Forging Excalibur

A Transformers: Armada Story

By William Rendfeld

"I honestly don't see the problem. We require reinforcements, immediately."

:"That isn't something to ask for lightly.": Speaking with Starscream all the way from Cybertron was the effective commander of Megatron's forces left on the planet. Feared and respected by the population as the master of Metallikato, Bludgeon was a fearsome warrior despite his unimposing looks, and one whose motives were never entirely clear. :"Our forces are few, if any. While I understand that the Earth campaign is important, we should be concentrating our efforts and taking strength here.":

While Starscream had no doubt that the transmission could be picked up by the Autobots on Earth, mostly due to the proximity and lack of interference, he had equally little doubt that it would not be picked up at the other end, due to a high amount of subspace interference around the Cybertronian homeworld. Truthfully, that didn't bother him all that much. "Procuring the Mini-Cons will augment our forces, you know that." His hands moving deftly, he checked his perimeter scanners before activating an anechoicer beneath the communications panel. A light beep reaching his audio receptors, he gave a small smile and continued with a different tone of voice, "Though you and I both know what will happen if Megatron gets his hands on them."

The Decepticon tank smiled back. :"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give you some help at your end.": While a few among Megatron's forces had suspected Starscream of being a mole, not one suspected that Bludgeon was another. :"Who do you need?":

"Send in mechs I can trust, as many as you can spare – Thundercracker and Mudflap at least, and Skywarp if at all possible."

:"I think I can survive without them.": The yellow tank's confident tone was not unwarranted. :"There's a fourth mech that I'd like to send your way – he needs some straightening out, but I think you're more than up to the task.":

Starscream smiled. "Send him over."

The intercepted transmission being monitored through the Ark's communications terminal, Smokescreen leaned back and looked at his commander. "Who do you suppose this fourth mech is?"

"No one Starscream can't handle," Optimus confidently replied. "Is this being recorded?"

"Best definition we can ask for. And the sooner Screamer gets off the wire, we can send it off home." The orange Autobot crane gave a chuckle. "Times like this, I love subterfuge."

The device shutting off with a second beep, Starscream resumed his former tone. "We'll be expecting reinforcements promptly – space bridge coordinates are being transmitted on a sub-channel. Hail Lord Megatron!" Bludgeon answered in kind before cutting off his transmission, leaving the Seeker to activate his communicator. "Well?"

:"Went off without a hitch.": Swindle's pleased voice answered.

"Transmission's ended – recording's ready to go." Smokescreen turned to Optimus and asked, "Now, not to question your brilliant plan, but I don't think the frequency we've been using to toss stuff home will be strong enough to carry this recording."

The Autobot leader smiled beneath his faceplate. "It won't. But we won't have to worry about that."

Nestled in one of the Nemesis's access tubes, Swindle's gaze went from the tampered communications recorders towards a particularly noticeable grouping of circuitry. "Nice chips. Probably'd get some serious Energon for 'em. If only I had the time." He shook his head, and then violently yanked them from their port.

Suddenly, everything went dark. As the red Mini-Con activated his infrared scope, a familiar voice bellowed, "STARSCREAM!"

"Nemesis long-range sensors down." The Autobot looked to his superior in amazement. "You crafty old soldier, you planned this!"

Neither confirming nor denying it, Optimus simply chucked. "Patch me in." He turned to another monitor as his second-in-command's face appeared. "How's the reception, Jetfire?"

:"The best we've gotten from Earth in a long time. What's the occasion?":

"Starscream's called in some support for Megatron. I'm sending you a copy of the transmission now on a sub-channel."

:"Lucky thing the council voted its support. You tell me who you want over there, and I'll call them up.":

"I appreciate that, but let's hold off for now." His tone turned serious. "We've been found out – the United States government has discovered our location. The good news is that they want to negotiate, but I don't want to jeopardize that by bringing more of us to Earth. Let me work out an agreement first, and then we'll bring in reinforcements."

The Sub-Commander looked nervous, despite the lack of a conventional face. :"I'm not questioning that logic, Optimus, but do you think we can trust them?":

"That remains to be seen, but for now, I want to show that they can trust us. We'll let you know once an agreement's been made. For now, use that information we've given you. I think you can figure things out easily enough."

The shuttle gave a nod. :"Hey, it'll give Checkpoint and Grimlock something to do at least.": He locked optics with his commander. :"All the same, be careful. And good luck.":

The transmission cut off, and Smokescreen quickly turned back to the long-range sensors. "Power to Nemesis should be restored…"

"…now." What systems that had been knocked offline restored to working order, Thrust turned to his leader and gave a small bow. "All systems are once more up and running, my lord."

"We're fortunate that the systems blackout occurred just after I completed my transmission to Cybertron." The Seeker turned to his leader and assured him. "We should expect reinforcements to arrive within the next mega-cycle, Lord Megatron."

"Good. For now, I want all systems checked. I do not wish for this incident to be repeated in the future." Just as he turned to leave the command deck, one of the sensor screens lit up, causing Megatron to pause and examine it. "What's this?"

Thrust quickly checked the monitor. "Another Mini-Con pod has been detected. Its location is on a southern peninsula on one of the northern continents." The tactician gave a small grunt of disapproval. "A human military facility is close by."

