Chapter Two: Necessary Adjustments
Aboard the Nemesis, Megatron examined a starmap of the Earth on the ship's deck. He looked at it long and hard. Thinking. About the whereabouts of the Allspark, but also of the planet itself. Something about it seemed...Off to him. And he pondered what it could be that had his processor whirling.
"Lord Megatron." Starscream interrupted his thoughts, shaking his helm a bit. "Shockwave, once again, requires you in his laboratory." He spoke smugly, rather hating the fact that the scientist was rather fierce in his own way. "He said it's something about one of the projects he told you about."
"Ah yes." Megatron was always thrilled to hear the scientific endeavors of one of Cybertron's smartest minds. Especially if it aided them in their cause."I'll go to meet him. Starscream, make yourself useful and examine the planet's terrains and conditions for me." With that order, Megatron made his way towards Shockwave's laboratory.
Starscream nodded and began to examine the terrains with the star map. Hopefully something simple like their own terrain, rather than something that can tear everything to bits.
Shockwave was typing away on a panel, optic narrowed before he shifted away. He flicked up a data pad, checking different things as he patrolled around his laboratory.
Megatron entered through the giant sliding doors to laboratory. "You have something to tell me, Shockwave? The boosters or something else?" He asked, still walking towards Shockwave's direction.
"Yes. I assume you remember Project Genesis? The reformed medic I made?" Shockwave asked as he turned around, "She made her way to Earth, according to where her signal is."
"Has she?" Megatron stopped several yard away from Shockwave, in shock with somewhat wide optics. "Unbelievable. Especially considering atmospheric entry being as dangerous as it it. Can you by chance communicate with her from here?"
"I do not know. Most likely, I can input her into your comms as well." Shockwave turned away, typing away on the panel again. "I will contact you if so, or you can wait here until I make contact."
"And what is the status on the boosters? How much longer until we can leave this bleak, white rock?" Megatron let the shock fade from his faceplates, clasping his servos behind his backstrut.
"Boosters are being repaired as we speak. Main booster is almost operational, I will be going to look back into them after I get a better signal off of Genesis." Shockwave continued to type away on a panel, before he flicked up a data panel on Genesis. "Her signal seems to be masked a bit, logical explanation is to keep hidden from any of the survivors that chased the Allspark."
"Tch. She could waste them all right now. Very few of them are made for combat. It would be nothing short of an easy victory for someone of her background and enhanced skills, would it not?"
"That is if her weapon systems are operational. And if much of her is intact. As previously said, the atmospheric entry is dangerous, thus could end up causing different system failures."
Megatron was slightly agitated at this. Even more so that the survivors aboard that pod may have actually made it to the planet alive. Then again, it's not that big of a worry when he clearly had the might and the numbers. Plus, whatever threat may lie on the planet. Speaking of which "Shockwave, I must tell you. Something about this planet plagues my thoughts." He moved a servo to his chin and stroked it with his claw-like digits. "It's like it's...Relevant to us somehow..."
"Relevant?" Shockwave asked, pausing his typing. "Illogical, it's just another to bring for the galactic conquering." The mech went back to typing across the panel, before glancing back at the larger of the two mechs. "Genesis's coordinates have been found and locked on, proceed with contact?"
Megatron retracted his servo from his faceplate. "Yes, proceed."
A brief bit of static interrupted the commlink before a feminine voice responded, "Lord Megatron. I assume Shockwave managed to find my signal through this ridiculous mess of an atmosphere?"
"Yes, he has. Nothing short of genius. Report your status, Genesis." Megatron walked a little closer to the panel.
"Most systems are up and running, weapons system is still down. Going through this atmosphere had torn several panels off, but the mission will succeed. The survivors have Shadowspark with them, and I have no doubt that her abilities still function." Genesis grunted before a sigh came through, "Disguise is inbound, and I'm unsure how many are alive at this moment."
"Hmm. Shadowspark, you say? She was the one who defeated Starscream, wasn't she?" Megatron asked, looking towards Shockwave for the answer.
Shockwave nodded at him, before continuing to keep the link open.
"She is much more vulnerable with this atmosphere. I was nearly able to terminate her until several mechs showed up where I was." Genesis added on in dismay, "Orders, Lord Megatron?"
"Gather as much data on the planet as you can and steer clear of the survivors. The less they see of you, the easier it will be when your fully operational again. I'd very much would like to not have to deal with them in any matter and focus on solely locating the Allspark. Check on them every now and again and brief us on their activities, but do not allow them to detect you."
"Of course, Lord Megatron." With that, Genesis shut off the commlink. The panel flicked down, before Shockwave turned his helm to Megatron.
"Now that we have a slight advantage, I will return to repairing the boosters." With that, the more violet-schemed mech strolled past the other.
Megatron nodded, before turning to leave the laboratory. He returned to the command bridge. "Anything new, Starscream?"
Starscream jumped a bit before relaxing, "No, Lord Megatron. The swirling, white masses make it difficult to examine the surface of the planet."
Megatron looked at Earth, his optic ridges furrowing a bit. "Hrrrmmmm. What about where we are now? What is the rock we've landed on?"
"The inhabitants of the planet call it their Moon. And just that." Starscream looked back to Megatron after he finished typing on a panel.
"How did you come across that information?" Megatron asked, looking at Starscream in a bit of surprise.
"Assuming, Lord Megatron. Similar to how other planets retain a building similar." Starscream turned back to the panel, "It's simply a white stone, nothing more. No special properties or otherwise."
"Still, while we're here on this Moon of theirs, we best see what all is on this rock to see if there's anything we could use for our future plans." Megatron looked back towards the Earth.
"Of course, Lord Megatron. Shall I send a squadron out to inspect the area?" Starscream asked as he once again began typing on a panel.
"Yes. Split them up evenly and have them go each direction."
"Of course, Lord Megatron." Starscream began contacting troops, before he went to give them their orders.
Megatron continued to look at Earth. What is it about you that's so...Strange? He asked himself, obviously not expecting to be answered.
The survivors were taking the pod apart, taking the materials, controls, and wires to the whole thing.
"We must work quickly as possible before that Decepticon returns and before anymore humans come this way." Orion stated as he began to dismantle the pod's controls.
"So, Kasey. Does anyone else live up here other than you?" Straightedge asked as he separated some of the scrap into piles.
"Not really, most people are down further towards the base of the volcano." Kasey said from her spot, which was sitting near one of the trees. Just to keep out of the way of the survivors and their cause. "There are more people up further, but it's a very small town. Maybe one hundred to two hundred of people at most."
Shadowblitz and Bumblebee were working on disconnecting wires, Bee taking what was salvageable and setting it off to the side.
