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-Four Orns ago-
"You really need to stop worrying Jazz" Prowl said as he read over a data-pad that was finalising the details for the shuttle to launch the Allspark team into space. "Everything has been running smoothly"
"That's what's got me twitchy mech" Jazz protested as he sat reclined in Prowl's office guest chair two of the chair's legs suspended in the air as the saboteur's pedes rested on the desk. "It's been too quiet since Megatron took off after that hunk of scrap."
"That hunk of scrap nearly cost Bumblebee his life to jettison into space" Prowl softly reprimanded poking Jazz's pedes with his stylus "Pedes off the desk please"
"Aww come on Prowler!" Jazz whined doing as he was told his chair slamming down onto all fours again "let's go get some energon in the rec-room and celebrate Bumblebee's survival."
The Tactician chuckled throwing him a rare smile as he piled his data-pads into a neat stack in his 'out box' "You have an uncanny ability to make things seem less serious than they are Jazz"
"That's ma speciality Prowler!" Jazz grinned back as his bondmate gave him an affectionate nudge through their sensitive bond.
An azure visor flashed in amusement as the doorwinged mech gave an exaggerated bow and threw his arm out "Gentle-mechs and general annoyances first"
A silver glossa stuck out between silver lip-plates had the SIC chuckling again as the TIC graciously took his offer and marched out of the door.
They joined a spare table in the rec-room along with Wheeljack and a grumpy looking Ratchet both having been convinced to take a break from Perceptor and First Aid respectively. "What's up mech?" Jazz asked curiously to the CMO as Prowl went to get them some energon.
"Twins" the head engineer said cheerfully, his colour indicators flashing merrily, patting his annoyed bondmate on the shoulder "They found his last stash of good High Grade and have scattered it all over the base."
"Another report will be on my desk by the time I get back no doubt" Prowl sighed through his intakes as he sat down, nudging Jazz's cube towards him.
"Afraid so Prowl" Wheeljack said the edges of his optics crinkling as if he were smiling under his blast mask. "Ratch' clocked them good"
"Score?" Jazz asked with a smile
"Oh, easily a nine" Wheeljack said waving a servo as if to discard any objections
"Wow that impressive huh?"
"It's all in the wrist" Ratchet said with a smug grin as Prowl hid his own smile by taking a swig from his energon. "Anyway, I am enjoying my time-off. It's been very quiet around here since Megatron went after the Allspark. Starscream obviously isn't in a hurry to retrieve him anytime soon"
"Don't free up to much of that schedule of yours Ratchet" Prowl said "Optimus has given me the final team list and specifications to go after the Allspark. We move out in six orns"
"Way to dampen the mood Prowl" Sideswipe grinned cheekily popping up behind the tactician with a cheery wave, his golden twin sitting heavily into a vacant seat with a half-hearted grunt of a greeting
"And you two aren't still concussed how?" Ratchet growled as the silver twin plonked down beside him
"Because Sunny and me have very hard helms" Sideswipe declared tapping his twin on the helm with a fist making the golden twin growl
"Don't do that Sides, I just got my finish the way I like it!" the gold front line warrior snapped batting his twins hand away from him.
As if tempted by fate, the base alarms roared into life.
"Slag it" the table of mechs cursed
Prowl leapt up in sync with Jazz both barking out orders to the mechs that had paused in surprise "Battle stations!" Prowl demanded sharply as most of the bots scrambled for the door. "Jazz with me!"
Both SIC and TIC jogged towards the war room meeting Optimus on the way. "Sit Rep!" Prowl barked as they arrived, some junior tacticians crowded around a holographic war simulator clearing their practice session and giving way to the Prime and his group.
"Infiltration in the ventilation system on corridor seven" Red Alert called sounding slightly panicky from his bank of monitors "Ravage, he's got something in his jaws"
"Slag" Ironhide cursed as Optimus began to rattle off orders "Jazz take corridor eight with Sideswipe and help Ratchet protect the Medbay. It's likely he might be trying to eliminate the injured bots. Prowl you take Wheeljack and Sunstreaker to guard the Power Generator. All Autobots are to shoot Ravage on sight."
"Aye Sir!" the bots saluted before rushing off to do their tasks.
-Power Generator Room—
Sunstreaker paced restlessly as Wheeljack checked all over the power core, his fingers flying over different keys that brought up everything from energy output to when the radioactive cell needed to be replaced. Prowl was watching from the doors to the Generator room his acid pellet rifle held tightly in his hand.
"No anomalies Prowl" Wheeljack said as the key board and screen retreated back into the last generator "All clear in every one of them, except number two. I'll need to notify the repair drones that we need to change the R-Cell."