Megatron looked upon the monitor, taking notice of the military installation before turning away with a dismissive snort. "At this point, it is of little concern. Scramble all our forces. We have more Mini-Cons to claim."

A light autumn breeze wafted through Diana Masters' hair as she took a sip from her coffee, trying to absorb what her tablemate had just said. "You want me as part of the negotiations?"

Sitting across from her and dressed in a black suit rather than his Air Force blues, Colonel Michael Franklin had opted for hot chocolate over coffee. While far less conspicuous in business attire, he still carried the presence of someone who should not be messed with. "It only makes sense. You've spent more time with them than anyone else. Effectively, that makes you the closest person we have to an expert on them. Aside from that, they trust you."

"It's not my friends in the auto industry I'm worried about. I'm a teacher, not a negotiator. Well, former teacher," she quickly corrected herself. "I doubt I'll even be able to move on to archaeology at this point, given the mess in Indianapolis." A newspaper on the table reported that one of those injured, a Maxwell Beller, had succumbed to his injuries and died while in medical care. The fact that Maxwell was related to a prominent senator wasn't lost on either of them. "I'll bet the lawyers are already lining up to take a stab at me, especially now that I've quit. Granted, I didn't have a choice, but…"

"Diana, now's not the time to be worried about that." The colonel's voice was firm and reassuring. "You know the truth. I know the truth. Those people I work for, now that they're aware of all the facts, are aware of the truth as well. And while there isn't a law preventing anyone from suing you, I doubt anyone has the means or enough of a reason. No judge in the country would allow a suit against someone unless there was proof of their claims, and you're in no way responsible for what happened that day. With luck, our negotiations will be able to prevent something like it from happening again, and they'll go much more smoothly with your help."

The young woman pensively looked down at her cup, and then nodded. "Who do you expect will be speaking on behalf of your higher-ups?"

"Most likely someone from State, maybe someone from Defense. Given the importance of all this, the big boss himself might want to attend." In truth, the colonel had little idea of who would be speaking on behalf of the US government – while the nation had many excellent diplomats, it was relatively light on ones experienced in dealing with extraterrestrials, as far as he was aware. "Whoever comes, they should only take a few days, a week at most. I'm sure you can hold off moving until then."

Diana gave a small smile. "That's not the problem. I'm not leaving until my rent expires at the end of the month. I'm just hoping that it isn't the VP who'll be negotiating." At the colonel's quirked eyebrow, she elaborated, "What? I have issues with him. I'm entitled."

"I'm not saying you aren't. You just need to…" Franklin's cell phone interrupted him. Glad he was outdoors and had good reception, he answered. "Yes? Understood. Make certain the area is clear before they get there." He hung up, Diana looking at him curiously. "Cape Canaveral's picked up some unusual radio signals from the direction of Merritt Island. They're a match for signals your friends have an interest in."

Diana downed the last of her coffee. "Never a dull moment."

"Scans confirm the location of another Mini-Con pod in Florida." Screens zoomed in on a portion of the peninsula as Red Alert narrowed down the location. "Location's narrowed to within the confines of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, roughly ten miles northwest from the Kennedy Space Center."

The Autobot leader looked over the map, and took little relief from the pod's location near the sensitive installation. "Smokescreen, can you contact Colonel Franklin?"

A chime sounding off from the communications console, and the Autobot crane gave a chuckle. "Don't need to – he's called us." Glad that they'd given the colonel a small portable communicator when last they'd met, Smokescreen accessed the line. "We were just talking about you, Colonel."

:"Then I'll assume that you're aware of the signals in Florida.": Some small signs of relief were clear in the colonel's voice. :"I'm on my way to get in contact with forces in the area, but arrangements are already being made to provide support if needed.":

"We appreciate the support, but with luck, they won't be necessary." His optics briefly glancing back at the map, he added, "However, chances are good the Decepticons are on their way as we speak. If you can, see about evacuating the civilian population."

:"That won't be hard, given the hurricane drills in the area. Warning sirens are being sounded as we speak, and the locals know where to go. How soon do you expect to arrive in the area?":

"Ten minutes at most. We'll be in touch." The line cut off as Optimus turned to his subordinates. "Red, you and Hot Shot will stay behind and monitor the situation from here. Smokescreen, get Scavenger and Blurr – the four of us have an escape pod to find."

Within the Vector Sigma chamber, its guardian's thoughts, despite going from one topic to another, came back to one concern alone – that of the situation on Earth.

Countless vorns had passed since the beginning of his mission, since he had remained on Cybertron to tend to his Creator while his siblings made their escape across the cosmos. In all that time, despite everything that had occurred from the two Great Wars to the Outsider War, he had never left his position. Now, however, it seemed as if he would need to do exactly that.

He laid a hand upon the monitor console, and then looked up towards the golden sphere that was Vector Sigma. All Cybertronians that had lived, or ever will live, would do so thanks to this device. It was a vital part of the whole – were it to fall, all would be lost, and Cybertron would be a dead world. The ancient Prime had full knowledge of his duties, and was not about to forget them. However, another concern filled his thoughts, worry for his two associates, lost with their fellow Mini-Cons ages past. He looked upon the supercomputer, weighing his options.

