Chapter 7
A Few Days Later
"So wait, that's a hologram?" Seth circled the very solid, human female in front him with bewilderment. "Why a woman?"
The human female in front of Seth shrugged her shoulders. "Perceptor said that the majority of human's that drive a Fiat are females." Bumblebee powered down his holomatter, a huge smile on his face. "But thanks to these we are able to siphon gas or do other things we couldn't do before because of our size."
Tanner shook his head then signed, "That is just creepy." His eyes shifted over to Seth's guardian, Sideswipe. "How about you?"
Sideswipe let out a few grumbles as an older male suddenly appeared before them. "Apparently my vehicle mode is a…human's call it, a late-life crisis car. Gotta blend in, right?"
Heavy footsteps brought Seth's attention to the black and white mech walking into the command center. Ever since he had met Prowl Seth didn't care for him, he seemed to be the only Autobot who looked down at the humans, treated them like pests.
"If you keep playing around with the holomatter, the generator will wear itself out." He let out a heavy sigh as he went to the computer console. "Anybody hear from Jazz lately?"
Bumblebee shrugged. "He usually goes off on his own, too familiarize himself with the local culture. A few days isn't too abnormal for him."
"Even after he left to check a pipeline explosion and didn't report back?"
"Well, when you put it that way…."
Prowl let out a heavy sigh as he jammed away at several keys, irritation growing on his face. "Something isn't right, Jazz usually reports back to us by now. I have tried his locator beacon but I got nothing. Going to try his holomatter device now, see if I can pick up it's signature."
"Prowl, hate to interrupt but I need you in the repair…."
"Not now, Ratchet!"
The young robot shook his head as he motioned a hand to the hallway. "I got the formula down, it seems to be working. I'm taking Optimus out of stasis and I need you there when I do."
XXXX
"Systems at 100% capacity. Initiating wake-up protocol."
The words flashed before Optimus' optics as his mind slowly came out of the fog it's been in for days. As his systems rebooted the first sensation he felt was panic, a deep circuit fear of the unknown. Optimus was about to lash out when he felt a gentle nudge deep within his spark cavity.
"That's it, Optimus. You're safe, nothing is going to harm you." Ratchet's voice helped Optimus calm down so he could focus on his surroundings. "Optics should be on-line any second now."
Sure enough Optimus' vision became clear and vivid allowing him to see that he was laying on his back in the repair bay. Beside him, on the right was Prowl an odd site to see since it was usually Jazz in that position.
"Where is Jazz?"
Prowl's optics wavered for a bit before locking onto Optimus'. "He went MIA, I have a team searching for him now."
Optimus shook his head as he attempted to stand. "How long as he been missing?"
"Two days, and he hasn't reported in." Prowl gently took hold of Optimus' arm to help him from the repair table. "Don't worry, I have Bumblebee and Sideswipe out looking for him right now."
"And the human's under their watch?"
"Are here, with Ironhide."
Optimus' attention then went to Ratchet who was busy cleaning up his gear. "The injection…is it functional?"
Ratchet stopped what he was doing to turn and face Optimus. "Yes, it will be a daily injection you will have to take via a port on your right arm. Though it won't kill the larvae it should stop their growth. And if you were to spill Energon, the larvae will die almost immediately because of the oxygen found here on Earth."
"Good work, Ratchet. I knew you had it in you." Optimus gave the young medic a pat on the shoulder as headed out of the repair bay. "Now, lets go find Jazz."
Decepticon Shuttle
The pain made it hard for Jazz to move, the torture he had endured for the last several hours taking a toll on his already damaged body. All he could do was lean against the wall of his small cell hoping stasis will come to relieve him of his misery. Lets just pray Starscream was through with his little games but Jazz feared he was only beginning.
Heavy footsteps approached the cell causing Jazz to tense up in fear. However, instead of Starscream Jazz saw Megatron approach, a scowl on his face.
"So, you refuse to talk? Pity, I really didn't want Scalpel to get involved." The bars disappeared so Megatron can make his way inside the cell, his large stature nearly filling the space. "Maybe once he is through with you, you will talk."
With one hand the Decepticon leader took hold of the shackles binding Jazz's wrists together and dragged him to the repair bay. With considerable ease Megatron threw Jazz onto an oil stained table, the motion making him grunt in pain. The shackles were undone allowing a human size Decepticon to secure Jazz's limbs and head to the table.
"Scalpel, do what you want with this Autobot scum."
