This story picks up where Life in the Dead End leaves off.
Rated T for adult concepts.
Insecticon Presents:
HOSTAGES
Or: How Dave The Vehicon Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Autobots
*Megatron, you have three of my Autobots hostage. I want them back unharmed.*
The leader of the Decepticons reclined in his throne, pleased with the situation playing out before him. Though the Autobots had stolen some of the protoforms aboard the Harbinger, they had placed themselves into his servos.
"So the mighty Optimus Prime has decided to beg for the lives of his soldiers," the gladiator tormented. "How pathetic. We would not enter such hostage negotiations with you. Why do you think the Decepticons would even entertain the notion of bargaining with you for the lives of three worthless Autobot soldiers who allowed themselves to be captured for sparklings?"
*Because you're gloating about it,* Optimus countered somberly but forcefully. *Name your terms.*
Megatron only wished that Prime could see the look on his face as he did just that.
...
"Absolutely not!" Ratchet snarled across the Autobot communication frequency. "None of them would agree to such a trade!"
*I'm inclined to agree with the Doctor,* Ultra Magnus added with a commanding air of formality. *We cannot afford to turn you over to Megatron in exchange for Arcee, Bulkhead and Jazz.*
*I don't see how we have a choice,* Prime responded.
*It's too tactically advantageous for Megatron to have you as a prisoner. Not only would he have access to all of our intelligence but he'd have the Matrix as well,* Prowl said. *You're going to have to ask him to name some other terms. We'll deal with the fallout.*
Unhappy silence followed on the radio frequency for what seemed like forever, Prime finally relenting. *All right. I'll see what I can do.*
...
Megatron chuckled to himself. He could tell how much Prime wanted to do the noble thing, the honorable thing, the strategically foolish thing, and turn himself in, but he surmised that Prime's advisors had soundly brought that idea to heel. While the most debilitating option had been removed from play, he still had plenty of thumbscrews to turn.
"Perhaps you're right, Prime. Your head commands a price much higher than a mere three Autobot soldiers," Megatron mused, taking his time and enjoying the strength of his bargaining posture. He briefly considered making hostage of taking of enemy soldiers a regular affair if it could command such a reaction from the soft-hearted Autobots.
"Very well. You Autobots came onto Decepticon property and stole something from us. In exchange for your friends . . ." The grin on his face threatened to split his head in half. " . . . We want the protoforms back."
...
"No!" June gasped, drawing a hand to her mouth. Her heart sank in her chest as she looked to Shiftlock.
The new mother held the still quiescent protoforms closer to her body, sitting up on the emergency berth, staring at the communications console with a look of disbelieving horror.
Ratchet held out a hand to the others, drawing a finger to his lips, requesting their quiet as he went back to the control console. "We can send them back through the ground bridge," he said. "But they're live, so if you want to make any use of them, you'd better get them into transportation stasis within a cycle."
*Very good,* Megatron replied. *But you won't mind if we make certain you return all of them. We will be taking the time to make certain that the numbers on the cargo manifest add up with what you bring us.*
Ratchet grimmaced, shutting his eyes, the mood in the room sinking through the floor. June hugged the children a little closer. The ploy had failed.
"We - we can't do that," Ratchet finally replied.
*Then we are at an impasse. I'm afraid we'll have to execute the Wrecker and the Special Operations soldier - your third in command, is it? We'll be keeping the two-wheeler. She can help us put the rest of the protoforms to good use,* Megatron stated, tightening the noose.
Jack's fist tightened. "You're barbaric!" he snarled, making sure he was loud enough to be heard.
*Is that Arcee's human pet?* Megatron taunted, his tone aggravatingly condescending. *If you can't bear to be parted from your mistress, you can always come join her! I'm certain we have a cage big enough for you to call home.* He chuckled darkly. *And where is Miss Nakadai? Would she like to hear Bulkhead being torn apart?*
"Get scrapped!" Miko yelled defiantly, her body trembling in anger and fear for the big green Autobot that was all but a father to her.
