Iacon: Before the fall of Kaon
The tides of war were turning against them yet again.
Prowl sat silently in the darkened conference chamber, where a few hours before, the problem had been outlined. Discussed, debated, argued about. There wasn't a shade of doubt about what was turning the tides against them-- it was the weapons and armor supplied to the Decepticons.
The Decepticon army had an advantage in Kaon-- weapons development had been going on in the laboratories there for eons. One might even say that the city was created for war-- and it's leading developer had been working with them for most of that time.
The problem wasn't finding the source of the weapons.
The debate, and all the arguing had been about what to do about it.
Nothing had been really decided, however, and Prowl had remained behind, thinking in the only quiet space in Iacon. Which was where Jazz found him.
Prowl didn't know how long Jazz had actually been in the room observing him before he spoke.
"Ya up to doin' a little legwork?" The words had a faint echo to them in this room, but Prowl located the source instantly, and turned to give the saboteur the faintest of smiles. "'Cause I've got an idea."
Kaon
Crowded streets thrummed with the emotional energy of a city on the edge-- and Kaon was always on the edge. The city itself had been restructured for a siege at some point in the near past. Jazz pointed out a few of the changes in low tones as they watched the brilliantly lit gates of the lab complex at the northernmost point. How Jazz knew about the minor changes in one Decepticon stronghold, Prowl wasn't sure he wanted to know. It no longer lead to the same train of thought that it had a few centuries ago.
He knew better now.
Prowl shifted to get a better look at one of the out buildings, easily surpressing the startled reaction to the peripheral movement. He still wasn't used to being a color other than white. This much black just didn't suit him- nor did the line of arcing lightning bolts painted on his chest. It was, however, necessary. He understood that much about infiltration. Disguise was important.
Though Prowl could almost swear that Jazz had been enjoying every minute of his discomfort-- and every minute of the few weeks that they'd been establishing themselves in the city. The special operations Autobot's disguise had been eerily familiar. Ricochet lived again.
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"Cover IDs" Jazz had explained, with a grin. "Ain't gonna get close enough to the lab, if we're just a coupla empties from down south."
"Why do you need my help for this?"
"I can get the info-- but I ain't got the objectivity on the place t'find a way to shut it down fer good. An' as much as I wanna kill th' ice-glitch --" Jazzhadstopped. "We need to take it out with as little killin' as possible."
Prowl had merely nodded. Killing-- assassination-- was not the way to solve things. They'd decided that much in the Iacon briefing room.
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"I see 'im." Jazz-- Ricochet, said suddenly, hopping down from the ledge where they'd been watching the gates-- just out of camera range. "Ready, 'Rebound'?"
"Ready." Prowl followed at a slightly more sedate pace. The subject of their surveillance was heading for the city. They'd have to follow, but with any luck-- he smiled faintly at the thought of that particular term working its way into his vocabulary-- they would be able to catch up with him swiftly.
It took them about ten minutes.
And another twelve to convince the lab's maintenance technician that it would be in his best interests to take a long vacation-- preferably somewhere far away from Kaon. The hard currency made the idea of letting 'Ricochet' take over his position at Antipode labs while he was away an even better proposition. Prowl wasn't going to ask where Jazz had gotten the funds-- nor what sort of activities that the tech had been involved in that made him so nervous around 'Ricochet'.
"Well," said the visored mech, watching the nervous tech skitter away.
"Now what?" Prowl asked.
"We go an' get ready t' learn how ta maintain a complex." Jazz was grinning.
Prowl felt a small smile forming on his own faceplate.
They had a foot in the door. Now to see what that door would reveal.
Present: Near Orleans, CA
The dying echo of gunfire had given Fleetwind a direction in which to go from the bridge where the battle had taken place. It had been deserted-- except for those miserable flesh creatures-- when he'd made it back. And now, reluctantly, he was heading towards the place where he could now see a flash of white standing among the sea of green.
Autobots were dependable creatures. Compassion and mercy were their downfall. If Fleetwind went in and told them that he was going to take his comrade away, chances were fairly high that they'd let him do it. Especially if there was even a remote chance that they'd shot him.
Besides, the yellow Decepticon didn't have much choice-- Arachnae was already annoyed with him for leaving Recoil behind.
Letting out another sigh, Fleetwind armed his weapons, and let his anti-gravs lower him to hover just above the trees next to the wide clearing, surveying the mess below.
Prowl was near the center, casting an inscrutable gaze at a rather battered Sideswipe who was looming impressively over the motionless form of a black seeker.
Fleetwind made a nervous staticky noise with his vocalizer, trying to gather the attention of at least one on the ground. He got both Autobots.
"If you're quite done abusing him, I'll take him home--" Fleetwind said, trying not to quail at the murderous rage that still loomed in Sideswipe's face. If the red warrior only knew what he'd just done... how much more of that rage would there be, aimed at Fleetwind? "Did you-- is he---"
"I have a better idea," the normally calm voice had an unpleasant note of determination, despite the weapons being aimed at him. This was not good. The daydreams of quickly getting out of this situation and heading to that little bar on the other side of the galaxy turned to vapor. Fleetwind felt that little sinking sensation start to overtake him again, and tried not to sigh out loud.