"I'm still surprised no one has come by to see this. I mean this is a pretty huge pod. And it just came crashing from space and whatnot, and burnt some trees. I just find that off that you're the only one that found us. Not saying I'm not grateful though." Straightedge took the wires and put them in their individual pile.
"No one gets curious. They may have thought rocks from Mt. St. Helens." Kasey shrugged as she got up, glancing around the woods at the trees. She eyed a branch a bit above her height and jumped up, grabbing onto it and swinging up onto it. "Besides, the most the upper town usually comes down is for the schooling."
"Oh okay! And here I thought you were the only one crazy enough to live next to something that could kill you."
"I have for years. I originally lived by the shore, which could have tidal waves and tsunamis. In which, that could have killed me as well." She swung up to another branch, sitting down on it and shrugging.
"Soooo, you like staying near places that could kill you?"
"I don't know. You tell me, I now have six robotic lifeforms to keep hidden."
"You might just be the craziest lifeform I've ever met or the bravest."
"I'd like to believe the latter." Orion chimed in as he came with the removed levers and control pad and handed them to Straightedge, who then took them and set them down as their own pile
"Can I add my input in? Mixture of both." Kasey chuckled as she swung her legs on the branch, watching them curiously.
"It does take both to deal with something alien." Bumblebee added quickly, glancing towards the others.
"I agree Bumblebee, it does take both to deal with something you're not used to." Shadowblitz nodded in agreeance with Bumblebee.
"But there is also something crazy I must ask you, Kasey. Do you mind if we outfit your storage areas with our technology? We have no place to dispose of it, plus, this will prove beneficial to us for defense and tracking." Orion asked in curiosity.
Kasey shook her head, "I have an empty warehouse, you can modify it to your needs." She looked back towards the way they came, keeping an eye out for the Decepticon that they saw previously. "It isn't crazy, you have to do what is needed, Orion."
"You have another warehouse? How did you get your hands on so much space?" Straightedge asked with a bit of a surprised grin.
"It wasn't just my place originally. My father and I lived together, doing repairs on vehicles." Kasey explained a bit, "I cleared out a lot of vehicles when he died, but I never got rid of the space."
"I am sorry to hear your father passed away. He was a good father to you, yes?" Orion asked.
Kasey shook her head, before sighing and swinging to hang upside down on the branch. "He was great to me... All I had."
"Well hey, if your race has place where your dead go, then it should be all good, right?" Straightedge asked.
"I guess." Kasey shrugged before she swung down from her brand, heading down onto a lower one.
Shadowblitz stopped and her wolf-like audio receptors perked, her strange colored optics looking around.
Orion turned and noticed Shadowblitz looking elsewhere. "Are you picking up something, Shadowblitz?"
"Movement, northward. Possibly Grandcloud, possibly Genesis. Unable to tell." Shadowblitz replied, setting down the scrapped wires. "We best continue. If it's Genesis, we'll be outgunned."
"Let wrap this up. We'll take what we can for now and come back later." Orion spoke to everyone present.
Kasey hopped down from her place in the tree, Bumblebee catching her and placing her on the ground. Shadowblitz returned her attention back to what was left of the pod and continued with a few more bits of wire. "Alright."
Orion quickly went back into the pod towards where the control seat used to be. He opened the compartment, a dim blue light shines from inside. He opened it with his servos, put them into the compartment, and brought out a large spark within an intricate cage. Orion turned and left the pod. Straightedge noticed what Orion was holding and instantly bellowed back in surprise. "Whoa, you were serious?!"
"Yes, I was. I have no reason to lie to you. What you see before is the Matrix of Leadership." Orion showed the Matrix to everyone.
Kasey stared at the object curiously, tilting her head to the side. Bumblebee had done a motion similar, unsure what to say. Shadowblitz was silent, her wolf-like ears remaining alert for more movement.
Ratchet had noticed the dim blue light briefly before he turned, "By Primus..."
"Not just by Primus, Ratchet. This is Primus, and all the other Primes as well. We'll discuss more on this back at the warehouse. Kasey, which way is it?" Orion asked Kasey.
Kasey pointed the direction they came from, "Back towards the way we came from, but part of the guiding will be on foot." She explained.
"That is fine. Everyone grab whatever you can." Orion held the Matrix in one servo and picked up all the levers he dismantled in his other arm.
Bumblebee picked up the wiring he and Shadowblitz separated, "Orion, do you think we'll have some sort of advantage over the Decepticons?" He beeped as his helm righted itself.
"Bumblebee is wondering if we'll have an advantage, Orion." Shadowblitz translated slightly as she picked up the control panel, her optics narrowing a bit.
"We would've had the advantage of surprise, but that Deception found us alive. No doubt by this time, she's told the rest of her comrades of our status. And our fighting strength is a tad iffy."
"Psh! Says you you. I'm a straight beast on the battlefield, you know what I'm saying? Heheheheh!" Straightedge bragged as he carried some wires and loose panels. He tripped over a broken tree and fell over, screeching, "Aaah!"
"That's if her commlink systems are operational. Atmospheric entry was dangerous for us." Ratchet reminded as he carried some loose panels. He shook his helm when Straightedge fell over, sighing.
Bumblebee quickly shifted and went to help him up, offering a servo to help him. Kasey sat on the scout's shoulder, a soft snicker coming from her. Shadowblitz shook her head as she had to stop herself from falling over as well.
"Thanks, Bee." Straightedge took his servo and let him pull him up. "Fragfriggin trees!" Straightedge kicked the tree he tripped over and it was sent flying over everyones' heads and into the forest where they couldn't see it. They all then heard a loud crash followed by a number of screaming and yelling. Everyone was wide-eyed as they all turned to look at Straightedge, who was also wide-eyed.
"...Straightedge. You could have set down the panels and gently moved the tree." Kasey shook her head, looking towards where the yelling was coming from. "Probably campers... I didn't think they'd be up here yet."
"Yet?" Shadowblitz growled, "What do you mean, yet?" She shifted the paneling around her arms as she glared daggers at Kasey.
"I'll explain later." Kasey waved off the glare, though it made her nervous. Bumblebee nodded in a you're welcome way before looking around.
"Let's go before we're spotted..." Orion said in an annoyed tone and began to jog.
Shadowblitz jogged after him, Ratchet trailing after the femme. Bumblebee shrugged and glanced at Straightedge before following after the small group.
Straightedge struggled a bit as he scrambled to pick up his load. He jogged after the rest once he's got most of it.
—
A low growl came from the larger femme as she pushed through some trees, pedes hitting relatively smooth ground. Her optic glanced around, before she noticed she was at looked like an air strip. Good place to find a disguise. Her armor shifted a bit as she began to look around for something that would help her out.
Grandcloud landed not too far from the airstrip and got a view from the distance while kneeling down on one knee. "There it is. but it's wideout in the open. I don't see a whole lot of humans, but I need to find an aircraft quickly less I be discovered." Grandcloud began to circle around to try to keep from being too exposed.
