Author's Note I Really Hope People Will Read: I'm going to try to make this quick and to the point so that you guys can actually get to what you want. Guys, the review option is there for reviews, not to leave update requests. I have literally had DOZENS of people leaving reviews that say 'please update' and it is PISSING me off. I have had a schedule posted on my profile of what I will update and when since before New Years and so far I have managed to keep to that schedule. Do any of you understand how hard it is for me to have something to post every week when before I went MONTHS without even opening a word document, never mind actually posting anything? I'm sorry I can't crank out multiple chapters for multiple stories like some of the truly awesome authors like SakuraDemonAlchemist but I have a life beyond writing. For instance, this week I am working SEVEN nights in a row at my job at the Walmart Neighborhood Market because my fellow night shift maintenance worker is taking a week long vacation. I am EXHAUSTED when I come home because I spend the hours between ten PM to seven AM on my feet, and yet I still have to edge the front and side yards, cut the grass, pull vines out of our bushes, lay down six bales of pine straw, replace the bird seed and suet in our little bird feeding area, and as a bonus I may have to do some repair work on the sprinkler system. All of this and still try to get a two thousand word plus chapter written within seven days, when I can barely get one or two paragraphs down at once. I'm sorry, but as much as I would love to take advantage of my maximum speed of one hundred words per minute typing ability to just crank out stories all day, not only is my word document program INCAPABLE of keeping up making me have to start and stop while it catches up, but I can't actually keep a constant 'scene' in my head for that long, especially when I need to transcribe from video sources. You all are lucky I haven't reverted back to my old schedule and yet every time I see that review alert in my email I'm mentally flipping a coin on whether I should open it or not because I'm convinced ninety percent of the time all that will be there is 'update please'. And here's the funny part, four out of five times I click on the person's profile, they don't even have any stories of their own. If you want a story that badly, why don't you simply sit down in front of the computer and start writing yourselves. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE going back and forward with those who leave actual reviews but right now I'm at the end of my rope, and that rope is about to be cut. So please, for the love of Primus, Log, and Merlin, stop asking for updates in the review section. If you don't have anything constructive to add to that story, please just go to my profile and take a look at the schedule so that you can count how many weeks before I post the next chapter.
(Sigh) Well, that went much longer than I expected, I apologize. Anyway, here's the next chapter for you guys.
2. Laser Pointer Of Death
I glanced at the object inside the vault with a contemplative look. Now that it was raining outside, a rather rare occurrence in the desert if my basic knowledge of geographical meteorology was correct, it was time for the next act. Was it worth trying to be helpful only to get violently shut down or should I just keep my mouth shut. Finally shrugging to myself, I grabbed the Apex Armor and walked back into the main area. Instead of going straight to Bulkhead though, I approached Ratchet and said "Hey doctor, do you mind if I ask you a quick medical question?"
Ratchet seemed to want to sigh as he turned around and said "I suppose I could spare a minute. What do you want to know Smokescreen, and why do you have the Apex Armor with you?"
"Well the Apex Armor is operated mentally rather than by the physical motions of the body inside it so I was thinking, could we use it as a sort of brace for Bulkhead? You know, maybe have him spend an hour or two in it each day to try and help his war injury recover?"
"You think I need a crutch?!" Bulkhead roared as he formed his mace and prepared to knock the Armor away.
Ratchet's outstretched hand stopped the Wrecker cold though as the Medic thought. Finally, he nodded and said "It is certainly worth a shot Smokescreen, and an excellent idea if it works."
"Glad to hear it Commander." I said with a grin before I spun ninety degrees and slammed the armor onto Bulkhead's chest before he could stop me. Once the armor was finished installing itself, I tapped the now bigger than usual big guy's chest and said "You can thank me later Bulkhead." Whistling as I walked away from the now grumbling Wrecker, I moved towards where Optimus was standing and said "How are things going on your end sir?"
"Slow but steady, Smokescreen." Optimus said.
