Warning: Contains a random OC death
"The All Spark is gone?" Arcee whispered, her voice crackling with shock. After countless vorns of fighting for it, Cybertron was lost to them forever now... She bowed her head in despair.
"Unfortunately, yes," Ratchet somberly replied, glancing about at the other, equally stricken, Autobots. "But there is still hope."
"Why was the All Spark given to that human, Witwicky?" Prowl asked as he awkwardly put an hand on Arcee's shoulder. She didn't appear tof notice, though, so he removed it.
"Because Bumblebee trusted him," Ratchet told him.
"An error in judgement, I'd say," criticized Sunstreaker, arms crossed over his chest.
"Are your audios broken?" Sideswipe asked him. "Ratchet said that human saved Optimus' life, and destroyed Megatron."
"Along with the Cube!" Sunstreaker retorted, finding it hard to believe that their leader had been desperate enough to need an Earthling's help.
"You said 'there is still hope', Ratchet?" Ultra Magnus spoke up, after casting a brief, stern look at the twins, which effectively put an end to their potential argument.
Damn, this guy is cool! Will thought, watching the former city commander. All the Autobots were talking in English; Ratchet had persisted in using it when Mirage popped in on them, and hadn't stopped, for which he was extremely grateful.
/Ratchet./
/Optimus? Is something wrong?/ He hadn't expected to hear from his leader so soon after informing him of the the arrival of Prowl's group.
/No../ Optimus said, in an odd tone. /Maggie wishes to speak to you./
/Ah.. I'd like that, thank you/ Ratchet said, as he began telling the others about Agent Simmons, the founding members of Sector Seven and their actions, and Mammoth Cave.
/Ratchet?/ Maggie said, through the link to Optimus.
/Hello, Maggie./ he replied, smiling, but noticed that her voice sounded strained, too.
/Hi./ There was a slight pause before she spoke again. /I just wanted to make sure you're okay./
/I am; I'm with friends now./
/I heard. Thank Primus for that/ Maggie said. /I can't wait to see you again./
/I'm looking forward to that, too...among other things./
/Oh, absolutely! she agreed, laughing. /I..uhm..I do have one more question. You'll probably think it's crazy, though.../
/What do you need to know?/ Ratchet asked, and waited to hear what was bothering her.
There was another pause. /Would you be pissed off if I joined with Optimus?/
Startled, Ratchet almost lost track of his narrative to the other Autobots.
/Maggie?!/Optimus instantly opened a second, private link to him. /Ratchet, I had no idea she was going to ask that!/
/Hmm.../ He'd rarely heard his leader sound this flustered. /May I ask what exactly preceded her request?/ Ratchet astutely asked, while showing Prowl and the others the scans he'd made of Simmons' great-grandfather's journal, and the map.
/I--We kissed/ Optimus admitted, with a deep sigh, then quickly tried to explain. /We were relieved to learn that you were safe. You know that I would not--/
/Optimus.../ Ratchet interrupted, a tad vexed with his reticence. /We've all been under a great deal of stress; you more than any of us. It is normal to seek an outlet for it./
/What do you mean, I more than any of you?/
/I know you've been monitoring the humans' news stations for the latest death tolls, and holding yourself responsible for them, when you shouldn't/ Ratchet said in mild rebuke.
/I had not thought you were too proud to accept comfort from someone as well./
He replied to Maggie's request while Optimus mulled that over. They would have to close the link soon. /No, I have no objections. It's not insane, either, but...I would not want you to do anything you may regret./
/I won't/ she said emphatically. /I'll see you soon, love./
/Definitely. Goodbye, Maggie./
/Bye, Ratch'./
/Whatever you and Maggie decide, I do trust you to be careful with her/ Ratchet told Optimus.
/Yes, of course I will/ he said, sounding thoughtful now, instead of guilty. /Thank you, Ratchet, for your advice./
/You're welcome, Optimus/ Ratchet replied, and both links were closed a couple seconds later. Ratchet turned his full attention back to the other Autobots. "We do not know how many pieces of the All Spark are in that cave system, but Simmons is convinced there must be at least nine. Possibly more."
"I cannot believe the humans actually tried to disassemble the All Spark." Ultra Magnus shook his head at the humans' brazen actions.