It took only nano-kliks for him to decide. Vector Sigma would be safe without him for the time being. Now, after so very long, it was time he took action.

Diana had remained silent as she and Franklin drove towards Portland International, glad that he'd allowed her to accompany him and hoping that she would be able to contribute. As they motored along at a good clip, Franklin asked, "So, what will you do once all this is over?"

The young woman gave a shrug. "My sister's family lives in Seattle. I suppose once negotiations are taken care of, I'll head there until I can get a place somewhere else."

The colonel noticed more than a little reluctance in the woman's voice. "You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm not," came the firm answer. "I love my sister, don't get me wrong. Miranda's a wonderful person, and she's a good mother to her children. I'm just a little nervous about Brian, that's all."

"Your brother-in-law." The statement was a guess, not a question.

Diana nodded. "He's brilliant. Smart. I'll never deny that. And he loves his kids. But he's rarely there for them, he's a little eager to dip into the wine, and I can't help but feel like he's always on the verge of being a few fries short of a Happy Meal." She sighed. "I'm sorry. You don't need to hear about my issues with my relatives."

The colonel gave a small chuckle as they approached the airport. "Apology unnecessary. We can't pick the people we're related to, especially when it comes to in-laws. The stories I have about my sisters' husbands." The SUV slowed and halted, Franklin flashing his ID to one of the guards before continuing inside.

As the vehicle slowed to a halt near the aircraft, the plane's embarkation ramp opened to allow them access. They exited the car and Diana asked, "Why the sudden interest in my personal life?"

The colonel gave her a friendly look. "Nothing wrong with knowing a little bit about the people you work with, is there?"

Founded as the Launch Operations Directorate in 1958 under the authorization of Dwight Eisenhower, what would ultimately become the Kennedy Space Center was built on Merritt Island in 1962 in response to the challenge from Eisenhower's successor, John F. Kennedy, to land an American on the surface of Earth's moon by the end of the 1960's. Later called the Launch Operations Center, it received its final name following Kennedy's assassination in 1963. From the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs of the 1960s to the space shuttle, as well as numerous unmanned missions, the facility saw every success, and every failure, in human efforts to expand their awareness of the universe under the US government.

While NASA's early founders did not foresee every incident to take place under their watch, they made an earnest effort towards avoiding the loss of human life wherever possible. Much of the surrounding area, while restricted, was left undeveloped, and was ultimately set aside as a wildlife refuge. This wet, marshy landscape, home to hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, and mammals, now found itself visited by some of the most unexpected of tourists.

"They're impressive, if you think about it." His optics zoomed in as far as they could go, Starscream gave a genuinely impressed smile as he looked upon the Vehicle Assembly Building, wondering what preparations were being made and what equipment was being readied. He could almost imagine the employees' reactions if they ever found out about their extra-terrestrial visitors – probably like fledglings in a confectionary store. "The humans haven't been to their own moon in over thirty stellar cycles. Their current vehicle for exploring space can't even leave their own atmosphere. They're more divided than we Cybertronians could ever fear being in our darkest nightmares. And they don't even know who or what is out there for certain. Several of them have even died in pursuit of the stars. Yet they still test their boundaries, still aim for greatness."

His Mini-Con partner, unwilling to wade through the marshes at the Decepticon's feet and thus perched just behind his head, looked decidedly less impressed. "Your point?"

"I find it admirable, Swindle." Resetting his optics to their default, he turned his head just enough to catch sight of the small Cybertronian. "Why? Do you have a problem with that?"

Had he a mouth, Swindle would have given his partner a smirk. "It's not my problem you should be worried about, old mech. You just watch yourself – Megatron's not blind and there's nothing stopping him from noticing you gawking like this."

The Seeker's answer came with a cheeky grin. "Well, it's a good thing you're here to keep an eye on me then, isn't it?" Returning to the task at hand, he quickly activated his communications unit. "Lord Megatron, I've not located any Mini-Cons in this sector. I will be moving on to the next one shortly."

:"Understood.":

Swindle steadied himself for a second before Starscream continued on his way, quietly walking through the marshes and leaving a trail of large, muddied footprints in his wake. As the pair moved away, a small panel of fake grass flipped up, allowing a tiny Transformer with silver and blue armor to take note of their departure.

Despite not needing to say it, the words still slipped from Jetstorm's audio emission module. "Oh, this is sooo not good."

"Prime wants us to what?" To call King Atlas' statement one of disbelief would be making an understatement. "With all due respect, has being on that mudball fried his processor?"

Jetfire knew the instant he watched the recorded transmission that he'd be facing problems from the rest of the command staff. Still, it would be stupid to keep all of them out of the loop entirely – thus, the reason why Atlas, Checkpoint, and key members of the Autobot Security Forces were present. "I'm assuming you have some specific complaints to go with your accusations, Atlas?"

The large Autobot seemed more than eager to start listing them off. "For one thing, we're expected to trust a known traitor?"

"Known infiltrator is more like it." His interruption earning him a glare from his senior officer, Checkpoint quickly countered, "This definitely explains why Starscream joined Megatron's forces in the first place. He was a mole, and not the only one – why else would he be talking so casually with Bludgeon?"