I gave a sigh and said "I guess when the dominant species is organic based, cyber technology suffers. If we were in Iacon, you'd probably have this whole database decoded in a week. A single day if the Big A was working with you."
"Our shared mentor working with me would indeed speed things along rather well." Optimus said with what could have been a whimsical smile on his face even as he continued his work.
Time Skip: Two Hours Later
Optimus called for everyone to meet up in the command center and once we were all gathered, Agent Fowler began explaining about Project Damocles.
"At 16:30 hours, a satellite was stolen from a high security military vault. Surveillance shows the Decepticon known as Breakdown at the scene." Agent Fowler said showing said surveillance on the main screen.
"Haven't seen him in a while." Bulkhead said slightly excited for another shot at his rival.
'Gee, I wonder why.' I thought sarcastically.
"It looks like Breakdown entered the base in vehicle mode, with someone behind the wheel." The former ranger continued his report.
"A Decepticon paired with a human?!" Ratchet asked incredulously.
"And I have a pretty good hunch who. The stolen satellite was Project Damocles." Agent Fowler informed.
"Invented by Silas." Optimus said.
"I guess the former Colonel Bishop wanted it back." Agent Fowler commented.
"But I thought Silas perished." Bumblebee said.
"Yeah, I thought Silas was paste." Arcee agreed.
"So did I." The Ranger said with a shrug.
"Agent Fowler, even if he were alive, are you suggesting that Silas has allied Mech with the Decepticons? I highly doubt that Megatron would entertain such an idea!" Ratchet said disbelief ringing loudly in his words.
"But what if he actually didn't, or at least not yet?" I asked drawing everyone's attention to me.
"Smokescreen, you have a theory?" Optimus asked with a tilted head.
I nodded and said "I've been reading the reports of your past missions hoping that it could keep me from being lost if something from your guys' recent past comes up again. Part of that reading was about Mech and the actions they have taken against both Autobots and Decepticons. They have demonstrated before that they have the capability to take down Cybertronians if they can get the drop on them, and Silas had a large portion of a silo's roof drop on him. If I was part of a group of relatively technologically advanced humans with little to no moral obligations and I had a critically injured leader and a Cybertronian body, whether still living or not, I think I might be interested in transferring said leader into said Cybertronian's body. It would give their operatives quite a boost to become a transformer after all."
Everyone Autobot and human alike stared at me blankly for a moment before Miko suddenly grinned and said "So you mean this time Silas might actually be inside the robot he's using?" As everyone's attention turned to her, I let out a smirk and thought 'Well she did call it before, just not with Nemesis Prime.
Coughing into my fist, I drew everyone's attention back to me and continued "Yes well, it's still quite possible that Silas intends to use the satellite as a bargaining chip to earn a 'seat at Megatron's table' as it were."
"A scenario which is as likely as it is concerning. Still, well thought out Smokescreen" Optimus said with a nod that almost came off as proud and I felt my spark warm slightly, the only thing keeping me from grinning being the fact that I knew that I was right due to having seen these events unfold behind a tv screen and unable to tell the Bots how I really knew what I did.
Agent Fowler regained all of our attention as he said "We'll have to get back to the hows and whys later. Now, Project Damocles is a particle beam canon so powerful it can slice up the Pentagon like a birthday cake, or give everyone on Mount Rushmore a mohawk, all from a satellite in orbit. It's the work of a madman, and in Megatron's hands, a threat to anyone, anywhere on the planet, with pinpoint accuracy at the flick of a switch. Thankfully, the Cons may have the satellite, but they can't use it without the interface code. The only existing copy is stored on the secure servers at Headquarters in Colorado."
"We must keep the code out of Decepticon hands at all cost." Optimus said with a frown.
A snort from me interrupted Bulkhead's excited "Let's Roll!" and as everyone once more looked at me, Optimus said "You have more to add Smokescreen?"
"Yeah, what good is having the code if they don't have the Satellite? I say we just take over the thing's maneuvering mechanisms and drop it in an ocean." I said with crossed arms.
"Smokescreen does have a point Optimus, without the actual weapon, the trigger is worthless. If we can get Raphael's help, a lot of trouble could be prevented." Ratchet said.