"It was foolish of them," Ratchet agreed, "but they did not intentionally damage it."
"This one is of some importance, Ratchet?" Wheeljack asked, looking down at the unconscious female human he seemed to be standing guard over.
"Yes. Her name is Mikaela Banes, and she is Bumblebee's mate."
"What?" Arcee's head jerked back up, optics blinking in surprise. "Bumblebee has a mate?"
"A human?" Prowl echoed, perplexed as he glanced at the two small humans among their group.
"Yes, using his holoform. So has Jazz, and I and Ironhide, as well."
"But..why? Is it some sort of ritual you had to participate in, in order to remain on this world?" questioned Prowl, his confusion growing. What possible reason could they have for taking humans as mates?
"No," Ratchet calmly told him, reminding himself that Prowl's processors worked differently from those of most Autobots. "It was our choice to."
"Is this something the four of you do on every world you visit?" Sunstreaker just had to ask, and got a poke in the back from his twin.
"Of course not!" Ratchet glowered at Sunstreaker, who shrugged.
"We're only trying to understand your motive," Ultra Magnus explained.
Arcee made an exasperated sound. "I'm sure the 'motive', as you call it, is love, not social acceptance. Or as a lark."
Ratchet inclined his head in her direction. "Thank you, Arcee."
"But..." Prowl began, then gave up trying to interpret their behavior. It was a private matter, anyway, and no business of his.
"This human has been damaged," Wheeljack stated upon examining Mikaela Banes more closely. He had thought she was in a state of recharge, until he scanned her.
"Yes," Ratchet said, looking sadly down at Mikaela. "She was attacked by a Decepticon. I'm afraid Mikaela is now paralyzed, permanently."
"Which cowardly piece of scrap metal did this?!" Arcee demanded, bristling with outrage. Bumblebee was one of her closest friends, and while she may have once hoped they would become more than friends, she refused to be jealous of this human he'd chosen. He deserved to have some happiness, after knowing nothing but war his entire life.
"And where is Bumblebee?" Mirage asked. It struck him as very odd that Bumblebee wasn't by his mate's side.
"It was Sixshot, along with Ravage," Ratchet answered, then told them the rest of the painful news. "Bumblebee was killed by Sixshot. --Ironhide is also dead, killed during an attack by the Seekers earlier this day."
"No!!" both the twins and Arcee practically shouted in unison.
"Quiet!" Prowl warned them, glancing around nervously. Losing Bumblebee and Ironhide was tragic, but they must not draw unwanted attention to themselves.
"The Decepticons will pay for this!" Broadside swore, his deep voice low with suppressed anger, while the others muttered curses in Cybertronian.
"And they will, once Optimus has possession of the All Spark fragments," Ratchet reminded them all. "Those will restore Bumblebee and Ironhide, as Jazz was."
"--do you believe that human, Agent Simmons, can be trusted, Ratchet?" asked Arcee, uncertain, but still hopeful of saving her friend, and her mentor.
"Yes, I do," he firmly insisted.
Wheeljack straightened to his full height. "We must do everything possible to repair Bumblebee's mate. Ratchet, I will need to know all that you've learned about these humans."
"Humans are delicate, and her injury is quite severe," Ratchet cautioned, and watched Wheeljack's optics glow brighter at the potential challenge. "--It may be better if you let her own kind tend to her."
"We cannot allow her to remain disabled a cycle longer," Wheeljack insisted.
"Hold on a sec, Ratchet. Is there a chance he can fix her back?" Will interjected. While they'd been waiting, the medic had told him how slim the chances were of Mikaela ever walking again.
"Yes, he may be able to," Ratchet conceded. "Wheeljack is one of our finest scientists."
"Thank you, Ratchet," Wheeljack said, graciously accepting the compliment.
"Well, get to it, then!" Will urged, cell phone in hand. "I'll call and have 'em cancel that ambulance; tell 'em everything's been taken care of."
"This will be interesting," Sunstreaker joked in an undertone.
/Do not alarm the male human. He is very excitable/ Mirage warned him.
/I'll be sure to remember that/ he answered, and suspected that that was a species trait.
"Oh, crap!" Will exclaimed right after making the call. "You'd better hide somewhere. The Air Force guys are liable to panic and shoot if they see you, even if I do tell 'em you're all here."
