Chapter 19: Bumblebee's Showdown
"Boom!"
"Argh, you damn little bug! Get over here!"
Even though Shockwave wore Fifth-Generation armor, every Transformer had a weak point the head. Unexpectedly, Bumblebee's shots were so precise that one nearly struck Shockwave's right optic. If the fierce Decepticon hadn't turned his head at the last second, he might have become a one-eyed dragon!
Shockwave's circuits buzzed with fury and disbelief.
This tiny Autobot wasn't just any civilian soldier he was a trained warrior.
It seemed that Shockwave had completely underestimated Bumblebee because of his small size. Sometimes, appearance truly made the perfect camouflage.
"Decepticon, you've made an unforgivable mistake! You shouldn't have attacked us Autobots. Now, Bumblebee will teach you a lesson!"
Facing the towering, aggressive Shockwave, Bumblebee showed not a trace of fear. Instead, he darted swiftly to the Decepticon's left side and fired at his ankle.
"Boom!"
Though the blast didn't pierce Shockwave's armor, the impact from Bumblebee's laser cannon was enough to knock him off balance. The Decepticon stumbled and crashed face-first into the crater he'd created earlier, his massive head buried in the dirt.
"Bumblebee! I'm going to tear you apart and use your car doors as a skateboard! Shockwave !!"
The once-proud Decepticon, who considered himself among the most agile of Transformers, now looked like a newborn child being tossed around for fun.
Just as he pulled himself from the pit, a chunk of metal came flying and struck him right in the face slamming his head back into the ground. It didn't hurt much… but it definitely wounded his pride.
"You tough little pest! If you were facing a Decepticon of your own level, you wouldn't even be standing right now!"
Bumblebee, for his part, was frustrated too. He had picked the perfect timing and location to strike. Against an opponent of equal strength, his attack would have caused serious damage maybe even total destruction. But Shockwave's defenses were far beyond anything he'd faced.
That alone was infuriating.
"Damn you, bumble! I'll swallow you whole! Shockwave transform!"
Having been hit again and again without landing a counterattack, Shockwave finally snapped. His form shifted and warped turning once more into the giant cyber-worm he'd been before.
In this mode, Shockwave could burrow underground and devour his enemies whole, digesting them and absorbing their energy into his own systems. Clearly, his plan was to annihilate the irritating little Autobot and use Bumblebee's energy to restore his strength a twisted but effective strategy.
Unfortunately for him, even with his tripled speed, he couldn't catch Bumblebee. The yellow Autobot zipped around effortlessly, his agility unmatched.
As the two clashed in a dizzying exchange of attacks, neither noticed the faint movement from nearby where a massive figure, Thug, previously immobilized, slowly raised his right hand.
With a groaning metallic sound, Thug's huge palm clamped down on the tail of the giant worm and ripped Shockwave out of the ground like a fish on a hook.
"Decepticon… you'll pay for everything you've done. I, Thug, will be your judge today!"
Though his energy reserves were nearly depleted, seeing Shockwave reignited something deep within Thug a spark of purpose, of vengeance.
He opened his enormous mechanical jaws and swallowed Shockwave whole.
Normally, Thug wasn't a beast-type Transformer, and thus had no reason to devour others for energy. But with his reserves nearly empty, there was no room for restraint. Shockwave was one of the strongest Decepticons alive if Thug could absorb even part of that power, he might survive a little longer.
"N-No! You Autobots how can you ! What is this? Let me go! LET ME GO!"
Thick energy cables snaked out from Thug's core, connecting to Shockwave's skull, chest, and fuel conduits. Every part of Shockwave's body that still carried energy was drained by these parasitic wires.
Pinkish light began to flow from Shockwave's form his energy being siphoned and reabsorbed into Thug.
It was an ancient, forbidden technique energy plundering used by the strongest Transformers.
Beast-type or not, only elite-level mechs could perform it, and it was strictly banned among the Autobots as an act of brutality and dishonor.
"Shockwave," Thug growled, his voice like grinding steel, "you were so proud of your 'law of the jungle' when slaughtering our civilians earlier. Now that same law applies to you. Poetic, isn't it?"
In his final moments, Thug no longer cared if his actions were condemned.
If absorbing Shockwave's energy meant he could unleash one last devastating strike against Megatron's army, then it was worth it.
But it wasn't time yet.
First, Thug needed to provoke Megatron force the Decepticon leader to focus all his forces in one place. Only then would Thug's final strike have its full, devastating effect.
Shockwave's capture and apparent demise made the perfect bait the spark that would ignite Megatron's fury.
And indeed, the moment Megatron saw his trusted lieutenant being swallowed whole by the Commander, he erupted in rage leaping from his command seat like a beast unchained.
(End of Chapter)