Jazz took a quick look around the room until his optics fixed on a disfigured Autobot corpse hanging on the wall like a trophy.
"Huh, so that's where Tread went to?"
"Oh, you like my friend?" The small insectile robot said. "He lasted me almost a cycle before he gave up on himself. Ze things we were learning together were truly magnificent. You notice how ze laser burns are less pitted as you work your way up? Another session or two and he might have been totally immune to them. Oh well."
"What do you mean another session or two? You get worse at torturing the longer you go?" Jazz said pulling against the restraints.
"No, actually I was getting better, but so was he. Such a shame. Anyways, now we have you to learn all about. Starscream says that you are a sniper, yes?"
Jazz didn't like how the Decepticon was studying his visor but with his head secured he couldn't pull away. "Listen, I'm not going to say anything to you Decepticreeps, so save your resources and just end it now."
"Tsk tsk Autobot, I just want to have a chat with you. Is it so bad to discuss your natural gifts? Few can handle a Nucleon Charge Rifle with great precision. Have you always been a marksman or did you have to train?"
Jazz glared at the Decepticon without saying a word.
"Ok then, if you don't want to work with me, we will go about this the hard way." Scalpel clambered up onto Jazz to look him in the face. "It seems that your visor has been damaged, ze least I can do is take a look at it." With a couple of quick motions the visor was detached and hooked into a diagnostic computer. "It seems that zis isn't just an optic covering but a kind of magnifier, yes?"
Jazz rolled his optics towards Scalpel. "I guess so, you're the medic. You tell me."
Scalpel turned back towards Jazz. "It appears that way, but if you aren't sure we will have to study more." With a quick jump he was back on Jazz's chest. "Now, I recommend that you don't flinch because that could cause certain…complications."
Jazz didn't have time to realize what was happening before Scalpel had pulled out his left optic. "See, nice and smooth! And very little Energon leakage as well. You may do better than my old friend."
At that point Jazz let out a feral scream as his pain receptors caught up to what had happened. He bucked in the restraints trying to get free but to no success.
"QUIET, Autobot! How am I supposed to discover how you are such a marksman with all of that noise?" Scalpel hopped back to his work bench and proceeded to connect the removed optic to the computer. "Ah, ze visor magnifies an image and transmits more data to ze optic. That won't do. We can easily make zis work better. Though I should probably check the other optic, just to be sure."
Autobot Shuttle
When Optimus Prime stepped into the command room Tanner could feel the whole atmosphere of the room change. Though only a head taller than Ratchet, the Autobot leader seemed to be far taller, as though he was a giant. Must come with having millions of years of command, Tanner felt.
Tanner quickly went to Seth's side hoping his friend could translate what Optimus was saying. Because of the leader's face mask it was rather difficult to even judge emotions frustrating Tanner since he relied heavily on facial expressions to tell him the mood of the situation.
"What is going on?"
Seth shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing yet, just going over how they might find Jazz. I guess they're going to try using his holomatter generator."
But as the meeting continued Tanner soon found himself being left out since Seth couldn't keep up with the conversation. Frustrated Tanner made his way to the back of the room where Ratchet stood. The medic glanced down, narrowed his eyes then knelt before Tanner.
"What seems to be the problem?" Though rough Ratchet's ASL was legible.
"Can't keep up and Optimus' face plate is making it hard for me to judge his emotions." Tanner's hands showed his frustration and he hoped the Autobot could keep up. "Why does he wear it all the time?"
Ratchet's face showed sadness as his eyes shifted over to where Optimus stood.
"It's necessary." The medic shook his head as he continued to sign. "Optimus was badly damaged, lost most of his lower face."
Tanner's attention went to the Autobot commander to see him now pointing to a large map being displayed on the shuttle's forward window. His eyes could barely see the deep scars creeping from under the slotted face plate.
"What could do such damage?"
Ratchet seemed to sigh as his eyes fell to the floor. "He encountered what are known as, Scraplets which are kind of like Piranha but ten times more deadly. They feast on living metal. Optimus is very lucky, few survive their attack."
The news shook Tanner so much he had no idea what to say next. Instead he just brought his attention back to Optimus whose attention was now on Prowl. Then the commander's head swiveled to face Tanner, his glowing blue eyes showing deep concern.
"What's happening now?" Asked Tanner.
"He's worried about you being able to defend yourself in battle."
"I'm deaf not dumb!" Tanner's hands showed his anger. "Give me a chance!"
"I'll see what I can do."