..I knew it... Sunstreaker thought, disgruntled with this world already.
"Arcee and I have witnessed hostile behavior from uniformed humans," Prowl mentioned.
"You did?" Will grimaced at the bad impression they got. "Damn.. Sorry about that."
"Lingering here would not be wise, then," Ultra Magnus stated. "We must relocate."
"How many pieces is Bumblebee in, Ratchet?" Hoist asked, all too familiar with Sixshot's preferred method of killing.
"One arm and both legs were torn off," Ratchet replied, optics closing briefly as he imagined the agony Bumblebee had suffered.
Hoist grimly nodded. "I'll reattach them, while you help Wheeljack with the human. Where is Bumblebee?"
"In a storage unit, not far away. It's this way," Ratchet said, transforming and opening the passenger door for Will. Wheeljack very carefully picked up the Mikaela Banes female and placed her inside the Hummer. "We were forced to bury Ironhide in a large hole in the ground, near what the humans call a rest area by Interstate Highway Seventy."
"Buried in the ground?!" Mirage grouched at the indignity of that as they all followed Ratchet to the storage building.
"Yes. There was no other way to safely conceal him." Ratchet directed them to the storage unit. Mirage and Hoist pulled out Bumblebee's body and placed him securely on the back of Ultra Magnus' alt form, a car carrier. The rest transformed as well and drove to the outskirts of town, regrouping in a small field Broadside chose to land in.
Will stood by Ratchet, watching Wheeljack carefully remove Mikaela from the Hummer. He set her down on the ground, then removed wires, cables, and various small devices from under his armor. What purpose those served, Will had no idea. Maggie, Mikaela and Sam knew a lot more about Cybertronian anatomy than he did.
Wheeljack glanced up at the sky. "Precipitation is imminent," he stated, annoyed by the inconvenience. "Broadside, I shall have to attempt the repairs on Mikaela Banes inside your aerial form."
"Maybe you can even give us a lift when he's done, Broadside?" Will suggested. "We'd catch up with Optimus alot faster that way."
"That would put you all at risk, if we were to encounter one of the Seekers," Broadside answered, moving back from the others before transforming back into shuttle mode.
"Yeah...Got a point there.." Will conceded, a little disappointed. Flying in a space shuttle would've been pretty awesome. Guess we'll just have to keep driving the rest of the way. He looked down at his watch. "I need a ride back into town. Gotta get more ammunition for our weapons." Will looked back up when no one volunteered right away. "Uh... Please?"
"Mirage, you take him back," Prowl ordered, noticing how reluctant everyone was to leave while Hoist was working on Bumblebee. Mirage was the logical choice; his ability to become invisible guaranteed that he would escape detection from the human soldiers.
"Yes, Sir," Mirage replied, trying not to sound put upon, and changed back to the race car alt form he'd chosen.
"Thanks, Mirage," Will said as he climbed in, careful not to jar his injured arm. For a brief second he thought about pointing out that race cars were illegal to drive in public, but it wasn't like an Autobot had to worry about getting arrested.
"You're welcome, and please don't touch the steering wheel."
"Ok, sure... You're the boss." Guess he's really sensitive, Will concluded, and kept his good arm in his lap.
Wheeljack moved his supplies to Broadside's cargo hold, then picked Mikaela Banes up again, just as the first drops of rain began falling. She came to when one landed on her left cheek, and stared up at him.
"Who...the hell...are you?" Mikaela asked in a thin voice; she'd never felt this damned weak in her life.
"My name is Wheeljack," he informed her.
"He's a fellow Autobot," added Ratchet.
"Yeah, I figured that...since he hasn't squished me..." she joked with a faint smile, which quickly disappeared. "Where's Bee?"
"Hoist, another Autobot, is repairing him." That was true enough. "Just as Wheeljack is going to try to repair your back, Mikaela," Ratchet added while administering a mild sedative to her, one that immediately put her under again. Whatever Wheeljack does, it was best that she be unconscious during it.
Try? Even more determined to succeed, Wheeljack carried the female human up the ramp to the cargo hold, with Ratchet right behind him. The rest of the Autobots stood quietly about, awaiting the outcome of Wheeljack's efforts.