"What kind of spy willingly lets his target remain active this long? Infiltrator or no, he's asking us to let Megatron get more troops over there! Bad enough that five Decepticons are chasing the Mini-Cons, do we really want more?"

"Given that Starscream asked for those Decepticons by name, odds are they're mechs that he trusts. Sending them over can only help him."

The large jet gave a snort of contempt. "And how are we supposed to do that? I suppose we can just take security offline at the Hub and let a quartet of known fugitives march in and beam off wherever they please!"

"That probably wouldn't even be necessary."

"Who asked you…?" Not recognizing the large red, silver and black Autobot that had spoken up, Atlas tilted his head slightly. "Who are you again?"

The Autobot Security Director allowed himself a small smirk. "Quickstrike is my immediate second, and one of the best strategists Cybertron has." He turned to face his larger subordinate. "You were saying?"

Giving no sign of being rattled by Atlas yelling at him, Quickstrike continued in a calm, measured voice. "The Hub is our primary space bridge facility, but it isn't the only one. There are dozens of auxiliary terminals scattered throughout Cybertron. My thinking is that we pick one and make a public announcement about that specific terminal undergoing regular maintenance and testing. Fewer personnel would mean less people nearby."

"And thus Megatron's forces would see a more inviting and convenient target, not to mention an easier installation to hit." Liking the sound of the plan already, Jetfire turned to Checkpoint. "Think we can pull it off?"

"Decide where you want my team to go, clear things with Bumblebee, and we'll be locked and loaded in less than five cycles." Noticing Atlas' sour expression, the black and white Autobot offered the compromise, "We might be letting those four through, but there's nothing stopping us from capturing anyone that happens to be with them."

Atlas gave a small snarl under his breath before he relented with a nod. "Fine. Just make sure this doesn't get botched up, and that we get at least one of 'em." He turned to depart, calling just as the doors to the office opened before him, "I don't want this operation being a total loss."

The doors sliding shut behind his subordinate, Jetfire shook his head before returning to the subject at hand. "Any suggestions for where we run this?"

"Bumblebee will have the best idea about where to position our forces – I'll check with him and see what he recommends." Glancing at the recording, the red helicopter noted, "I'd feel better knowing exactly who this fourth Decepticon is, however. You give me a name and I can find the identity that goes with it, assuming it isn't all that common, but unless I have something to go on, I'm stuck."

Jetfire gave a reassuring chuckle. "No plan is totally foolproof. We'll make do with what we've got."

One successful orbital jump later, four Autobots and five Mini-Cons found themselves sinking slightly in marsh, a few odd birds and animals fleeing from their presence. Glancing around the area, Scavenger couldn't help but dryly note, "Nice place."

"We're lucky all this is mostly wildlife refuge – between that and the military bases in the area, there won't be much in the way of civilian activity." Not minding the mud and grime too much, Rollbar took a few steps to find more solid ground. "Still, strangest place for some of us to end up. Who wants to bet Astroscope's team landed out here?"

"Whoever is out here, I want to retrieve them with as little trouble as possible." Memories of the incident in Indianapolis were still fresh on the Autobot leader's processor, and he had no desire to repeat those events. "We need to get in and out before we attract too much attention. Smokescreen, can you narrow down the pod's location?"

His sensor dish deployed on one arm, the Autobot utility truck scanned over the landscape before shaking his head. "Sorry Optimus, no luck. Excess radio waves from the nearby bases are causing significant interference – I can't pin anything down for about two kils around."

"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us," Sparkplug noted from the ground.

His partner nodded. "All right Autobots, split up. Blurr and Scavenger will circle towards the northwest, Smokescreen and I towards the southeast. Mini-Cons remain close at all times, and keep sensors online. If you see the Decepticons, contact the other team immediately."

The four Autobots transformed into their vehicle modes, their Mini-Con partners linking up with them in the process, and the group split up and moved out. In part due to his lack of mobility in the muck and mostly because of a need for expediency, Blurr quickly shifted to his flight mode, but kept slow and close to the ground.

As he and Smokescreen began their search, Optimus began to feel a familiar reading on his sensors – scrambled enough to not allow for a positive match in his memory banks, but clear enough to be familiar. It took everything he had to keep from accelerating and risking getting caught in the muck – whether Rollbar's guess or his own suspicions were correct, whatever Mini-Cons were in the area needed to be found, and quickly.

Keying in a few odd commands over the communications console, Red Alert calmly looked towards its monitor, the hiss of static greeting him. "Are you still receiving me?"

:"Audio's coming in loud and clear, Red. We'll have visual in a few seconds.": The faces of both Diana and the colonel greeted him shortly thereafter. :"Nice. And here I was afraid that wouldn't work.":

"I'll discuss the details of engineering adaptors later." Glad that he'd been able to complete the adapter needed to network the communications device he'd given Franklin and the systems onboard the C-40B, the Autobot medic and scientist hoped that the device would work as well as hoped. "Colonel, our sensors report that Optimus has made a successful orbital bounce onto Merritt Island."