Genesis tore open a hangar, the doors hitting the ground as she peeked inside. She knelt down on one knee, inspecting the vehicles inside. "Hmph, unsuitable." She got up and continued to look.
"What was that?" She heard a strange voice. "I don't know, but it sounds close to the hangar. Let's investigate." She heard. another. No doubt the humans occupying the airstrip.
A low growl erupted from the femme as she quickly shifted, looking back at the vehicles inside of the hangar. She quickly scanned one, transforming and sitting next to the hangar in silence. Hopefully the natives didn't see her.
Two soldiers arrived to see the whole hangar door torn off. "What the h-What happened?!"
"I couldn't tell you!" The two turned to look inside the hangar to see nothing out of the ordinary. They got their assault rifles ready and in hand. They continued inside to investigate further. Their eyes ever alert for anything suspicious.
Grandcloud made it behind on of the buildings. He looked through one of the windows to see most of the other soldiers sitting in a room with four round-tables, a coffee counter, and a television. He looked at what they're watching and apparently it was the news. On the screen, there's a large-curved, metallic spike sticking up from a mountain with a large lake inside of it. There's a title on the bottom screen that reads "The Horn of Chicxculub." "Hmmm...How peculiar..." Grandcloud thought to himself as he continued on to find a suitable vehicle form.
Genesis slowly backed away from the hangar, hoping not to draw unneeded attention. She couldn't tell if anyone but the natives were nearby, trying to remain as silent as possible. Though, with a large plane moving, it's hard to tell whether or not someone was driving. Especially if it was a stealth plane.
The two soldiers looked around for a little while longer but didn't notice anything too out of the ordinary. "We probably need to call in about the door. You have your talki on you?"
"No, it needs new batteries. You?"
"Had to let Kyle borrow it to keep him from getting in trouble with the sergeant."
"So it's better you get in trouble than 'Thin Neck' Kyle?" One of them remarked as the two soldiers made their way out of the hangar.
Genesis slowly managed to creep around to sitting behind the hangar, letting out a breath of relief. If she had been caught, she would've been scrap metal when Megatron found out. The femme continued to be silent as she kept her optic peeled for any movement.
Grandcloud continued to move from cover-to-cover to keep from detection. His optics caught sight of a large aircraft on the strip. He peeked over from his cover and only a few human soldiers were walking around closer near the hangars and barracks. He vented out slowly and made a jog towards the large aircraft.
Genesis transformed back into her bipedal mode, the large spikes on the back of her helm twitching with movement in the air. She kept behind cover, servo grabbing onto the side of the building as she peaked out from behind it.
Genesis could easily see Grandcloud jogging towards an aircraft on the air strip. Grandcloud came in range and scanned the aircraft with relative ease. He ran past the aircraft, beginning to transform as he continued to run.
The femme narrowed her optic as he ran off, keeping hidden. Despite the want to scrap some survivors, she kept hidden as per Megatron's orders. Her mask split apart, her lens keeping focused on Grandcloud.
Grandcloud finished his transformation and turned into the aircraft, blasting off back towards the direction of the mountains. Genesis could hear some commotion from the soldiers concerning who took off.
Genesis turned her helm and began towards the commotion, her single servo changing into a fist. She was silent, despite her gears grinding as she walked to get used to the climate.
A group of soldiers were looking at Grandcloud, who had just blasted off.
"Who was that?" One of them asked.
"Don't know, but it looked like one of our newer models just took off." Another replied with a soft shrug.
"No one was scheduled though." A soldier with a clipboard in hand was flipping through the pages.
"Last minute?" The first one asked.
"Nothing is ever 'last minute'." The second one grunted a bit.
"We should let the sergeant know and see if we can contact whoever was on that aircraft." The third one huffed a bit with realization.
"Sure. Also, have you been hearing the news lately? About 'The Horn of Chicxculub"? What do you think it is? Some say it maybe alien in nature." The first one remarked a bit as he shifted in his combat boots.
"I don't know what it is and right now I'm not concerned. Let's go find out about that craft." The third one waved his hand a bit in dismissal of the thought. With that, the soldiers ran off.
Genesis transformed and quickly moved out onto the runway, heading off to fly out. May as well do some scouting, learn more about the planet. She had to wait until her weapon systems came back online to do much damage.
—
The survivors made it back to Kasey's place. "Where is this workshop of yours, Kasey?" Orion asked.
Kasey pointed further into her property, "There. Behind the other warehouse. One face this way, one faces the other."
The survivors went in the given direction and they finally made it to the entrance of the warehouse. "Is this is?"
"Yes." Kasey motioned for Bumblebee to set her down, which he did. She pushed up the doors with a bit of trouble, due to a bit of rust built up. "Here, you can use this place."
The survivors entered the large and spacious building, examining the inside of the workshop for themselves.
It was empty, except for a level towards the top that contained some old computers and hardware. Shadowblitz glanced around curiously, her optic glowing a bit in the dark of the warehouse. Bumblebee was anxious to get started, though Ratchet was more curious about the nature of such a building.
Orion saw it as a decent enough set up for now. "Alright everyone, let's drop all that we've gathered here." Orion dropped the levers, but still held onto the Matrix.
The others set down what they had, Bumblebee gently placing down the wires to not cause more damage to them. He picked up Kasey again, setting her on his shoulder before looking around.
Straightedge came in, breathing heavily. "I made it! Whew! This fraggin' wires kept getting me tripped up!" Straightedge looked around at the workshop. "Goodness, you could house just about all of us in here." Straightedge let his load down.
"Don't get tripped up and you won't fall over." Kasey chuckled as she looked at Straightedge, shrugging a bit. She yawned a bit before shaking her head, turning to face the other again.
"We got what we can for now. We'll go back later and see about retrieving more of our pod. What we're going to do now, is make a temporary base here." Orion stated, "We'll use the materials from our pod to do so, as well as make whatever weapons we may need, if some of us don't already any built in."
"I can assist with weapon makeup. I was built to be on the offensive, not a neutral party." Shadowblitz offered, nodding her helm.
"Good." Orion nodded to Shadowblitz, "But since we don't exactly have any batteries for to supply them with, we'll have to adapt them to Earth's standards." Orion turned to Kasey, "Kasey, what does your kind use for weaponry?"
"It depends on what kind of combat you're going into. Hand to hand, usually either a blade or something around your hands. Short-range and long range, usually guns." Kasey shrugged a bit before she crossed her heels. "Bullets and such are easily manufactured, though the melding and molding of steel is a lot more difficult." She explained a bit.
"Probably not for us. We are not strangers to hand-held weapons." Orion stated, nodding his helm slightly.