"What earth vehicle did you scan, Arcee?" Sunstreaker asked after a couple of cycles passed.
"It's called a Corvette," she answered, puzzled; he rarely took an interest in anyone besides himself and his twin. "I was told that red is the best color for it."
"Ah." Sunstreaker exchanged glances with Sideswipe as he commented, "That color does make you look sleek."
"Arcee has always been sleek!" Prowl declared, and shut up when the twins chuckled, embarrassed that he'd let himself be bated so easily.
Primus, will they ever stop pestering him? "Thank you, Prowl," Arcee said, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile.
Prowl hesitated, started to make an effort at smiling back, then nearly jumped along with everyone else when a hoarse scream was heard, coming from the female human.
They all spun around to stare at Broadside's still-lowered ramp.
"What the slag is he doing??" Sideswipe demanded, speaking for the entire group.
"Wheeljack is convinced that robotic implants are the best way to counter Mikaela's paralysis," Ratchet told them, sounding very perturbed.
"Implants?" Hoist questioned, unsure of the wisdom of that solution. "That is what made her scream?"
"A human's nerves send electrical impulses to their brains. I merely miscalculated the voltage needed," Wheeljack answered defensively.
"You mean you just electrocuted Bumblebee's human!" accused Sunstreaker, rather disturbed himself by the sound Mikaela Banes had made.
"It was just one minor shock. Trial and error, Youngling!" was the scientist's retort.
/--Maybe we should switch off our audio receptors until he's done/ Sunstreaker sent to the others, half-jokingly.
"Don't be absurd; that will leave us vulnerable to a possible Decepticon attack," Prowl admonished him.
Sunstreaker almost rolled his optics at that. In his opinion, Grapple stood a better chance ith Arcee than the cold-sparked Second Lieutenant. He leaned back against a boulder, waiting for Mirage to return, and imagining all the damage he'd love to inflict on Sixshot.
"Let him be," a weary Soundwave finally ordered when Ratbat stubbornly kept trying to repair Laserbeak. It was a losing battle he was fighting. Nearly all of his left wing was gone, the vehicle's tire having shredded it. The left side of Laserbeak's body had been crushed as well, his self-repair system along with it. A few wires that were still intact was all that was holding his fractured spark casing together. Barely. Pieces had fallen off during their escape from the Autobots, and the spark itself was slowly flickering out. "He's dying; I doubt that even Hook could prevent it, if he were here."
Ratbat finally gave up, cheeping sadly and draping a wing over his friend's mangled body. At least Laserbeak was off-line, and couldn't feel a thing. "Human will die for this!" he hissed savagely.
"Yes, he will." Soundwave perused the data he'd downloaded from the computers at the Groom Lake compound, and learned that the driver of that vehicle was a human named Reginald Simmons. An agent of Sector Seven, the same organization that was holding Frenzy captive. He passed along all the information he had on Simmons to Ratbat and Buzzsaw, just as someone opened a link to him. It was him. /Sixshot.../
/Greetings, Soundwave/ he replied in a far-too-smug voice. /You sound angry. Ravage did tell you the good news after all, did he?/
/--what are you talking about? What 'good news'?/Soundwave demanded.
/Why, that Starscream has given your drone to me, as a reward for killing that Autobot, Bumblebee./
/What??/ Soundwave snarled. /He has no right!/
/No right? He is our leader now/ Sixshot reminded him. /I can't say I'm surprised Ravage did not tell you; he can be timid sometimes. But don't worry. I'll help him overcome that./
/You.../ Soundwave stopped short when he felt Laserbeak's passing, and abruptly broke the link, cutting off any further taunting.
He may have planned this from the moment I lent Ravage to him,Soundwave realized, with a fresh surge of hate toward his enemy. There was a time when Sixshot had somesmall semblence of honor. Was he acting out of malice, or simple boredom. The war against these humans must not be much of a challenge to him.
"--you tell about the Autobots?" Buzzsaw tentatively asked, once it looked like Soundwave was finished with whichever Decepticon he'd been speaking with.
"No." If that miscreant Starscream was unaware that there were more Autobots on Earth now -- which was entirely possible, due to arrogance, or ineptitude -- Soundwave was not about to warn him. If only there was a way to undermine Starscream's authority, perhaps even see him overthrown as leader, and make Sixshot pay for tampering with Ravage.