"That's enough!" Shiftlock snapped, sliding off the berth and walking over to the comm array, holding her sparklings in either arm. "What good are my children to you, Megatron? Turning them over to you to kill is no better than the alternative you're implying. Trading three of us just to kill two helpless sparklings? What do you take us for, idiots - or are you so incapable on the battlefield that the only way you can stop us is to go after us before we can move?"
...
Megatron narrowed his eyes. "So you were the one that needed the protoforms. How interesting." He drummed his talons against the armest of his throne. "You are quite right, Shiftlock. It would be a waste for me to kill two sparklings when I could kill two Autobots and take the third to recover our numbers. I have a better idea, one I think you'll agree to: Turn over the sparklings to us, and I will personally see to their care. Under my direct tutelage they will become fine Decepticon warriors."
He decided to twist the knife. "But that would still leave us two to three, which is hardly a fair trade. I don't think children should be separated from their mother at such a tender age, do you? You will be coming with them."
...
All optics were on Shiftlock. Silence hit the Autobot comm channel.
*You do not have to agree to Megatron's terms,* Optimus Prime counselled.
Shiftlock looked back at the expressions of those around her: Worry. Fear. Hope. Frustration. Conflicted emotion. She looked down at the two tiny bundles in her arms, their optics still shut, their brain modules still compiling and spark frames still building network connections. They weren't yet aware of the battle that was being fought over their futures.
"No disrespect meant, sir - but I do," Shiftlock said, steeling herself to what was to come. "Megatron: I don't trust you any further than I can throw you, but do I have your word that if I come willingly, you will not harm my children?"
*You have my word as a Decepticon,* Megatron smoothly replied.
"Your word as a deceiver? Not good enough," Shiftlock retorted. "Swear on your honor and glory as the champion of Kaon, and I'm yours."
This seemed to give the leader of the Decepticons pause. He replied after a small delay, his tone more forthright and sincere. "I swear it."
"I will arrive at the coordinates you transmit within a few moments. I should say my goodbyes," she offered.
*Very well. Be prompt, Autobot, or the deal is off.* Megatron's transmission ended, coordinates showing up on the holographic screen.
"You can't do this!" Rafael protested, stepping forward. "There's gotta be another way!"
"War is a dirty business," Shiftlock said firmly but consolingly to the youngest of the three kids. "We've had a general moratorium on generating new Cybertronians in the Autobot ranks since the Great War began, and it was to prevent situations like this from happening. Nevertheless, hostage situations are as old as warfare itself, and when it comes down to who lives and who dies . . . you can't let your feelings get in the way. Three for three, even trade. Everyone comes home."
"Except for you and the sparklings," Ratchet pointed out remorsefully.
"I'm a Wrecker," Shiftlock reminded him. "Impossible odds behind enemy lines is kind of our thing." She looked around the room to the others and gave them an encouraging smile. "Megatron thinks he's getting easy prey that he can push around however he wants. All he's getting is a grenade waiting for her pin to be pulled."
...
The groundbridge opened. Shiftlock stepped through, holding her offspring. Bumblebee and Smokescreen passed through the groundbridge behind Shiftlock, each with a stasis-set Protoform in either arm.
Arcee was lying on the ground, still unconscious from Knock Out's energon prod as the Aston Martin stood over her, weapon pointed at the femme's back. Bulkhead was on his knees nearby, arms behind his head, with Blackout's chest cannon charged up and waiting to fire. Jazz was on the other side of Arcee, badly beaten; Barricade looked like he had fared no better, despite the smug look on his face. Starscream was immediately nearby, a missile pointed at Jazz to keep the special operations soldier at bay.
The valley near the stone arc and forest the framed the crash site of the Harbinger was ringed with Vehicons, Insecticons, and Seekers. There was no possible way of Autobot escape barring the direct intervention of Primus himself.
Megatron strolled across the ground with victorious confidence, his shadow falling over the Wrecker and her young. Bumblebee and Smokescreen scowled up at the tyrant, waves of loathing rolling off their electromagnetic fields.
"Let the others go first," Shiftlock demanded. "You know I won't go back on my word."