"Agreed. However, even if we are to go with this plan, we must still at least make a visual attempt at keeping the Decepticons from obtaining the code, if only to distract them from Raphael's actions." Optimus said and I nodded seeing the wisdom in that.
"I also believe that we should have someone guarding Raphael's house in case the Decepticons decide to take out the intruder in a permanent matter. Bulkhead and Smokescreen seem the best choices for this slim but still possible future problem." Ratchet said and I only allowed myself to blink once at how events were lining up with the show so smoothly.
"Wise counsel indeed Old Friend." Optimus said nodding at his Medic before he glanced at all of the rest of us and said "Team Prime, let's roll."
Time Skip: Ten Minutes Later
Seeing the Decepticon wannabe pull up into the street, I turned on my lights and revved my engine before I shot forward at full speed down the street towards him. My smaller profile slipped under Silas' chassis and he immediately began rolling as I continued pushing him down the street and towards the drainage canal.
We both transformed as we entered open air and as I skidded to a stop, I said "You know, it was rather stupid of you to not check to see if one of us Bots were keeping the kids safe while they took down the Satellite."
"I'll have to remember that for next time." Silas said as his hammer formed.
"And what makes you think there'll be a next time?" I asked before nodding behind Silas.
Said former Colonel glanced back and saw the Apex Armored Bulkhead slam his fists together as he said "I've been itching to trade paint again. Where've you been Breakdown?"
"Be patient, I'm about to send you both there." Silas said.
Bulkhead frowned before glancing over to me and said "That settles it, you were right Kid. MECH really did put Silas in a Transformer's body."
"Oh, the new guy has a good analytical mind, does he?" Silas said as he glanced back at me and said "Seems like it would be a good idea to take you out first then." He then rushed me and slammed his hammer down only for it to pass right through where I had been. Following one of the two plans Bulkhead and I had quickly come up with while we waited, I finished my one foot spin going low and swept the big guy's leg out from under him before rolling away as Bulkhead used the Apex Armor's mentally controlled mechanics to leap up high before coming down on Silas like a cartoon Acme Anvil and slammed Silas into a crater that while relatively shallow reached from channel wall to wall.
Bulkhead jumped out of said crater and landed by me. Giving me a grin, he said "I changed my mind Kid, I think I could get to like using this thing."
I let out a chuckle at that before glancing at Silas as he groaned and shakily got to his feet. Tsking, I said "Guess he's got a harder shell than I thought. I was sure that would have crushed him like a bug in a soda can that just got stomped."
"Sorry to disappoint." Silas said before his gun appeared and he fired a missile at us. The missile exploded against the right side of Bulkhead's Armor and the fireball engulfed us. But when it cleared, neither of us had so much as a scuff mark and I was satisfied to see Silas' right foot subtly move back while his jaw dropped a little and he asked "How?"
I smirked and said "Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance Silas." The next instant, I shot forward and phased through the hybrid before slamming a kick into his back sending him towards Bulkhead who punched him back to me and we started slamming the bastard around in a demented game of Pong. Once Silas had dropped all pretenses of being able to properly defend himself against our back and forward assault, I drew my knives and the next time he came towards me used the phase shifter to bury my right knife halfway into Breakdown's torso before letting go and used the other knife in its head. Immediately after, the yellow lights of its optics faded and Silas slumped to the ground, deader than a door knob.
Bulkhead walked over and courteously flipped the big guy's body over so I could reclaim my knives even as he said "Well done, noobie, there's hope for you yet."
I accepted the 'light' high five the Wrecker gave me and said "Thanks Bulkhead." Anything further I could say was interrupted as there was a red light and crackling sound above us and we saw the Satellite breaking apart as it burned in the atmosphere.
So the satellite was destroyed and Silas was dead meaning Thirst would never happen leaving a vampirical Airachnid and her hive on one of Cybertron's moons for some poor fool to find in a few years when we restored Cybertron. Not a bad day all things considered.
End