Soundwave pulled his thoughts away from pointless speculation - Ravage was lost to him now, as surely as Rumble and Laserbeak -- and focused on the problem of recharging.
Those accursed humans had been trying to track him since Kearney, and likely knew his general location. He accessed a map of Missouri stored in his data bank. There was a very large forest a short distance away, which should provide a safe enough place for them to recharge for a cycle or two, and then continue on to Kentucky.
First, though, was the difficult task of dealing with Laserbeak's body. "Move aside, Ratbat," Soundwave ordered, readying his concussion blaster.
"...why?" Ratbat squeaked out, and didn't budge, despite being familiar with his ways. Soundwave often disposed of dead comrades during the war, in case any Autobots try to scavenge parts from them.
"You know we cannot leave anything that the humans might use to their advantage, as they did when they held Megatron prisoner," Soundwave patiently told him.
"Yes..." Slowly folding his wing back, Ratbat turned away from his dead friend and huddled together with Buzzsaw.
You will be avenged, Laserbeak, Soundwave vowed, taking careful aim with his concussion blaster and firing. Once Frenzy is freed and repaired, he intended to track down and destroy all of Sector Seven's bases, and kill every last one of it's Agents.
"Mikaela?"
"Uh...Wha-?" Mikaela raised one arm, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palm.
"I told you it would work, Ratchet!" said another voice, sounding vindicated about something.
"--Ratchet?" She started to drop her arm, then it hit her. I can move...and feel!she realized, elated. Taking a deep breath, Mikaela started to sit up, and was immediately helped by Ratchet. His holoform, that is. Actually, there were...two of them? "Something's wrong.."
"Are you in pain, Mikaela?" Ratchet anxiously asked, worried that the implants might be malfunctioning.
"No, just...achy, and I'm seeing double." She looked from one holo to the other.
"Oh, that." A smile briefly crossed the face of the Ratchet standing beside her. "Wheeljack borrowed the holoform image I use, but he will program one of his own soon. Won't you, Wheeljack?"
"If necessary, yes," the other Ratchet/Wheeljack agreed. "Achy, you say, Mikaela Banes?"
"Yeah. Like an elephant sat on me."
"That's understandable, considering what you've gone through," Ratchet commented. "How does your back feel?"
"Kinda tired, but okay." She looked back at Wheeljack. "Whatever you did, thank you!"
"You're welcome, Mikaela Banes. It was a moderately complicated procedure." He nodded to her, pleased. If only the Autobots he's repaired had been this grateful, instead of complaining incessantly. /I told you she would not feel the implants./ he sent to Ratchet.
/Yes, yes./
"Uh-huh..." Moderately complicated? Coming from someone like him, that means I probably wouldn't get even half of what he did if he tried to explain it, Mikaela guessed. Well, as long as it worked...
"I would feel more confidant with it's success if you had not shut down once, however," Wheeljack continued, speaking more to himself than her.
"Shut down?" she repeated, her eyes widening in shock as she looked from him to the real Ratchet. "As in, I died??"
"You did stop breathing for eight-point-six seconds, but that was easily remedied, Mikaela," Ratchet assured her.
"Geez..." She shook her head, still freaked out by the news, then pulled herself together. "I need to see Bee," Mikaela stated, swinging her legs over the side of the table she'd been laying on.
"Be careful, please. You're still recovering," Wheeljack cautioned Mikaela. "Try not to twist your upper body, at least for one cycle-- for one day, I mean."
"Where's Bumblebee?" Mikaela asked, trying to stay calm as she slowly slid off the table and stood, with Ratchet helping her again when she swayed a little. Something's happened; she could tell by the look on both of their faces.
"Mikaela, about Bumblebee..." Ratchet paused, debating how to best go about this, but there really was no way to soften the emotional blow for her. "I'm afraid he was killed by Sixshot."
Mikaela stared at him a moment, uncomprehending, then felt her knees buckle. Ratchet caught her when she fell against him, careful of her mended back. "No! He can'tbe..." she sobbed, hands fisting in his shirt. "Sam said... Oh, God..."
"It is understandable that Sam would have been reluctant to tell you of Bumblebee's fate, considering the condition you were in," Wheeljack contributed.