"You are going to tell us who the two of you are, and why--" Prowl paused, "What is going on."
"Um--" The yellow seeker almost squeeked. "Why should I?" The seeker on the ground still hadn't moved. Was he dead? Was this farce finally over? "Did you kill him?"
Prowl shook his head, while Sideswipe grunted something that sounded like a regretful 'no'.
Relief warred with disappointment. At least this way Fleetwind wouldn't have to carry a dead weight back to Arachnae. But the game was still on.
"Why do you look disappointed, Decepticon?" Prowl asked, making Fleetwind jump, and point an arm laser directly at the white Autobot. "Your friend isn't dead."
"Then why isn't he moving?" Fleetwind ignored the question.
"'Cause it takes a minute t'get the gears goin' after ya get knocked around." The black seeker grunted. "Like t'see ya get back up after goin' a few extra rounds with big an' bulky here." The glare that Sideswipe shot at him was chilling.
"Recoil?" Fleetwind tried to keep his voice calm and soothing. "Did they hurt you?"
"Ya left me behind," Recoil accused, staggering to his feet. "What did ya expect 'em to do when we were there t' try an' kill?" The blind seeker was oblivious to the way that his movements had set the red warrior beside him on edge.
"But--"
"Fleetwind, ya gotta know. I... don't want t'kill nobody. Maybe they did somethin' wrong t'me, but--" The red gold gaze seemed to fall on the yellow seeker. "It jus' don't feel right."
"Recoil..." Fleetwind stared at the other seeker. He should've seen this in the hesitations, the lack of enthusiasm for the kill. Maybe 'Recoil' was remembering more than he'd let on. Considering who he was-- it was a definite possibility.
"As interesting as this conversation is," intruded Prowl, "It still does not explain why two Decepticons that I have never met before are specifically targeting me." The subtle hint of irritation and suspicion was almost impossible to pick up. In fact, Fleetwind would have missed it entirely, if Recoil hadn't said something.
"Don't get your diodes in a dither, Prowl," the dark seeker snorted, "Ya apparently forgot-- or I ain't significant enough t' register on your logic--" Recoil stopped, one fist clenching as he pressed it against the bridge of his own nasal ridge, covering the dim optics for a moment. "Not... that..." The seeker swayed dangerously, as Sideswipe scowled, ready to pounce.
"Recoil," Fleetwind snapped, desperate to keep his charge from spilling any more information than necessary-- and get him to get moving. "It's time to go. She's waiting for us."
"Arachnae." The word challenged him, even as Fleetwind's head spun to look at Prowl. He knew the name, but did he know--
"Fraggin' glitch was frozen last I heard about her. Did Shockwave suddenly get soft and decide to let her out?" Sideswipe contributed, now ignoring the silent seeker. "An' you were gonna take Prowl back to her, weren't you?" He leveled one of those malevolent glares at Fleetwind. "So was it you an' this dim-spark that killed Jazz, or did she do it?"
"I don't--" Fleetwind gulped, suddenly very glad that he'd made the decision to not land. Both Autobots were staring at him now, and with the venom in the words--- he didn't want to be anywhere near them. Curse Arachnae and her orders. Tricurse them. This situation wasn't getting any better.
Before Fleetwind could form a proper response to the question, however, Recoil lost his battle with gravity, and fell to the ground with a resounding crash.
"Oh slag," said Fleetwind in disgust, "Now I'll have to carry him back."
To be perfectly honest, Sideswipe had been surprised that the black seeker had been able to get up at all.
The scuffle that had followed the impromptu jab to the backside had been short and bluntly brutal. Sideswipe's one shot had gone a bit wild, only grazing the Decepticon's side, rather than coring the mech. Recoil was fast. Under the bridge, he'd been easily able to avoid the red Autobot's swing.
Sideswipe should've remembered that. It would've helped.
"Should've, could've, would've." The seeker's words seemed to mock him. Sideswipe hadn't even realized he'd said anything aloud until the words of the familiar rebuke rolled out of the stranger's vocalizer. It only provoked him further.
"Shut. Up." he'd growled, and started swinging.
It wasn't even much of a fight, after the first swing or so. Recoil fought like he had his optics shut, missing more than he was connecting with a look of blind panic on his face. Sideswipe had been ready to continue to pummel him even after he fell. He loomed over the gasping seeker, pile-drivers clicking into place.
And then Prowl's voice made it through the combat haze.
"Enough, Sideswipe." Prowl told him. "Enough. He's down. Killing seekers won't bring him back."
It had been enough to get him to retract the pile-drivers, and take a step backwards. Sideswipe looked down at the broken Decepticon, clenching and unclenching his fists. The urge to continue hitting the seeker faded. But not by much.