:"Our satellites are confirming likewise.": While his face remained neutral, his voice betrayed a small amount of awe. :"And here I thought transporters were next to impossible.":

From his seat next to the medic waiting to receive reconnaissance information, Hot Shot gave a small chuckle. "Don't get too impressed, Colonel. Orbital jump technology's problematic enough for us – I don't even want to think about what would happen if we used it with a human."

Deciding against asking for elaboration, the colonel signaled to an unseen technician. :"We're beaming satellite footage to you now. Based on our estimates, nine larger Cybertronians are in the area – five Decepticons, four Autobots.":

"I've no doubt Megatron's brought along as many Mini-Cons as possible." Putting that unpleasant thought aside, Red turned to another topic. "How is the evacuation proceeding?"

:"Smoothly, thankfully. Between hurricane drills and evacuation procedures around the time of shuttle launches, the locals know when to clear out when told.": Less relief was in the colonel's voice as he added, :"Be careful, however. If this goes too far, there will be a response from the local military forces. Local Air Force bases are on alert, and I expect Eglin and Tyndall to have their birds ready to fly.":

The medic expected as much – after all, they'd no doubt do likewise were the situations reversed. "The warning is appreciated, colonel. Here's hoping your men won't be needed out there."

"You saw them?"

"I saw one of them," Jetstorm clarified to his team leader. "Where one Decepticon is, others can't be far behind. And considering he was talking to Megatron over radio, I figure we've got reason to worry."

The Air Defense Team leader hung his head. While normally talkative, Runway had little to say of their current situation beyond the obvious. "This isn't good."

"Not at all." With sidelong glances from his two teammates, Sonar shrugged. "Just saying."

The three Mini-Cons stood within their underground stronghold, a salvaged smuggler's cove from ages past. They had no idea how it had gotten there, only that their pod's hatch was just strong enough to break through some of the dirt and debris to allow them exit and give them and those they shared the pod with a chance to upload new alternate modes. The silver supersonic jet among them paced silently from one end to another before speaking again. "We knew it was a matter of time."

"Absolutely."

"Definitely."

Runway shook his head, and leaned against the far wall. Just as he'd done many times before when left with few ideas, he looked to his teammates. "What do we do?"

A light, ageless voice asked, "May I make a suggestion?"

The three Mini-Cons turned to face the one who spoke, his armor glittering silvery-white even in the low light generated by makeshift lanterns. Ancient and stately, Safeguard was one of the more well-regarded Mini-Cons, among the first to come online and a long partner to Vector Prime. If anyone was a good source of advice among their number, it was him. Flanking him on both sides were two others; one slight of build, his armor silver, the other larger and colored deep orange.

Runway's stance visibly relaxed. "Of course, go ahead."

Safeguard took a moment to process his thoughts, keeping in mind the information gathered thus far, and then spoke slowly. "The Decepticons are here. Jetstorm has confirmed this, and he has no reason to lie. If Megatron has indeed come, than we can safely assume that he did not come unchallenged."

The ivory Mini-Con's logic prompted a quirked optic ridge from Sonar. "You think Prime's here?"

"It's a safe assumption." Slightly taller and thinner than his fellow Mini-Cons, Over-Run was the second of the Autobot leader's two partners, the younger and more scholarly of the pair in comparison to Sparkplug. While more comfortable processing reports or sifting through data, he was still an able ally to the Autobot leader on the field. "Prime wouldn't let Megatron get away with claiming us as his own again. Especially after what happened the last time."

The memories of the Second War all too clear in his processor, Jetstorm turned away, his optics dimmed somewhat. "Don't remind me."

"But how are we supposed to find them now?" Taller even than Over-Run and bulkier to boot, Rollout among the more dependable and steadfast of Mini-Cons, brave and always willing to lend his support where needed. "I'm not saying I don't want to find them, but how are we going to do that in all this?"

The Mini-Con sage looked to his bulky friend with a kind expression. "The old-fashioned way – we keep our optics open. I suggest we keep station at the watch posts, and maintain radio contact where possible. Should anyone see an Autobot they recognize, Prime especially, we will head for them immediately."

"That's assuming they aren't a Decepticon in disguise or something."

Safeguard nodded, accepting the validity of Over-Run's statement. "Perhaps, but deception was never one of Megatron's best skills. I suspect that his efforts to locate us are far less subtle than any Autobot attempt will be."

"Lord Megatron, I have good news." Using his jets to hover softly above the ground, Thrust surveyed the area as the other Decepticons went to work. "We've closed in on the Mini-Con pod. It's underground. I suspect recent weather activity may have helped to make the ground thin enough to allow a signal to get through."

:"Excellent. Has the Destruction Team begun excavation yet?":

"Affirmative, though the process is slow-going. The soil in this area is fairly moist. It may take some time before we're able to dig the pod out, and even then, there's no guarantee the Mini-Cons will still be inside."

A slight growl was audible through the comm.-link. :"We will handle things one obstacle at a time! For now, the Autobots already have an advantage over us, and we cannot allow it to worsen! Megatron out!":

Somewhat glad that he wasn't within his leader's immediate vicinity, Thrust landed upon some dry-looking ground and looked to Cyclonus and their accompanying Mini-Cons. "You heard Megatron's orders. Keep digging!"