Suddenly the door hissed closed making Prowl jump backwards to prevent himself for getting stuck in the door his acid pellet gun falling from his grasp and into the abandoned corridor. "Prime, emergency shutdown has been engaged!" Prowl called into the comm. on the wall, it buzzed with static "Prime!"
"It's that old cell. It just died" Wheeljack said with a frown "It has stopped supplying the corridor with power. As a Safety feature all doors shut down"
Sunstreaker's faceplate twisted into a similar frown as he gazed over the dark interior of the room lit only by the red lights that glowed along the floor around the generators. "My codes are not working and my gun is now in the corridor. We are going to be stuck in here until Red Alert realises we are here" He heard Prowl tell Wheeljack as he moved off to have a look at something sitting in the far corner.
"Uh… Guys?"
Prowl's gold optics turned towards him as did Wheeljack's neon blue ones in curiosity. "I Just found out what Ravage was carrying" he said as he pulled the tarp from the object in the corner.
"Primus… It's an ion bomb…" Wheeljack gasped, the silver box showing the screen had just started its fatal countdown.
Prowl was back on the comm. in a flash "We found what Ravage was carrying. It's an Ion bomb!" more static answered him "Slag it! Is anybody getting this?"
"Wheeljack!" Sunstreaker growled his optics widening "Shut it down!"
"It's delicate!" Wheeljack snapped back, kneeling beside the contraption dragging a screwdriver like device from his subspace and with a few twists Wheeljack tossed the top of the device away with a casual flick of his wrist, delving into the innards of the device, Sunstreaker hovering nervously beside him.
"How much longer Wheeljack?" Prowl asked cautiously
"A three breems at most" Wheeljack said his colour indicators flashing a dim blue
"Oh, fantastic" Sunstreaker raved "Because according to this we have exactly two breems until we are doing a nice impression of a collage across the walls!"
"I said at most" the Chief Engineer growled back as he mentally followed some of the wires "One wrong wire disconnected and even Swindle will have a hard time selling our remains"
"How can we get the word out?" Prowl asked to himself pausing as the wall comm. hissed static back at him again. "Jazz…" he whispered to himself
Jazz! He cried reaching through their bond
Prowler! Jazz called back clearly relieved We saw off Ravage, Steeljaw caught up with him as he was leaving.
Jazz we have a problem… Prowl winced as he heard Wheeljack curse as he pulled a wrong wire and the countdown shifted to half a breem. We found an Ion bomb and Wheeljack is trying to deactivate it. We are locked in the Generator room thanks to a sudden shutdown.
Prowl recoiled as his mate's half of the bond became laced in panic "Wheeljack!" he snapped as the engineer moved away from the bomb looking distraught
"I can't do it, the wires are all back-crossed to the trigger that it sets it off" the Engineer muttered as he leaned against one of the Generators "But I can protect the Generators."
The gold twin winced clearly having told his brother of the situation "Well, we're slagged…"
"Protect the Generators Wheeljack" Prowl said in resignation as the engineer typed on the main hub screen powering up the powerful shields designed for such a purpose.
As the Generators became shrouded in what appeared to a pale silver screen of energy clinging to the valuable power columns like a second skin, virtually impenetrable, Wheeljack and Sunstreaker converged by the locked door where Prowl stood leaning against it.
"Mechs" Wheelack said softly as the bomb whittled down to its last seconds "It's been an honour" He then gave a soft chuckle "I don't think Ratchet will able to patch me up after this explosion."
Sunstreaker folded his arms across his chest a scowl crossing his faceplate "Never did finish that painting of Iacon… Slag…"
"I'm honoured to have worked with you all" Prowl sighed inclining his helm to the mechs who inclined their helms in return Sorry Jazz
The world exploded in white.
-Jazz POV—
Running down the corridor full tilt the silver mech stumbled as the whole base shuddered, comm. links springing into life as groups on corridors around the Generators were suddenly pinned or hit by shrapnel and large slabs of wall.
"Prowl!"He shrieked falling to his knees as pain flared wildly across his precious bond, Sideswipe also falling flat onto his front as agony took hold at the sudden pain that his twin was in
"Sunny! Sunny please!" he vaguely heard the silver twin beg, clawed hands scrabbling at the floor "Don't leave me"
"Prowl" he chanted over and over to himself as his world tilted, his upper body falling to the floor as the world seemed to slow, mechs pedes falling around him. Inferno putting out a blaze not far from him, Ironhide digging through the rubble with other uninjured mechs as strong servos lifted him.
"Jazz!" he heard Optimus rumble at him worry glittering in his seemingly over bright optics giving the small mech a soft shake to get his waning attention "Jazz!"
"Prowl…" the saboteur whispered as darkness widened across his vision and he dropped offline in his leader's grasp.