Episode 10 Minus One

Smokescreen POV

I woke up with a very sore backbone, but I didn't I care Gail was still asleep on the medical berth. I looked around and see the rest of the team watching Ratchet work on Ultra Magnus's new limb. I can't really see what he's working on, but knowing the Doc he'll do the best he can, maybe when Gail woke up she could help fix him up more.

"I've done everything I can, considering the limitations of my equipment and less than ideal spare parts." With that he moves out of the way giving me and the rest of my team view of Magnus's new hand. It's a claw, but considering

What Ratchet had to work with it wasn't too bad he did a phenomenal job.

"It remains uncertain whether Ultra Magnus' new appendage will be ready for battle. Though it should be functional after a numerous amount, of therapy."

"That is all we can hope for old friend." I look at the team and then I feel pressure on my hand so I turn around and looked at my wife who was just opening her optics once they were fully opened she smiled at me before slowly getting up off of the berth.

"How are you doing?"

"Better my heads not pounding as hard as before, but I still have a headache so if you cannot go and yell at everyone until tomorrow."

"I will." she got up and walked around testing her muscles.

"Hey, look at the bright shiny side. Commander Magnus, Jackie, and Storm single handedly, put the kibosh on project Predacon."

"Though at least one beast that we know of remains. The one who demonstrated the ability to transform."

"I still can't believe that it can actually transform."

"Well believe it, and he packs quite a punch too." Wheeljack rub his right forearm where the beast had seen fit to wound him and though the damage was gone the emotional scar was still present.

"Ain't that the truth." Gail did not like the Predacon and she wasn't the only one. Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus had a bone to pick with the Predacon if he ever reared his ugly head again. All of the sudden Fowler runs up to the group on the balcony urgently stating.

"Prime! We have trouble brewing, the cons staged a smash and grab at the Los Alamos Nuclear plant last night and made off with twenty tons of control rods."

"What are the Decepticons looking to build?" Fowler returns to his office allowing the rest of us to wait for further orders from Dad. Fowler had to leave the base for a while and not long after that he contacted the base again.

"Prime; its cons again, in progress this time."

"Coordinates received Engaging power."

"Let's roll." Magnus states while getting ready to leave Unfortunately Ratchet doesn't agree. Gail tries to use that distraction to slip out, but I stopped her.

"Oh no you don't you're not leaving this base until the doc clears you."

"Please, Smokie I need to get out of here."

"No way no how, Gail you need to rest don't worry about me I'll go on this mission with our father then I'll be right back."

"Fine" she wasn't all too happy with my decision, but I kissed her on the head and followed Dad through the bridge.

Shadow Storm POV

I was so not happy with not being able to go I only had a minor headache so I waited on the empty energon cubes until the team returned.

"Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge and make sure that the humans are kept at a safe distance, for we will be returning with a Decepticon prisoner." The team came through the bridge hauling Soundwave with them. The guys dragged the con to one of the medical berths and secured with energy bars. Once they were done the con woke up and tried to get free of his restraints.

"Because we had the foresight to shield our new base, our captive will be unable to transmit his coordinates to the Decepticon warship."

"Nor will they in turn be able to pinpoint his location."

"Guess we have all the time in the world to make Mr. Personality tell us everything he knows."

"Why is Megatron stealing human technology? What is he attempting to build?"

"W… wwwhhhy. Isssss … Meeggatttttrrron stealllling human tech … technology. Wha … whaaaat isssss he attttemp ting to build?" Soundwave replays my father's voice making it really weird. What was really odd was that Soundwave knows enough about Earth symbols to be able to put a smiley face on his screen.

"Oh yea, why don't I wipe that smile right off his face." Bulkhead was getting angry enough to activate his weapon.

"Soundwave, we have treated you fairly. For the sake of the natives of this planet tell us what Megatron is attempting to build. Before we are forced to rely upon less civil methods of interrogation." All of the sudden Soundwave lets out an audio squeal that really messes with my head I cover my audio receptors to try and block some of the noise. Once he stopped I took a knee just to gather myself.

"Gail, are you ok?"

"No I'm not, that squealing sound just returned my huge headache really bad."

"Scrap this! Soundwave is no ordinary Cybertronian, inside or out. So I would strongly suggest opening him up so we can have a firsthand look at the information recorded on his drives." My head was really pounding so I went as far away as I could from the team to ease the ache then all of a sudden the con spoke.

"Soundwave: superior, Autobots: inferior."

"Ok, that was weird."

"Sure was."

"Prime!"

"Agent Fowler would you quiet down I just got revisited by a splitting headache."

"Sorry Storm, Prime I'm on my way to the base. I just got word that the cons busted into the Solaris Particle collider project at the South Pole."

"Autobots" I knew what that meant, but I just couldn't go my head was splitting. Ultra Magnus flexed his new appendage, but Ratchet stops him.

"Ep Ep" Wheeljack intervenes

"Doc, Commanders ready."

"Fine, Fine"

"Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and Storm. Remain here Ratchet to guard our prisoner. Everyone else, transform and roll out." Ratchet activates the ground bridge and the rest of the team goes through it. The rest of us that remained took too staring at the unconscious form of Soundwave.

"Can we throw a trap over him? He's creeping me out."

"Yeah, it's like he's watching … no matter where you go." Smokie swayed back in forth in front of him.

"Will all of you stop focusing on what Soundwave can or cannot see and help me figure out what he did not tell? Like why Megatron would be interested in something believed to generate enough power to create a black hole."

"A black hole?"

"Black holes? So what, Megatron's looking to swallow up the known universe."

"And everything in it."

"No, no, He merely wants to harness the power of something capable of swallowing worlds. In order to … create one … oh my."

"Ratchet's what's wrong?" The Doc runs to the monitor and contacts the team.

"Optimus, I know this hardly seems the time, but it may aid you in your task."

"Go ahead"

"I believe that Megatron may be attempting to rebuild the Omega Lock, Do we let him?"

"No, for you know as well as I that Megatron will use a reconstructive lock to Cyberform both Cybertron and Earth and that is one abusive power that we cannot allow."

"Understood" Ratchet wasn't all too happy with my father's decision, but I can understand.

"Cheer up Doc, it may not be with the Forge or the Omega Lock, but were going to find a way to get our planet repaired." Ratchet nods and then we all hear a door close and see Agent Fowler walk out of his office. Then Laserbeak crashes through the bases window and flies around inside.

"Oh no" Within moments Laserbeak shoots off the bonds holding Soundwave. After that he starts shooting at us forcing us to hit the ground hard. Smokie was the first to get up and he was able to damage Laserbeak, but not enough to render him inoperable. Laserbeak then attaches himself to Soundwave immediately getting him rebooted and back on his feet.

Bulkhead and Smokie charge at him, but both are thrown back then Soundwave uses his tentacles to force Smokie on to the medical berth and shocking him into unconsciousness. Then Bulkhead followed Smokie, Agent Fowler tried to help with a fire extinguisher, but was easily knocked away.

Soundwave makes his way toward Ratchet, but I stop him forcing his attention on me. I did my best to dodge his tentacles, but I was soon shocked as well. My last conscious memory was of Soundwave walking towards Ratchet then nothing.