"Blah-blah-blah," Cyclonus complained as he slowly scooped at the earth with his bare hands.

While the other Mini-Cons worked, Dualor silently waited. As his experiences with the Mini-Cons aligned with Starscream had shown, he'd need to find allies elsewhere before he could further his efforts. If Thrust was correct, and another team was buried underneath them, then whoever the team was, he may well have the first of several potential allies. With luck, nothing would come along to ruin his chances.

"We're getting closer, that much I can tell you." His sensors peaked out scanning for the escape pod, Smokescreen inched forward through the muck, his commander following a small ways behind and both slowed considerably by the mud. "No offense Optimus, but with this terrain, I think we'd be better off on foot."

More than a little impatient after having made little progress through the mud, the Autobot leader halted in his tracks. "Agreed." He detached from his trailer and allowed Sparkplug to disconnect before he transformed to robot mode. Smokescreen and his partners followed suit after Liftor and Refute disconnected from their ports. "Sensors to maximum, 'bots. We don't know what we might find."

A blast from nearby quickly affirmed Prime's statement as Megatron stepped into view. "A very true statement, Prime. You came looking for Mini-Cons, but all you found was the cold embrace of the Pit." As Optimus returned fire with his arm-mounted guns and Smokescreen linked back up with Liftor and Refute, the Decepticon leader took little damage and activated his communicator. "Starscream, Demolishor, continue seeking the Mini-Cons! Thrust, Cyclonus, to my position immediately!"

As Smokescreen activated his own communicator in order to call in support from the other Autobots, a hatch in the ground opened, and Sparkplug was dragged inside just as Optimus' trailer assembly unfolded and its weapons came online. Noticing as his partner disappeared but decidedly more concerned with his opponent, the Autobot leader retrieved his ion cannon and continued to return fire. "We'll see who goes to the Pit today, Megatron!"

Before Sparkplug could cry out in surprise, a familiar voice met his audio receptors. "Easy, Sparky. You're among friends."

The yellow Mini-Con looked to his assailant in surprise, his optics widening in recognition. "Runway?" Surprise was followed by frustration as he shook his head at the supersonic jet. "Don't do that again."

"Sorry, Sparks, didn't want to attract too much attention." Pointing upwards to emphasize, the Air Defense Team leader asked, "That was Optimus up there with you, right?"

"Yeah, and he and Smokescreen are facing off with a Mini-Con boosted Megatron, with more Decepticons on the way." Resetting his sensors to try and find the trap door he'd been pulled through, Sparkplug continued, "Now if we're done catching up, they're gonna need some help out there."

Runway gave a reassuring chuckle. "Say no more." He activated his communicator. "Runway to unit – Prime is confirmed. Regroup at my position." The second Mini-Con looking at him in surprise, he asked, "What, did you think I was the only one down here?"

Satellite images streaming in, the two Autobots left behind and the various Mini-Cons aligned with them had their optics fixed upon the monitors. While Red Alert's optics kept to his console monitor, Hot Shot's flashed between his own and the medic.

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't bother." Before the younger soldier could protest, Red Alert elaborated, "I understand why you want to go in there and assist, Hot Shot, but for the time being, we cannot risk further activity in the area. We need to hold back for now and let Optimus handle things from here. Am I understood?"

His optics darting uncertainly, Hot Shot slouched and relented. "Perfectly."

A small hand found itself upon the Autobot's arm, prompting him to look and find Mirage standing beside it. "You aren't the only one wanting to get out there, kid, believe me. Right now, however, you need to hang back and–"

The blare of a warning siren interrupted the Mini-Con, and was quickly joined by Colonel Franklin's face appearing on a monitor. :"Red Alert, we've received word from NORAD – an unidentified object has just appeared in Earth's atmosphere over the Midwest.":

While his Mini-Con partner moved to man the sensor console, the medic quickly asked, "Are you certain it isn't merely a satellite falling out of orbit?"

:"We have a different system for tracking satellites than we do for aircraft, and they've confirmed it wasn't on their radar. Besides, we're tracking this thing at fifty-thousand feet and holding position. We don't put satellites up that low.":

Carefully manipulating the much-larger controls, Longarm brought up a glimpse of the unknown object on sensors. "Picking it up now – weather patterns are distorting the sensors slightly, but I've got a clear reading on it." His optics widened slightly. "It's Cybertronian!"

What curiosity the medic had was now replaced with concern as he opened a comm.-line – while there was serious risk in activating a subspace transmission, he figured the situation warranted it. "Unidentified Cybertronian craft, this is DSI-84 CAV Ark. Identify and state intent."

The voice at the other end surprised everyone present. :"DSI-84, my apologies for my sudden arrival. May I be of assistance?":

"Now this is more like it!" Cyclonus cackled as he flew in towards the battle between the two leaders, his partner and the Destruction Team linked up and Thrust following behind. "Look out, Autobots! You're about to hit the hurricane!"

Far below the two Decepticons, Smokescreen locked onto them with his sensors as both his Mini-Con partners linked up. Energies flowing into his crane arm and weapons systems coming online, Smokescreen extended the weapon, almost tripling its length and deploying a long range cannon. His crane hook shifted into a hand grip as a targeting scope deployed over his optics, allowing him to lock on to the incoming Cybertronians. "Hit this, Decepti-creeps!" The long cannon fired, collapsing back as its first salvo went flying, the projectile clipping one of Thrust's wings and Cyclonus's rotors.