"I wielded a sword back on Cybertron!" Straightedge stated, raising his servo. "It's about time I got me a new one. I could make two! Hahaha!"
"What are the primary components to make these weapons?" Orion asked.
"Hm... Usually steel and another strong metal. You have to make the hilt then the blade, if you're going with a sword." Kasey thought a bit, "A gun is a lot harder to explain."
"If you happen to have anything that might hold that information, lend it to us and we can learn it for ourselves."
"I... actually do. All humans do." Kasey motioned for Bumblebee to set her down, in which the young scout did. She ran out of the warehouse, towards her own home.
Orion looked to Ratchet. "Ratchet, is it possible for us to create a forge with these parts we have now?"
"We just need something hot enough to keep a constant heat on the forge, but yes." Ratchet nodded as he took a quick look around at the parts.
"Kasey did say we lived near a volcano." Straightedge stated.
"Do you even know what a volcano is, Straightedge?" Orion asked, looking to Straightedge and sounding still a bit annoyed at the mech.
"No-no, but it does sound hot to me though."
"A volcano is a dangerous natural mountain, able to cause molten rock and ash to pour everywhere. Able to destroy everything in its path." Kasey said as she scrambled back into the warehouse. She had a laptop tucked under her arm, and her short haircut was a bit ruffled up.
"Sooooo, will that do for the forge?" Straightedge asked Ratchet.
"It would." Ratchet nodded before noticing the small device Kasey had. He looked away towards Bumblebee, who had plopped down to sit when Kasey walked in.
"Is that where the information we need lies?" Orion asked, pointing to her laptop.
"And any other information for questions you may have." Kasey nodded with a grin, before she shifted on her feet.
"Excellent." Orion nodded.
They could all hear something coming towards them. Almost like jet engines, which is immediately followed by the sound of transformation.
"I've returned! Is anyone here?" Grandcloud's voice, as it broke the silence, asked.
Shadowblitz chuckled a bit before heading out of the warehouse and waving over at Grandcloud. "Over here. Getting a temporary base set up." She chuckled before she went back inside.
Kasey nodded before she heard Shadowblitz as well as Grandcloud.
Grandcloud jogged over behind the other warehouses to the one everyone else is. "Alright, I've acquired a disgui-." Grandcloud's helm hit the top of the warehouse and he fell back, but managed to stop from hitting the ground with one of his servos.
Straightedge pointed at Grandcloud and began to laugh. "Talk about watching your head, huh?! AAAAHAHAHAHA!"
Kasey bit back a laugh, grinning a bit when she saw Grandcloud's helm hit the warehouse. "I think he's a bit tall."
Shadowblitz shook her head and offered a servo to help Grandcloud up. "This time, duck."
Grandcloud took her servo, "I had forgotten how tall I was. I'll keep that in mind next time."
"If you don't do your processor in first, HAHAHAHAHA!" Straightedge continued to laugh.
"Enough! Grandcloud, we have returned from salvaging some of our pod and are now discussing setting up a temporary base." Orion briefed.
"How temporary is it?" Grandcloud rubbed his helm where there was a small dent.
"Until we are armed and have located the possible whereabouts of the Allspark." Orion answered.
Shadowblitz pulled him up with ease before nodding. She let a small grin slip past her usually serious look before she let go of Grandcloud and meandered her way to where she was standing before.
"Simple and easy hiding spot in the middle of nowhere." Bumblebee shrugged.
"That it is, Bumblebee." Shadowblitz chuckled.
Straightedge had stopped his laughter and looked to Orion and Ratchet, "I still don't know how she can understand this mech."
"Regardless, We are glad you've arrived safely, Grandcloud." Orion nodded to him.
"Thank you, Orion." Grandcloud took notice to the Matrix glowing in Orion's servo. His optics widen. "Is that...?" He pointed to it.
Orion nodded, confirming his answer before he could finish. "It is. The Matrix of Leadership. That comes to the next question...The one I know we all asking ourselves..." Orion said, looking at all the survivors in the warehouse.
Shadowblitz looked away from Orion's gaze, towards the ground. Ratchet was quiet, except for a small sigh that slipped from him. Bumblebee let out a confused beep, Kasey sitting next to the yellow and black mech.
Straightedge looked at everyone, a bit confused, "I know you guys might be a little annoyed with me if I say this but-"
"The question is... Who should the Matrix go to...?" Grandcloud answered Straightedge.
"Ok then fine don't let me finish my sentence, that's cool..." Straightedge mumbled. "But it shouldn't be all too hard, right? Just pop that bad spark into someone and BAM! One of us becomes a Prime." Straightedge nodded with a proud smile with that conclusion.
"But it isn't that simple, Straightedge. Primes have specific personality traits, that makes them worthy of having the Matrix." Shadowblitz sighed as she looked up, "Qualities that may seem bland, but it makes them a Prime." She added on with a shake of her head.
"Whoever takes the Matrix in their chamber from then on will be the guider of our race and must ensure its survival and prosperity...I've even heard that whoever becomes Prime allows them to interact with the previous Primes. For it is rumored that when they pass, they do not go to the Allspark, but the Matrix." Grandcloud stated as he continued to look at the Matrix.
Orion let all this information sink in as he, too, looked down at the Matrix he held in his servo.
Straightedge looked to the ceiling and stroked his chin with his digits. "Edge Prime does have a nice ring to it...Ok no it doesn't but Prime Edge? Prime Edge sounds nice." Straightedge smirked a bit at the thought.
"Not you." Kasey added her input, pointing at Straightedge. "No offense, but you aren't focused enough on one task." She huffed with crossing her arms.
Shadowblitz nodded after Grandcloud spoke, before sighing and crossing her arms.
Straightedge angrily pouted.
"I believe...Orion should be the next Prime..." Grandcloud spoke up as he looked up from the Matrix and looked to Orion, who was obviously surprised at his answer.
"I add my agreement." Shadowblitz nodded after Grandcloud, looking to Orion. "You got us here alive, after all." She added on.
Ratchet nodded his agreement as well, crossing his arms. Bumblebee glanced at Straightedge before looking at Orion. Kasey hopped up onto Bumblebee's servo, before he picked her up and got up.
"Ok look here, No offense to you, Pax. But you are by far possibly the weakest link amongst us. I mean, you've never been in a conflict a cycle in you life, have you?" Straightedge suddenly spoke up.
Orion didn't answer.
"Everyone in this room has at least fought or has seen a fight. Has seen battle. Been out their in the field. You...I'm sorry...But from you've told us...You've just been behind a screen watching it all from there while giving us some neat intel. We need a fighter, Pax. And if you can't do that, then I can't see you leading us anywhere but to our deaths." Straightedge said genuinely, without anger or malice, but with sheer honesty.