"But I cannot say the same for your associates," Megatron stated. He pointed to a contingency of Vehicons a short distance. "Have the scout and the young upstart place the protoforms over there, and move away from the groundbridge. We can begin releasing the prisoners one at a time, starting with Bulkhead."
He looked over at the Autobot prisoners, particularly savoring the expression on Jazz's face. He never dreamed he would see such delightful agony rolling across the Autobot's features.
His fusion cannon was aimed at one of the sparklings in Shiftlock's arms. "I know you Autobots are fond of last-moment heroics, so I'm going to give you some incentive to do as you are told. If any of you attempts an escape, I can guarantee you it will come at a cost."
Bumblebee angrily moved away from the bridge, setting his two protoforms down at the feet of the Vehicons, whose weapons were kept aimed on him. Smokescreen followed, both of the younger Autobots keeping their eyes on Megatron, furious and frustrated at the situation.
"Very good," Megatron praised, his eyes never leaving the three Autobot soldiers in front of him. "Blackout, release the other Wrecker."
Blackout pushed Bulkhead forward with his foot, still holding the stump of his arm, now patched to prevent him from bleeding out. Bulkhead stumbled forward, getting up and sneering at Blackout threateningly before walking over to the groundbridge. His spark sank as he laid eyes on Shiftlock and the two little ones in his arms. "I'm not worth this, Shiftie," he said. "You should have just let me offline."
Shiftlock managed a smile for Bulkhead. "It'll be okay, Bulk. I promise."
"Soundwave, open a ground bridge," Megatron said aloud, speaking over the Decepticon open frequency. He kept his weapon on Shiftlock and glanced towards the other two captives.
"Scout," Megatron commanded Bumblebee, "I don't think your friends are very lively right now. You and your friend can go retrieve them."
Bumblebee beeped something profane as he sullenly marched towards Arcee and Jazz. Smokescreen followed behind. "Don't think this is over, Megatron!" he growled as he moved pass the silver titan.
Megatron just laughed. "Oh, but I think it is."
Smokescreen knelt by Arcee and tenderly scooped her up into his arms, sighing through his vents. He glowered at Knock Out, daggers in his eyes. The Aston Martin simply looked amused by the display. Bumblebee slid an arm around Jazz's back, moving the wounded Porche's arm around his neck, helping him to stand and gingerly walk towards the open groundbridge.
"Say goodbye to your family, Jazz," Megatron taunted. "They belong to me now."
"Bring me... bring me over to 'em Bee," Jazz weakly requested, ignoring Megatron's taunts. All he wanted was to see them. He'd already missed too much, and he was about to miss even more.
Bumblebee nodded sympathetically, helping Jazz over to Shiftlock. The three Autobots huddled close, Megatron keeping an eye and a fusion cannon on the cluster.
Through the cracked visor, Jazz looked down, and for the first time - and he prayed not the last - he saw his children. Tucked up against their mother, innocent and helpless, the two protoforms, one with red power lines, the other with blue, were oblivious to the world. Jazz gently stroked the top of each of their heads. "They're beautiful, baby," he said softly to Shiftlock.
"They can't help it, they have a good looking father," Shiftlock replied through a weak chuckle, fighting back tears.
Jazz caressed the side of Shiftlock's face. "You shoulda let me go," he protested softly.
"Everything's going to be okay. Trust me," she replied, trembling through the strength of the emotions she fought to control. "Go home. Get repaired. It'll be allright. Everyone's coming out of this alive."
"I think that's enough," Megatron snapped harshly. "Take your injured and leave, Autobots. Shiftlock - come to me. We're leaving."
Dipping her head low to try to hide her face, the orange and black femme slowly crossed the dust to Megatron's side, walking with him as he turned and strode towards the ground bridge across the valley. She stole a glance back at heartbroken faces of Jazz, Bumblebee, Smokescreen and Bulkhead as she passed through the green vortex into the heart of the Decepticon base.
I'm trying shorter chapters in order to produce them more quickly. We'll see how this works, as I'd like to be able to bust out a chapter every day or two.
More to come!