Transforming as he approached, the Decepticon tactician called out to his subordinate. "We're just within that cannon's minimum effective range – Cyclonus, close in and attack!"

"Don't need to tell me twice!" With a maddened and gleeful cackle, Cyclonus transformed and went into a mad dive towards the Autobot. "Look out, little Autobot, here I come!"

Linked up to the berserker's left arm, Drill Bit spun madly as Cyclonus thrust his arm forward. Swiveling his cannon to one side and spinning in the other direction, Smokescreen caught his attacker, Refute clamping down hard upon the Decepticon's arm, before throwing him to one side. He then retracted his cannon and swiveled it back into position, weaving to one side as Thrust strafed him from above. His heavy armor allowed him to take the relatively light blasts, though they still caused him to stagger back slightly.

Thrust's attack was soon interrupted as a missile streaked through the sky, hitting the Decepticon in his midsection and stopping his attack. The tactician fell to the ground, his systems scrambled and his sensors disabled, preventing him from picking up on whatever had struck him. As he attempted to regain his bearings, Megatron and Optimus Prime continued exchanging weapons fire. "Forget this fool's errand, Prime! The Mini-Cons are mine! There's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Wondering in the back of his processor where Sparkplug had gotten off to, Optimus nonetheless kept up fire, wishing that their position afforded better cover. As he continued firing upon his opponent, Megatron fired his fusion cannon, knocking the Autobot leader to the ground and sending his cannon flying to one side. A smug grin on his face, Megatron declared, "It's over."

The tyrant's declaration proved inaccurate as a missile slammed into one of his bits of shoulder armor. His cannon redeployed and aimed squarely at the Decepticon leader, Smokescreen prepped another salvo. "Stopping you is all we ever do, Megatron! If you want the Mini-Cons, you'll have to take them over our rusted-out chassis!"

Leader-1 linking up with a port on his back, Megatron took aim with his fusion cannon and fired back. "So be it!" The blast tore through the small orange Autobot, demolishing his cannon and sending his Mini-Con partner flying. Turning his attention back to Optimus as the Autobot leader rose to his feet, he sardonically asked, "Now, where were we?"

Suddenly, clouds of dust erupted from behind and around Optimus, blocking him from Megatron's vision as the clear, loud roar of jet engines fired off. Before he could shoot into the smoke to finish his enemy off, he was distracted as five blurs raced through the air around him, four lancing off laser bolts as they did so and the last heading high into the atmosphere.

Runway gave a gallant laugh. "Sorry to disappoint…"

"…but we're fond of Prime here." Sonar finished for his leader.

Glad to let off some long-kept steam, Jetstorm finished triumphantly, "Far more than we are of you!"

Recognition was clear in the Decepticon's optics as he gave off a cruel laugh. "You again! Come to be reclaimed by your true master once more!" He reached out a hand to grab them, but was held at bay by twin shots of weapon fire from the dust cloud.

"They have no master beyond themselves, Megatron!" The dust settling around him, Optimus stood recovered, a long silver gun in one hand and a bulkier orange and black one in the other. "And the power they wield is not taken – it is shared!"

Over-Run and Rollout dropping from his hands and transforming to their robot modes, Optimus watched the Air Defense Team circle back towards him. As Megatron recovered, the three jets moved into formation, their parts shifting in unison – Sonar split and shifted his components, Runway and Jetstorm linking up at their engines as the latter's forward nosecone folded back. The three Mini-Cons combined, a bright blue aura surrounding the two supersonic jets as their combined form flew into the Autobot's waiting hand.

What amusement he had faded as Megatron aimed his fusion cannon upon his rival and fired. "No! You will not rob me of the Star Saber! It is MINE!"

The cannon blast tore through the air directly towards the Autobot leader. In response, Optimus merely repositioned his stance and held tight to the sword with both hands, meeting the salvo with the flat side of the blade. It buckled, but only slightly, and did not break, absorbing the blast and glowing with powerful energies. Optimus was unscathed and swung, sending the wave of energy back at the Decepticon leader.

Megatron was knocked to the ground by the energy wave, skidding to a halt in the mud. He rose to one knee, servos protesting, and gave a frustrated growl. "Very well Prime, the day is yours. I only hope retrieving this second Core Weapon was worth the damage to your subordinate."

The three Decepticons were pulled out of the area, fading from view as Optimus released the sword from his grip. It separated into its component members, the three jets landing softly and Sonar asking, "What did he mean by that? None of us got damaged."

Realizing exactly what his enemy meant, Optimus looked about the field. "Smokescreen? Smokescreen, report!"

"Over here, Optimus!" The Autobot leader, surprised by the voice that answered him back, charged towards it to find his subordinate being tended to. The orange Autobot was conscious and sitting up, his shoulder cannon trashed and numerous dings in his frame, while Vector Prime knelt beside him. "He is damaged, but online."

"Yeah. It'll take more than some fancy fusion cannon to keep me down." Despite his condition, the Autobot gave a small chuckle.