"We need someone who can lead us. Someone capable besides through thinking, needing action." Ratchet shook his helm a bit before uncrossing his arms.
Kasey and Bumblebee glanced at each other before at the others.
"Not only that, but Orion here has been the one with the plan ever since we've got here. And has had the honor of being under the tutelage of a Prime himself. And that very same Prime put that Matrix in his servo."
"Oh whoopie-doo. I guess that all but proves he's meant to be the next Prime. Like say if Kasey here was there and was given the Matrix, obviously she's meant to be the next Prime." Straightedge said in a sarcastic manner.
Kasey had an extremely offended expression before she motioned for Bumblebee to put her down. In which he did, and she left the warehouse without a word.
"That was uncalled for, Straightedge." Bumblebee let out a few angry beeps, arms crossed.
"Bumblebee has a point, that was uncalled for." Shadowblitz hissed at Straightedge, "As far as I recall, we woke you up from stasis. And you've been acting like a bickering sparkling." She growled, her mask sliding down and clamping on.
"I was the closest one to death on the fraggin planet! Name a time any of you got trampled on, fell through the crumbling planet and had to crawl his damaged aft back to the fraggin surface! Huh!? Did any of you fools do that?!" Straightedge exclaimed, then his optics turn red suddenly.
"And when is the last time you watched your comrades die in front of you?! Watching their sparks be crushed by a Seeker and being able to feel everything?!" Shadowblitz spat at Straightedge before she stormed out of the warehouse, transforming and speeding off without another word.
"Both of you, enough!" Ratchet growled, before noticing Shadowblitz left. He shook his helm, "We best leave her be.."
"Do whatever you want with the Matrix..." Straightedge also transformed and sped off.
Orion shook his head, clearly upset at this whole ordeal. "We just need some time to think. We can put this off another time."
"I'll go and try to calm them down, Orion. I'll bring them back." Grandcloud turned and walked out the warehouse, then transformed and took flight in Straightedge's direction.
"That may be best, Orion. Perhaps waiting until we have fully adapted to the change would have been better." Ratchet advised him, sighing and looking at Bumblebee. "Bumblebee. Can you find where Kasey went? I noticed she's gone."
"Right away, Ratchet." Bumblebee beeped and headed out to find Kasey.
Orion continued to look at the Matrix a little longer before setting it down and turning towards Ratchet. "So is the creation of a forge doable, Ratchet?"
"Easily with the information of a volcano." Ratchet nodded, before he looked towards the entrance of the warehouse. "Perhaps you should speak to Shadowblitz, maybe you know more about her than you seem from relaying intel to the lines."
"I should... I'll be back, Ratchet. You do what you can while I'm gone." Orion turned away and transformed. He drove away from the warehouse, looking for any kind of trail that Shadowblitz had left.
Ratchet began on the forge, quiet while Bumblebee returned with Kasey. The mech set down the small human female and began to work on helping the elder medic.
Shadowblitz had drove off into the woods, as left by her obvious cloud of dust. Seemingly easy and away from sight.
Orion followed the trail of dust clouds, trying to keep from losing track of Shadowblitz the best he could. Since the wind was mildly blowing through the landscape.
Shadowblitz didn't go far, just over the hill and settled down on a spot overlooking a lake. She was in her bipedal form, arms hugging her legs close as she stared down at the water.
Orion slowed down his speed as he could see the curled-up figure of Shadowblitz. He came to a halt, transformed, then proceeded to walk towards her. "Shadowblitz...I know you're not alright and I know you want to be alone. To be with your own emotions and thoughts." Orion sat down next to her with his legs crossed. "But I wanted to say I'm sorry about your comrades."
Shadowblitz was quiet for a few moments before her mask slid back and she sighed. "It's okay Orion... I shouldn't have blown up back there." She shook her helm and glanced to him. "Honestly, if my comrades weren't offlined before I left Cybertron, they would have liked you."
Orion gave her a small, warm smile. "Flattering. But I'm nothing special. Many like me were on Cybertron." Orion looked up into the evening sky. "Many were greater than I..." He said quietly.
"I highly doubt that." Shadowblitz chuckled as he looked away, looking back down to the lake herself. "I know for a fact that Jetflare would have loved an intellectual conversation with you. Moonguard would have been pleased to meet anyone under a Prime, and Sunbreaker just would have been the hard head."
Orion gave a small chuckle in return but it soon faded away. "Shadowblitz...I'll be honest with you. I'm very much afraid for us. Never have I've seen or heard such great odds stacked against us. We are only so few and our resources are finite. Only someone like a Prime could find a solution...But I am no Prime...Nor am I worthy of it...Deep down in my spark, I know Straightedge is right...We need a fighter, not just a leader. I was surprised you all thought so highly of me even with us just recently knowing each other by name. And as honored as I am, I fear the possibility of failure...For you and for all of them..." Orion looked into the water as he was followed by silence.
"Orion." Shadowblitz sighed and gently set one of her servos on his shoulder. "I wasn't always battle ready." She admitted, "Before the war I was a simple medic, nothing more. It took me one battle, to switch who I was. In my spark, I feel like you can lead us, you did save me from becoming spare parts with Genesis." She reminded him as she looked up to the sky, "You have yet to witness your first actual battle, yes, but you know what we fought for and who we did it for... I'm sure as much as I could combine with my battalion into Lunarstreaker, that you can lead us."
Orion looked over to Shadowblitz then put his servo on her's and grip[ed it firmly. He nodded slowly at her, gratitude filling his optics. "Shadowblitz... I swear to you and everyone else. I will strive to lead us to victory and to home. This I swear."
Shadowblitz gave Orion a warm smile and nodded, before moving her servo off his shoulder. "Then I believe you are more than worthy for the Matrix." She pushed herself into a standing position, strange-colored green optic staring out towards the lake once more.
Orion stood to his pedes as well and looked into the lake with her. "Our future will be as clear and has vast as this. I promise. But we must make that stride together. Are you with me, Shadowblitz?" He asked as he turned to her and put his servo out of a handshake
Shadowblitz turned to him and clasped her servo to his, "I have been ever since you pulled me into the pod." She nodded at him with a brief smile before looking back the way they came.
Orion looked that way and quickly transformed. He lead the way back where they had come, easily through the darkened trees.
Shadowblitz followed after him, transforming and kicking up dust as she shifted to speed next to him.
Straightedge was speeding down a single road dividing the forest. Grandcloud was above him, giving chase. The trees soon disappeared and there is nothing more than a large expanse of gravel and patches of grass, leading to more hills ahead. Grandcloud took advantage of the huge space and landed in front of Straightedge's path. Straightedge swerved out the way and around Grandcloud. Grandcloud moved quickly and grabbed the tail-wing.