"It will be all right, Mikaela," added Ratchet, running a scan as he held her up. Her sudden loss of motor function was due to shock, nothing more. Humans were so accustomed to death being irrevocable... "The All Spark pieces will restore Bumblebee. You must remember that."
"Y--you're right," she gulped, nodding against his shoulder. Keep it together, Banes... You've gotta keep it together... Mikaela told herself, forcing her legs to work again and let go of Ratchet. "The All Spark. We've got to get to that cave. Like, now."
"Optimus and the others continued on to Mammoth Cave," Ratchet informed her. "We're to meet them there."
"We'll be leaving as soon as you feel ready," added Wheeljack. "Try walking a few steps, please."
"Ok, sure." This time she didn't wobble as she walked back and forth in front of them. There was a slight twinge in her back, though, and she rubbed at it, carefully. And only then realized that she was topless.
"Does it hurt there?" Ratchet asked; he was certain he'd used enough salve on the bandage that covered the small incision.
"Just a muscle spasm... That table's not very comfy," Mikaela said, crossing her arms to cover her breasts. "Uhm.. Can I have my shirt back?"
"Yes, of course. I apologize for your discomfort," Ratchet said, fetching her sweatshirt. "I would have placed you on a cot, but Wheeljack was impatient to get started."
"An immediate remedy was essential," insisted Wheeljack, standing back while Ratchet helped her put the garment back on.
"Hey, it's all right, guys, really." Mikaela got the impression that those two argue alot. "Where am I, anyway?" she asked, looking around the 'room' she was in.
"You are inside of me," a voice said, coming from the wall to her right, it seemed. "Wheeljack carried you in when it began to rain. My designation is Broadside."
"Oh.." she said, once she got over her startlement. "Hi, Broadside."
"Hello, Mikaela Banes," he answered in a friendly tone.
"Broadside chose one of your space shuttles as his alternate form, and has been guarding us against a possible attack by...Starscream and his Seekers," Wheeljack explained. "We brought you inside when it began to rain."
"Wow.." He must be huge! she thought, then focused back on the previous topic. "We've got to get back on the road."
"Yes, you do." Broadside lowered a ramp to let them out.
The two holoforms flickered out, and Ratchet and Wheeljack transformed back to robotic mode. Mikaela followed them outside, where she was introduced to the other eight Autobots.
"It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Mikaela Banes." Arcee flashed a look at Sunstreaker, warning him not to be unpleasant to Banes. Surprisingly enough, he acknowledged it, and simply said 'Hello' to Banes.
"If there is anything you need from us, do not hesitate to ask," Ultra Magnus added, nodding courteously to the small female.
"Uh.. Thanks.." Mikaela mumbled, a little intimidated at being surrounded by Autobots. Broadside really is disguised as a space shuttle! And is that real gold on the one next to that big rock? Whoa... Another stray thought occurred to her then: Would they be this nice if I wasn't with Bumblebee? She quickly shrugged off that silly idea. There was only one thing she wanted them to do for her. "I know Optimus wants to avoid a battle with the Decepticons...but I do have a big favor to ask of you all."
"What favor?" Sunstreaker asked, looking down at her curiously.
"Sixshot and Ravage," Mikaela replied, her eyes glittering with rage. "I want those two fuckers dead!"
"Why are we here, instead of China?" Skywarp asked Mixmaster. And do you give everyone this much trouble?
"I told you I wanted to see this so-called 'Seventh Wonder of the World."
"Well, you've seen it," Skywarp grumbled. "Now let's destroy this 'Wonder' and move on."
Mixmaster contemplated the Taj Mahal for another astro-second, idly thinking of ways to improve it. "No...This structure is not completely offensive..." he grudgingly admitted.
"Oh, really?" In a fit of pique, Skywarp aimed and fired four missiles at the dome-shaped building, and watched it erupt into a ball of fire.
"Why did you--" Mixmaster started to demand, but Skywarp cut him off.
"That is for wasting my time! We're leaving. Now!" Aggravated, Skywarp changed back to jet form. He'll have to teleport to keep from being even more delayed in rejoining the others, and his energy levels were already low. ...idiotic Constructicon...
