered Decepticon commander sent a rapid stream of bullets crashing into Ironhide’s chest, surprising the Autobot. Apparently, Starscream had improved Earth technology contained within his local mode.

The Autobot’s prediction programs allowed him to dodge the next burst of firepower and return the blast. Starscream launched a missile at the distraction before leaping off the side of the building and falling after Sam. His own weight allowed inertia to accumulate and he passed the human just before they reached the ground. Starscream lashed out. “You refused my mercy, larvae!”

Ironhide slammed into him, shouldering him off to the side and knocking him into the building. The larger Decepticon bounced off the wall before crashing into the ground. Ironhide grabbed Sam, trying to avoid inflicting structural damage, and landed hard on his back.

Sam rolled out of the Autobot warrior’s hand as the massive robot shook himself back conscious. “Ironhide! C’mon, buddy, wake up and help me…”

Machine gun fire from Starscream’s wrist left the weapon’s specialist on the ground. Stalking towards Sam, he raised his arm and fire again, this time to kill the puny human.

…only for a plasma blasts to strike him on the chest. Driving the tow truck backwards with Bumblebee firing, Mikaela shouted to her companion. “Sam! Get in!”

The teenaged human scrambled towards the truck, while plasma bursts and small missiles streaked towards the enraged Starscream. The Decepticon, snarling his hatred of the small Autobot, fired a larger missile of his own at the vehicle.

“No!”

Ratchet leapt in the way, the warhead blasting the Autobot across the street and leaving him sprawled, sparking, on top of an SUV. Starscream advanced.

“This is your last chance. Give me the All Spark now.”


Optimus Prime was fighting the good fight, and he was losing. The ferocious blows he and Megatron were landing would have killed most other beings in the universe. Determined to stop Megatron as he was, the other Transformers fought with feral strength that Prime could not match.

Hurling his enemy away from him, Megatron glanced around the battlefield and saw Starscream heading for the All Spark.

“Time for End Spark, Prime,” he growled, and blasted the Autobot leader before transforming into his jet mode and rocketing towards the All Spark.

Optimus pulled himself up wearily, staggering a little. Seeing where Megatron was heading, he drew his energy rifle and fired, sending the Cybertronian jet into a spiral that landed it near the tow truck. Frantically, Prime raced forward.

“Run, Sam!”

Starscream saw his leader and fired his wrist guns at Bumblebee, the determined Autobot returned fire, but Starscream was inflicting heavy damaged as he moved steadily closer. The scout could not hold out much linger. Sensing this, Mikaela began to back up the truck.

Starscream lashed out – and felt his blow connect with the powerful armor of Optimus Prime. The Autobot leader struck the Decepticon with such force he was flung off his feet. Optimus spun around and shot the transforming Megatron, sending the huge Decepticon stumbling backwards.

“Sam, flee now!”

Sam leapt from the truck and headed for a side street, but Megatron stopped him, his massive bulk blocking the way.

“THE CUBE!”

“Ahhhh!” Sam turned in the other direction as Optimus Prime jumped over his head. Prime crashed into Megatron and the two colossi rolled over and over, raining blows on one another.

Optimus was batted aside. “THE ALL SPARK IS MINE, BOY!”

Lennox’s men raced up. “Open fire! Raptors, concentrate on the big bad guy!”

The hail of sabot round from human guns and sabot warhead-tipped missiles slowed Megatron down, enraging the powerful Decepticon. Batting down one of the Raptors, he aimed an arm cannon at the pitiful humans with their externally held heat weapons.

“Get back!”

Optimus Prime leapt in front, his sword slicing off his foe’s hand. Aghast, Megatron brutally backhanded Prime and kicked him. “Once I have the Energon, I will kill you and devour you Spark, Brother.”

Megatron loomed over Sam. “It is over. You will die and I will take the Cube.”

Optimus never gave up. Hurtling at the Decepticon, he slammed him to the ground and turned to Sam.

“Push the cube into my chest! My Spark will destroy it!”

“But what about you?” asked Sam, raising the Cube slowly above his head.

“Just do it now!”

Sam cautiously thrust the Cube up as Megatron hurled himself forward. “NOOOOOOOOOO! It is MINE!”

Optimus was kneed in the face and fell over backward. Megatron grabbed at Sam, claws outstretched. “It is -”

Sam continued his upward motion with the All Spark, driving it into Megatron’s Spark. There was a blinding flash of light and explosion of power and the energy of the Cube was blasted into Megatron’s body, which shook and convulsed, overloaded with energy. It’s thrashing ending when the power finished raving the Decepticon’s systems, the titan collapsed, his crumpled form crashing to the earth and lying still.

“Oh my god…” gasped Sam weakly, falling to his knees from relief and exhaustion.

“Sam!”

Mikaela had abandoned the tow truck and raced over to him. “Oh, Sam, you’re alive, you’re al-”
Bumblebee watched the spectacle curiously as the two humans pressed their lips together and embraced each other passionately.

Optimus got to his feet. Ironhide and Ratchet, both still alive, managed to climb back up also, despite the damage inflicted against them.

“Sam Witwiky, you my life, the lives of all Autobots, and everyone on your planet.”

Sam looked up at him, still holding Mikaela. “Yeah. Thanks, I guess.”

“It is I who owe you thanks.”

Lennox climbed over. “Good job, kid. Way to stick it to them.”

Watching the proceedings from above, Starscream turned and rocketed into space, an F-22 leaving the atmosphere. He would be back, with more Decepticons. The death of Megatron only accelerated his plans, if the loss of the All Spark slowed them.
But he would be back. For revenge.