"Heyheyhey, servos of the wing!" Straightedge transformed and broke away from Grandcloud's grip. "The wing looks good on me, ya' know." Straightedge took a few paces away from Grandcloud.
"Straightedge, please. You're simply angry."
"Straight ain't home!" Straightedge spoke with a rather fierce tone.
"Straightedge-"
"Ay!" Straightedge turned around and stomped up to Grandcloud "I told you! Straight. Ain't. Home. Do you who is though? Jack."
"Jack?...What happened to Straightedge then?"
"He bellowed out." Jack turned away from Grandcloud and walked a small distance from him "He hates feelin' anything that don't give 'em joy."
"Sooo, you're him when he's angry?" Grandcloud asked, a bit confused.
"Yea, you can say that." He looked off at the hills before him.
"Well, I've been told anger stems from many places. This anger here, stems from fear."
Jack turned to look at Grandcloud.
"I know you're afraid of dying. Almost like you did back on Cybertron. When you were telling us who you were, you said that you had "resigned yourself to fate" as you called it. But you still feared dying. Even at that moment where that may have been the case."
Jack turned back around "No."
"No?" Grandcloud thought for a quick second "...Oh. You're not afraid of dying. You're afraid of dying alone."
"...You guessed it..." Jack looked up into the clear blue sky. "My family are so far, ya know? Back on that breaking planet and they're the closest people I got. I mean sure, I'll probably die along with you guys cause the Decepticons are no doubt gonna smoke us, bu let's be honest, I don't know you guys like that. I'd just be dying next to some random strangers I just know by name and not them, you know."
"Yes, I understand. But that's all the more reason to fight. Whether they live or not, you won't be alone when your time comes. That's if we succeed in this mission."
Jack nodded his head in agreement before his optics turned back to white original color. He turned back to Grandcloud. "Then there's no need for me to bellow. Not when we have a chance to save our race. Let's go." Straightedge walked past Grandcloud and transformed. He sped off back the direction he came.
Grandcloud transformed and blasted off after him.
Shadowblitz walked into the warehouse, where Bumblebee was helping Ratchet with the forge.
"Good to see you're back, mind helping?" Bumblebee beeped out before the femme walked over to assist in any way she could.
"Shadowblitz, get me more of those wires." Ratchet instructed the femme who nodded quickly and gathered a few more wires.
Orion walked into the warehouse. "Is it all well, Ratchet?"
"It is going well so far, the basic structure is made. But yet to be able to find a better way to make it run swiftly and easily." Ratchet replied as he continued to work on the forge, shaking his helm a bit.
Kasey was working on the laptop, sitting in a corner and uploading things onto a hard drive.
Straightedge came into the warehouse and transformed into his bipedal mode. Everyone steal glances towards him. Grandcloud reverted to his alt. mode before entering the warehouse. He ducked his helm before entering, but he was suddenly stopped. He looked to his side and saw that his wings were too long to get him through the warehouse. Grandcloud grunted slightly in frustration.
"Hey, uh, everyone. I just wanna say, I apologize for my behavior and everything. I was speaking because, I'm just...Afraid, you know. I bet a lot of us are, but that doesn't mean we lose our minds over it." Straightedge felt something poke him in his Hexa-Lateral Scapula. He looked behind him to see Grandcloud entering side-ways while still ducking, his wing poking him. "Hey mech, Do you mind? I'm tryin' to apologize here..."
"Then how about you move..." Grandcloud grumbled in a low tone.
Shadowblitz shook her helm a bit, "Don't worry about apologizing Straight, mind giving me a servo?" She asked as she continued to help Ratchet, before she glanced at the other mech. "You and I can travel towards the volcano and check it out." She offered.
"That would be good. Able to see what we're dealing with." Ratchet added on as he continued on the forge.
"Be careful though. We still don't want the run the risk of discovery. And if that volcano is as dangerous as it sounds, you'll want to keep from doing anything that might trigger it." Orion warned.
"We'll be careful." Shadowblitz assured as she glanced over at Orion, nodding at her head. Her gaze turned back to Straightedge, "I can take Bumblebee if you don't want to go."
"Oh no, I'll go to the dangerous death mountain." He looked down at Kasey with a smile. "I guess we all are little crazy, huh?" He bent down and pat her on the head with a finger.
Kasey glanced up and grinned, "Guess so." She pat his finger before continuing her work.
Shadowblitz let a small smile slip up before she made her way past Grandcloud. She chuckled a bit at the fact that he was nearly too big to fit.
Grandcloud pouted at his misfortune. Straightedge followed Shadowblitz out of the warehouse. "Ha!" Obviously not before expressing his amusement at Grandcloud's struggle.
Shadowblitz glanced back at Grandcloud as she and Straightedge walked away. "Should we help him?" She chuckled a bit.
"Pffft! Of Course not! He's already halfway in anyway. So, let's get that forge working so we can get some weapooons! Yea!" Straightedge transformed in his alt. mode and drove off.
Shadowblitz transformed and sped after him, "Think he will ever be small enough to fit?" She chuckled a bit and drove after him.
"OFCOURSE NOT! HAHAHAHAHA!" Straightedge hysterically laughed as they drive towards the volcano.
"Hey Straight, Sorry about blowin' up. I was reminded of the people I could combine with." Shadowblitz apologized as she sped up next to him, chuckling.
"Sorry I sparked that memory. We all have someone we miss back home. And what more can we do for them other than find and preserve the Allspark?"
"I don't have anyone back home, that's the thing. I lost everyone. Starscream ripped out their sparks in front of me, and I could do nothing to stop their deaths."
"Whoa, you ran into Starscream too? That mech is a straight savage! I oughta know, I've seen him fight before. How did you survive that encounter?"
"I beat his aft into a pulp and my optic was damaged in the fight by his cohorts, Thundercracker and Skywarp. My comrades and I could combine into something called Lunarstreaker, a large and fire-breathing dragon."
"Ooooh snap...You mean just like the knights?"
"I suppose you could say like the knights... man, we were powerful beyond measure. We could take down a squadron of Seekers just by fire alone... I miss those days.."
"Eh, don't put yourself down over that. I knew many a soldier that fell at the servos of old Screamer."
"We shared a bond that could only be broken by slaughter, Straightedge. I felt their deaths like an unmeasurable amount of pain... Hell, Blastbreaker got angry that I let them fall..."
"Then Aftbreaker should try to solo Starscream himself and see how well he does. But like I said, you friends live, Shadow. Not on Cybertron, but in the Allspark. Where there is no wars and where cant get hurt. Not unless we keep the Decepticons from getting it first."
"Heh, true, Straight. Man, you would've liked Sunbreaker. She would have been rather rude at first, but that's just her... We need to find this damn volcano's top."
"If there's no path to the top the we'll just have to climb the rest of the way up."