Optimus looked upon Smokescreen with relief, then turned to the ancient Prime as he rose to his feet. "Vector Prime, thank you. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but why are you here?"

"I came because I suspected that I would be needed. I was clearly not entirely incorrect in that assumption." Looking to the Mini-Con now connected to his right arm, the ancient Cybertronian added, "I also came in order to aid a long lost friend." Safeguard then disconnected and landed beside his old partner with a smile.

The scene was interrupted as Scavenger and Blurr arrived, both transforming to robot mode and approaching. "Vector Prime? What… Never mind, I'll ask later." Glancing at Smokescreen, the old bulldozer raised an optic ridge. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing a stint in the CR Chamber can't fix." As he got up to stand, however, Smokescreen collapsed back on the ground. "Slag… Gyro-stabilizers must've been damaged in the battle."

Shaking his head, Blurr offered a hand and helped the older Autobot to his feet, wrapping one arm around him to help him stay standing. Recalling his trailer and shifting it back to its alternate mode, Optimus activated his radio. "Optimus to Ark, mission accomplished. We have wounded – request immediate transit."

His self-repair systems already at work enough to help him stay mobile, Megatron stomped into the Nemesis' repair bay, marching towards an empty CR chamber. "They were right there! I practically had the Star Saber in my grasp! This makes two of the Core Weapons in Autobot hands, and another six Mini-Cons in Autobot possession!" He turned to Starscream, trying his best to restrain himself. "No more playing games, Starscream. Once our reinforcements have arrived from Cybertron, we will see to it that the Autobots are disabled, and we are going to claim every last Mini-Con on the face of that planet. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Lord Megatron." As the chamber closed around the tyrant, Starscream turned and exited the repair bay. While a small part of him had questioned his choices for reinforcements, he was suddenly glad for his picks – he needed mechs supporting him, not ones who would blindly follow Megatron's orders. Now, of course, it was only a matter of time before they arrived, assuming, of course, everything worked out as planned.

:"So far as we've been able to tell, no one's come forward with images from the battle. We have a cover story out about a potential spill of hydrogen tetroxide, but I suspect that will cause more problems than it will solve. How's Smokescreen?":

"Stable, but it will be a while before he's back in the field." The Autobot leader was glad that the colonel had asked about his subordinate, doubly so for being able to provide no worse news. "Also, I'd like to apologize if our new arrival ended up causing any problems."

:"Just ask him not to do whatever he did again, and I think we'll be fine. With luck, this won't become a sore point with the negotiations, and once those are complete, we can avoid troubles like that in the future.": An airman speaking to him just off-screen, Franklin added, :"Speaking of, I have confirmation for the meeting – the President and a few key advisors will be arriving on Monday to begin talks. I assume you're available.":

"And looking forward to it. Until then, Colonel." The transmission cutting off, Optimus turned to his fellow Prime with a look that was a mix of slight amusement and mild admonishment. "Next time, it might be a wise idea to call ahead."

Vector Prime bowed his head briefly in apology. "Had I known I would cause such difficulty, I would have warped into a distant orbit for this planet and gone from there. Still, I doubt that I would be able to find this ship at such a distance."

The ancient Cybertronian looked genuinely regretful, prompting Optimus to gently note, "You and I both know easy solutions are few and far between, old friend. I only hope mine haven't caused more problems than they've solved."

"Agreed, which brings me to another topic. Has Jetfire informed you of what I have told him?"

"About the Omega Lock – it was included in a data exchange last mega-cycle. But why hide it on the Exodus? Why not keep it hidden away on Cybertron?"

The ancient shook his head. "At the time, it seemed the wisest option. Where the four Keys are all but invulnerable and my sword and the Matrix damaging in their own right, the Omega Lock is, by itself, vulnerable, and more easily damaged by comparison without a Key inserted. Cybertron, meanwhile, would be the first and most logical place for anyone to seek it. And while we know that it is here on Earth, I doubt anyone else is aware of its location."

Optimus couldn't help but agree – given that they had no idea where the ship had crashed, it could be anywhere on the planet. "Another quest for us then."

The ancient gave an encouraging smile. "You seem to be doing well in your search for the Mini-Cons, Optimus. And should these negotiations prove fruitful, I suspect we will be much further along in both goals."

"One would hope." The Autobot leader rose to his feet. "Though a small part of me wonders if it's right to involve them in this conflict. I realize they're involved whether I like it or not, this being their world, but…"

"But you would rather avoid putting human lives in danger than actively send them into the field alongside your soldiers." At Optimus' silent agreement, Vector patted him on the shoulder consolingly. "Your concerns are far from invalid. Still, you know as well as I that cooperation and coordination will lead towards less casualties than we would have otherwise. And given the dark tidings I fear are on the horizon, I suspect we will need all the allies we can get."

Optimus looked first to the ancient Prime, then to the newsfeeds scrolling on the monitor screens before him. "I only hope that will be enough."

"The Star Saber and the Skyboom Shield, back in Autobot hands. An escalation of the war. Chaos raging across the cosmos." A malicious twinkle arose in the optics of the observer as he noted at last, "Master will be pleased."

The End