"I want to get some answers from him as well." Prowl said quietly.
And then the yellow one to showed up.
Recoil had surprised him by standing up. And staying up. It set Sideswipe on edge again-- even while he was listening to the bizarre conversation between the Decepticons.
When the black seeker fell once more, it wasn't a surprise. What was puzzling, however, was the yellow one's attitude.
Fleetwind had seemed annoyed at the fact that Recoil was alive.
In fact, Fleetwind seemed disgusted at the whole idea that his friend was currently unconscious at Sideswipe's feet. Not concerned that his friend was unconscious and obviously battered. Perturbed that he was going to have to carry an unconscious body back to whatever base they'd been lurking in between the attacks.
Sideswipe looked at Prowl.
Then stepped closer to the seeker.
"You have not answered Sideswipe's questions." Prowl tilted his head up to stare at the yellow one, still ignoring the weapons pointed in his direction.
"No, yes, and I didn't do it. Happy? Now if you don't mind, I have a wingmate to retrieve. Move, or I'll start shooting."
"You abandoned him earlier." Prowl pointed out, "And there are two of us, versus one of you."
The seeker wavered in the sky, determination fading a fraction before he answered.
"Nevertheless, I have my orders. Now stand aside!"
"Why don't we just shoot him, Prowl," Sideswipe grumbled crankily, "We've already got a seeker we can question." The expressions on the yellow seeker's face warred between fear and oddly enough-- amusement.
"Because he won't be able to tell us where Arachnae is, will he Fleetwind?" The seeker's face twisted into a disdainful, almost self satisfied smirk.
"Prowl?" Sideswipe started looking from one to the other.
"Recoil is blind." Prowl said quietly, still watching the yellow seeker.
It didn't take a leap of intuition to figure out that there was something seriously wrong with the seeker that had attacked him out of the blue, aside from the fact that Prowl had never encountered this particular seeker before today. Recoil hadn't responded to any of the visual cues that a normally functioning being would have. Even in their short tussle on the bridge-- he'd seen the seeker's optics narrow, and the head tilt as he'd listened for Prowl's location- and again with Sideswipe.
And then there was the way that Fleetwind had felt free to wear the expression of annoyance and disgust within visual range of the other seeker. His words had been fair-- but not matching his movements.
Prowl now watched Fleetwind carefully. There was no need for the pale seeker to confirm what he'd observed with a vocal response. The smirk was enough.
"Ma'am!" The seeker let out a startled squawk that frightened the few birds that had ventured back into the trees near the new clearing. "I found him, but there's a problem!" Fleetwind was no longer looking as smug as he had a moment before. Whomever was on his radio was frightening the yellow Decepticon enough to overcome his obvious fear of the Autobots, in order to retrieve his companion. "The Autobots got here first-- "
"Who are you talking to?" Prowl let a small frown cross his face as he heard one side of the conversation. The smile that had just started spreading across Fleetwind's face did not reassure him. Nor did the fanatical gleam that suddenly entered the seeker's optics.
"I've been wanting to do this for a week." Fleetwind said, the grin growing wider. He moved his arm, changing targets. Before Prowl or Sideswipe could move, he fired.
But not at the Autobots.
Fleetwind was shooting at Recoil.
Move or die.
He didn't want to die again-- but the darkness of silence was calling to him with a siren's song. No more pain. No more confusion. No more.
Again...?
The painful lethargy kept him from moving as much as a micron, hovering somewhere between consciousness and dreaming-- how could he move against it, and get out of the line of fire? Silence beckoned him for a moment longer, and then the second laser blast struck him, sending shrill alarms down through his core. The faint ghost of a dream passed over him, and he found the strength to move again.
"... and the rest is silence."
He'd be damned if he was going to go down without a fight. The silence was too awkward, and at the same time, too easy.
Recoil's body spasmed under the sudden pressure of consciousness. Attempting to roll into a clumsy crouch, his instincts were arming and firing his few weapons towards the shadows from whence the laser fire was coming. He was rewarded by a yelp of surprise.
Fleetwind? That was Fleetwind?
An enraged snarl filled the air, and the fwumph of a small jet igniting was followed almost immediately by the rough metallic crash of bodies impacting in mid-air.
Recoil could only stare into the darkness with blank incomprehension as the resounding thud-crack rattled the ground beneath his weary frame.
"Fleetwind?" What had he done?
"Recoil?" The quiet voice of the Autobot who he had been sent to kill was next to him, one firm hand on his shoulder.
"Is he gonna pass out again?" The other Autobot. Sideswipe-- a short distance away.
"Do not move, you are injured."
"I shot Fleetwind?" Recoil shook his head, trying to clear the buzzing sensation.
"You missed him, but it wasn't a bad shot for a blind guy."
"Not gonna pass out..." Recoil said numbly. "What jus' happened?"
"Fleetwind has been rendered unconscious," Prowl told him, "but I believe we need to talk."