"That's true. Get to experience something new every cycle on this planet."
"And it's only one location. I wonder what the rest of it is like."
"I guess we just have to wait and see. Honestly, if we find the whereabouts of the Allspark, I don't want to leave Kasey alone. I mean, she's helped us out this far."
"I see what you're getting at but, this fight is ours. Not hers. She could be hurt coming along with us."
"Anyone is hurt coming along with us. Who knows if the Decepticons already know about the humans... Genesis was here, and I haven't seen her since. It gives me an unsettling feelings in my tanks."
"All the more reason to keep as much distance between us and her. For her sake. Hold on, I think this way is getting steeper." The two had driven far enough from the forest and they could also notice that the way they're going is indeed getting more and more steeper.
"Alright, I guess it's time to go normal instead of driving. My wheels are starting to slip." Shadowblitz glanced briefly around before she transformed, her bipedal form standing quietly. She was glad she was silent and able to deal with inclines, due to her past on Cybertron.
Straightedge transformed into his bipedal mode as well, but upon doing so, tripped over. "Aaaah!"
Shadowblitz quickly wrapped her arms around him to keep him from hitting the ground, she grunting a bit. "Damn, you mechs need to learn balance."
Straightedge struggled a bit but he managed slightly, "Yea sure, we'll get on that." Straightedge rolled his optics a bit.
Shadowblitz gave him a soft shrug before she made sure he was standing and unwrapped her arms from around him. "Or at least make sure you're balanced on steep inclines." She began the way up again.
Straightedge followed behind her, occasionally having to crawl up on all fours.
Shadowblitz didn't seem to have as much trouble as him, except when she slipped a bit. She dug her claw-like fingers into the stone to keep herself from falling and continued the way up the mountain.
"How much closer to the fraggin volcano, Shadow?" Straightedge asked, falling behind a little.
"I don't know- oh look, I think we're here." Shadowblitz had began before pausing and continuing, climbing over a ledge and holding a servo out to help him up. "High up and out of sight."
Straightedge took her servo and allowed her to pull him up. "You'd think with me climbing out of the Underworld itself being mildly damaged that I'd be good at this."
"Different places." Shadowblitz chuckled as she pulled him up over the ledge and to stand with her near it. A dome shape was surrounded by a crater, snow dusting the somewhat dormant volcano.
Straightedge looked down into the crater, "Ok...So how do you want to do this?"
"I'll jump in." Shadowblitz shrugged, before she looked down into the crater herself. She flipped the fiberglass cover over her damaged optic, before grabbing onto the edge of the crater and dropping down.
"Wait, what were we supposed to be doing again?" Straightedge asked as she descended into the depths of the beast.
"Seeing if this thing is active, first off. And to make sure it doesn't blow up in our faces." Shadowblitz chuckled before she clamped her mask down, looking around a bit.
"Ok. Then what? Were we supposed to bring a wire or something?"
"I don't know. I don't think Ratchet or I got that far in a plan."
Straightedge nodded slowly in slight confusion, "Okaaaay...Well, be careful! Don't want you to melt yourself on accident down there. Don't wanna be down a fighter we need."
"I've dealt with the sea of rust and battery acid on Cybertron, I'm sure molten rock is nothing worse." Shadowblitz kneeled down on a hot stone, letting out a bit of a hiss. She broke off one of her warped pieces of metal, despite it being rather painful and dropped it down into the molten stone below. Watching, it only took mere moments for the metal to melt before she realized she was slipping forward. She scrambled back and hopped up, grabbing onto the edge of the crater.
Straightedge grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "Good hustle there. Shadow."
Shadowblitz managed to get to her pedes with ease and stood next to him, "Thanks for pulling me up, Straight." She split her mask and looked down at the molten stone, narrowing her optics a bit. "That should be hot enough to use, it melted my warped steel within nanoclicks."
"So we came up here to test the heat of this thing?"
"I did. Now just to figure out how to get it from here to the forge."
"Maybe Kasey might know? Cause I sure don't." Straightedge looked back down into the smoking crater.
"Hopefully we can think of something. Let's head back, this heat is making my vents overwork themselves." Shadowblitz shook her helm a bit.
"Alrighty then. Hopefully by the time we get back,Cloud would've gotten himself in the warehouse by now. Haha!" Straightedge transformed into his alt. mode and began to drive back down the side of the mountain, "Whooooohoooo!"
Shadowblitz transformed and raced after him, "Straight! Get back her you aft!" She laughed.
"What for? I thought we accomplished the mission!" Straightedge jokingly responded with a hidden grin.
Back at the warehouse, Kasey was sitting in Orion's servo as he and Grandcloud were looking at the laptop with Kasey. "So those are your guns, am I correct?" Orion asked.
Kasey nodded as she continued to show them the weapons. "Yes. Most dangerous weapons amongst my kind besides tanks, missiles, and nuclear weapons." She explained, looking at Orion and Grandcloud.
"They don't look too complex in comparison to our own weaponry back on Cybertron. And if they can do as much damage as you say, they'll be the perfect alternative for us to fight off the Decepticons." Grandcloud stated.
Kasey nodded before she pulled up her hair into a ponytail, fixing her glasses. "Simple and easy to make, supposedly."
"Yes. All the materials needed to create the ammunition is here. We just need to gather it and mold it. Now we just need to build schematics to and outfit ourselves with these weapons. It'll also help if we take a look at the hand-held weapons as well." Orion spoke, looking to Kasey and her laptop once more.
Kasey nodded at him and quickly began typing on her laptop for a moment, bringing up pictures of the weapons he spoke of. "Here, something simple and easy. The different blades, what we call brass-knuckles, and such."
"Hmmmm." Orion held his chin with his other servo curiously.
Just then, Straightedge came racing into the warehouse and reverted to his bipedal mode. "What's good, losers?" He asked with smile. He looked to Grandcloud. "Huh, you really did finally got in."
Grandcloud gave him a long stare with a bit of an aggressive remark of, "We're just looking at the type of hand-held weapons the humans use..."
"Oh yea? Let me see right quick." He went over and was literally pushing and moving Grandcloud out the way to see the laptop.
"And 'Excuse Me'. Would've been nice." Grandcloud stated, clearly annoyed as he gets up.
"Yea, it would've, wouldn't it?" Straightedge retorted, looking back at Grandcloud before looking back at the laptop.
Kasey huffed a bit at when Straightedge pushed Grandcloud around, before turned her laptop away from Straightedge. "I do have to agree, Straightedge." She added on, before she turned the laptop back.
Shadowblitz transformed and walked in, making her way around Grandcloud and Straightedge. "Hey, good news. The forge will be easy to operate once we manage to get the molten magma down to here."