XXXX
After the team debrief Optimus sat down in his command chair with a heavy sigh. What was suppose to be a simple recon mission has now turned into something much deeper. Optimus never meant to bring Cybertron's war to an innocent planet, one so young that their presence here could alter it's future.
He ran a hand down his face before bringing up the holographic keyboard. He had much to catch up on but first he had to figure out where his Lieutenant disappeared to. But the more he searched the more frustrated he became until eventually he abruptly stopped. He then got up to pace, his mind racing so fast it was hard for him to concentrate.
Eventually he decided to head back to the repair bay to have a chat with Perceptor. Apparently while he was in stasis the scientist came up with a unique way to get Energon through Earth's resources. And he also invented something called Holomatter, which will help the Autobots blend in better with the humans.
"Oh Optimus, so glad to see you." Perceptor greeted Optimus outside the repair bay, a huge smile on his face. "I need to install your holomatter device."
Optimus gave Perceptor a nod as he made his way to the repair table. "How long will this take? I need to be out there, searching for Jazz."
"Shouldn't take too long."
Sure to his word the procedure only took Perceptor twenty minutes and soon Optimus had a middle-aged human holomatter. It was a bit unusual to have another form to use, especially since he could split his consciousness to use the holomatter.
"Now it will take some getting use to but once you do, you'll be able to pick things up and hold a conversation just by using your holomatter." Perceptor gave Optimus a huge smile as he put away his tools. "You have also been equipped with a new fuel converter."
Optimus smiled behind his face plate and patted his friend on the shoulder. "You have been busy, Perceptor."
"Well, I'm not done yet. Prowl wants to know if I can use the holomatter device in Jazz to track him down. It will be tricky, but I believe I can pull it off."
"Good, let me know when you do." Optimus slowly got back on his feet, his joints stiff from the Scraplet larvae trying to make their way through his system. "Lets just hope we can find him before it's too late."
XXXX
The screams from the Autobot captive rang throughout the tiny ship and though Megatron once enjoyed the sound it was beginning to irritate him. Why doesn't Scalpel silence him? Surely there has to be a way to paralyze the Autobot's vocal chords so he wouldn't utter a sound. That or just rip them out.
"Scalpel!" Megatron stormed into the small repair bay to see Scalpel working on the Autobot's head. "I've had enough of his screaming! Shut him up at once!"
"Yes, my Lord." Scalpel picked up a small device then clamped it onto the Autobot's throat. "There, ze Autobot can scream all he wants but no sound will come out."
"Good. Keep me posted." Megatron spun around to head back to his command center where Soundwave stood waiting. "Have you found the Autobots or their human allies yet?"
Soundwave shook his head. "No, but I do have Rumble watching a human doctor by the name of John Sanchez. The human has begun his own search for Ratchet."
Megatron scowled at this bit of news. "How close is he to finding out?"
"Not even, but he could be a problem, especially if the Autobot human allies need medical attention."
"You have a good point, Soundwave." Megatron began to pace as his mind went back to their current energy crisis. "How are our Energon reserves?"
Soundwave handed Megatron a data pad with a wag of his head. "Another day, maybe two. Starscream is getting more as we speak."
XXXX
Without the ability to see Jazz had no idea what Scalpel had in store for him next. Currently the Decepticon scientist was digging around in his head, a level of pain that made Jazz whimper nonstop. Why wasn't his systems going into stasis? Why was he forced to endure Scalpel's torture? What made it worse was the device put around his throat. Though Jazz could hear his own voice, it seemed Scalpel could not.
"Please…I can't take anymore."
"What was that?" The doctor cackled as he continued his work this time moving to Jazz's optic casings. "Oh yes, you are now discovering ze device's unique capabilities. Something I invented, to help torture go faster!"
Jazz's scream echoed inside his mind as Scalpel continued work inside his head. "What are you doing to me?"
"Still don't get it, do you? Dumb Autobot! I can't hear you and won't be able to unless I permit you to do so." Scalpel paused in his tinkering long enough to give Jazz a brief reprieve from the torture. "But I believe you are wondering what I am doing. Well, I am making you better optics by directly patching your visor into your visual mainframe!"
"Then how will you possibly get information from me if I'm silent?" Jazz asked knowing full well Scalpel couldn't hear. "That doesn't seem so smart to me."
"Even after explaining you still talk, that will not do!" Jazz could feel Scalpel mess with the harness for a bit. "There, trying to speak without my code will send a shock through your systems. Now, be quiet and let me continue with my work."