"Good work, you two. I was just saying we should get some schematics laid out so we can outfit ourselves with the weapons needed to defend ourselves." Orion restated.
"Sounds good, we can get a start on those and easily begin to try to manipulate the magma flow down to here." Shadowblitz nodded with a bit of a smile.
"Hopefully. Without burning ourselves." Straightedge said as he continued to try and look at the laptop from different angles.
"I'll happily take slagged metal to get weapons." Shadowblitz chuckled a bit, glancing at Straightedge as the fiberglass cover left from her optic.
"Not by yourself you won't." Grandcloud put a servo on her shoulder-guard. "We'll do so together to increase our chances of success."
Shadowblitz glanced at Grandcloud, "Sounds good, Grandcloud. We should, however, recharge for the night. I know for a fact my processor is beginning to get foggy." She suppressed a yawn and shook her helm a bit. "That climb did me in." Her helm shook again before she shifted around Grandcloud and the other mechs to go outside.
"Shadowblitz has a point. Even it's getting late for me." Kasey looked at the time on her laptop before looking back towards Orion.
"Alright. We've accomplished quite a lot today. Tomorrow we'll scrap whatever is left of our pod, draw out schematics, then proceed to get this forge functional." Orion stated, looking to everyone.
Shadowblitz transformed and relaxed next to the warehouse in her motorcycle for, letting her recharge take her quickly and she easily fell unconscious.
"Mind putting me down?" Kasey chuckled at Orion, closing her laptop.
"Oh. My apologies." Orion set his servo down to let Kasey off.
Kasey got up and hopped off his servo, "I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." With that, she rushed out of the warehouse towards her own little home.
"Let's wind down." Orion transformed into his alt. mode.
"See you losers in the morning." Straightedge transformed into his alt. mode.
"Goodnight." Grandcloud was about to exit the warehouse until his wings stop him again. He sighed then turned his sides, ducked his head, and exited. He transformed and rested next to Shadowblitz, who was already asleep.
"Night." Bumblebee beeped as he transformed into his alt mode.
"Good night." Ratchet stifled a yawn and transformed into his alt mode.
—
The troopers trekking across the white, dusty surface of the Earth's moon. Looking and observing the terrain and the surroundings
Starscream growled softly as he trekked across the dusty surface, digging his pede into the stone. This was pointless, nothing was around. Nothing worth interest at least.
He kept trekking, until he suddenly found himself sliding down into a decent sized crater. The troops saw this and immediately look down to see if he's alright.
He did end up yelping but slid down and grunted a bit. "Blasted rock." He slammed his pede into the stone with frustration, finding the craters rather idiotic.
A crack of light shined through the stone in the center as he kicked it, the ray of light shining into Starscream's optic.
Starscream hissed and covered his optic, they narrowing a bit. "Light... how peculiar..." he growled as he got closer to the origin of the light.
A few troopers slid down the crater and surround this shining rock. One picked it up and proceeded to dust it off. Doing so caused the light to shine brighter than before. They were able to make out a small glimpse of a small, cybernetic figure curled up in a pristine crystal. "Sir...Could this be...?"
"I am unsure. But Lord Megatron would be most pleased to see if it is." Starscream dimmed his optics to see better before smirking lightly. "I believe we have done enough searching for now in this sector. Maybe the other troops have had more luck."
—
Elsewhere, Berserk was leading his own troopers. They were in a large, white expanse. "Have any of you detected anything abnormal yet?" He growled angrily.
"Yes sir. I'm picking up a reading. A small one 36 clicks away. Straightforward." One troop member answered.
Berserk didn't waste anymore time and made a mad dash towards that direction until he, too, fell down a crater but landed in the center. There is a rock in the middle. Berserk scooped it up and turned to his just arriving troops. "What is this?"
"It's the re-."
"Do you think this is FUNNY!?" Berserk demanded as he showed them the stone.
Some of the troops stepped back in surprise from the sudden outburst.
"N-no sir. That's the reading I've picked up. Maybe something inside the rock."
Berserk grumbled angrily as he hit the rock, only to be blinded by a a ray of light shining through a crack. Berserk continued to uncover this rock until it revealed a crystal with a small cybernetic figure inside. Berserk vented slowly and eagerly.
"What is it, sir?"
"None of your business what it is!" Berserk snapped, "All you need to know, is it now belongs to Lord Megatron."
"Berserk, report. Any useful findings or just more moon dust?" Starscream's voice broke over his comms, the second in command taking the crystal from his trooper. He climbed back up the crater and observed the crystal a bit more curiously.
"Yes. I have indeed. Something veerrry useful." Berserk growled ominously as he took a closer look at the being inside the crystal.
"I believe we best return to Lord Megatron and report our finds. I do think he'll be extremely pleased." Starscream chuckled darkly before he motioned for his troops to head back to the Nemesis, he taking the lead with the crystal in servos.
"Let us return to the ship." Berserk commanded as he jumped out the crater and lead them back where they came.
Megatron was sitting on his throne in a deep state of thought. Still trying to figure out this puzzle behind this planet. Something about it perplexed him, something about this planet fascinated him only slightly. Like a presence lingered on it. But what could it be. He couldn't be paranoid. Why would he? He'd never seen nor heard of this planet before, yet something about it still was setting off alarms in his head.
After several long cycles, Starscream strolled into the command center with the crystal behind his back. "My liege, I believe we have found something that you may wish to see." He spoke rather proudly, smirking a bit and keeping the object hidden as best he could.
Megatron opened his optics. "Have you now, Starscream? What is it that you have found while exploring this rock?" Megatron asked gruffly.
Starscream moved the crystal with the being inside of it out from behind him. "This, my lord." He moved to where he could better be seen, continuing to hold onto the crystal.
Megatron's optics widened. He rose from his throne and walked to the crystal. He stretched out his claws, hesitant and first but ultimately took it and brought it closer to his face. "By the Allspark...Could it be..?" Megatron took a closer look to see a small cybernetic figure encased inside. "It is! It has to be! One of the lost super weapons of Cybertron!" He held it in the air triumphantly. "You have done an amazing service here for the Decepticons, Starscream. You have my favor."
"I only live to please, Lord Megatron." Starscream bowed at his leader with a soft nod of his head. "I will continue searching this rock, that was hidden in a large crater not too far from here. I don't doubt that there is many here." He said rather anxiously, knowing that these could indeed be an advantage to finding the Allspark.
Just then, Berserk presented himself. "My lord. I have found an object you will find most pleasing." Berserk knelt before him and presented another crystal to him.
Megtron took the crystal in his other clawed servo. "Two of them..." Megatron said with quiet excitement. "You both have pleased me beyond measure today." He gave a wide grin, "Soon we'll be a force of nature to be reckoned with! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!" Megatron cackled as the reckoning of the galaxy will come sooner than it believed.