As soon as Mixmaster latched on, he teleported them both to a small hill in China, where the other Decepticons were waiting.
"Where have you two been?" Starscream coldly asked.
Skywarp immediately put the blame on his passenger. "Mixmaster demanded that I take him to India, just to gawk at some building."
"I merely wanted to--" Mixmaster began, in an attempt to defend himself.
"Enough!" Starscream snapped, his temper igniting, and for a brief instance he hated his new position as leader. Megatron never had to deal with so much blatant insubordination. Nor would he have tolerated it for one astro-second.
Very well.. If being more like himwas what it will take to get them in line, and earn respect, then so be it, Starscream decided, calmer now. The next time one of these slaggers defies me, I will make an example of him. "You know the targets; now spread out through this city," he ordered them all.
/Factories?/ Thunderblast peevishly questioned, one of the last to leave the hill. /How exciting.../
/There are several nuclear plants in this country. Have Thundercracker or Dirge take you to them, when they're finished/ he instructed her.
/I would rather you did.../
/I'll consider it/ Starscream coolly said, smiling to himself. Her interest, whether real or feigned, was a boost to his ego. He watched her stride down the hill and disappear into the city, then transformed and flew off to find his first target.
He'll consider it? Thunderblast almost growled, irked by Starscream continually negating her attempts to get him alone. It was...frustrating, and she did notlike that feeling. She looked around for someone to take it out on, namely Shortround, and spotted Thundercracker, partially hidden between two tall buildings. Strangely enough, he just stood there, watching the humans flee from him. A sliver of suspicion came to her, as she recalled his odd behavior in the Washington City. Was he actually sympathetic to these tiny things? Apparently so; he was making no attempt to kill any of them.
Hmm... That could be useful.
Thunderblast moved in closer, behind Thundercracker, looking for a human that suited her purposes. There was one. An older male, having fallen out of some sort of wheeled contraption. No one heeded his cries for help; too caught up in their own panic. She looked around before picking up the hapless human by one leg. Shockwave, as luck would have it, was just a few streets away, destroying a large factory.
"Such a pitiful specimen, isn't it?" she remarked to Thundercracker, who jerked his head toward her.
"Yes..." His optics fixed on the terrified man dangling from her fingers, Thundercracker stepped out from between the buildings. "Hardly worthy of your attention. I'll take care of h--it," he offered, holding a hand out for the human.
"Shockwave! Come here, please," she called out to him, observing the way Thundercracker tensed up.
"What do you want, Thunderblast?" Shockwave asked, disregarding the cars that were underfoot as he walked over to her.
"I was wondering if we should spare this human. What is your opinion?" She tossed the helpless creature to Shockwave, keeping one optic on Thundercracker.
Thundercracker clenched his fists as the screaming male was caught, and none too gently, judging by the cracking noise he heard. What sort of despicable game was Thunderblast playing?
"Spare it?" Shockwave studied the writhing human for two astro-sconds. "It is insignificant," he decided, throwing it over his shoulder. "You know Starscream's orders, Thunderblast. Obey them."
"Yes, Sir," Thunderblast said compliantly, watching Thundercracker as Shockwave walked away He looked ready to fire on the military commander. She waited expectantly for the imminent fight.
Barely managing to contain his revulsion at such callous brutality, and not trusting himself to look at her without doing something he'd regret, Thundercracker stalked off.
Almost... Thunderblast thought, disappointed when he'd regained control of himself. But she did discover a weakness in the Seeker. Perhaps using a very young human next time will provoke him into attacking Shockwave, to try to save the creature. She considered telling Starscream of this, but, still annoyed by his evasiveness, chose to keep it to herself for now.
Her first target in this city was a factory that produces automobiles, and Thunderblast headed in it's direction.
"We're approaching the last rest area before Mammoth Cave. Jazz, would you please wake Sam and ask him if he would like to stop there?" Optimus requested.
"Okay, sure." A moment later the snoring stopped. "Sam said 'Hell, yes, before my bladder explodes'."
"Hey!" Sam was heard protesting. "That's not what I said!"
"Okay, so I embellished a bit," Jazz admitted, "But you were thinkin' it, I could tell. And you're squirmin' in your seat."
"Thank you, Jazz, for that unnecessary information," Optimus dryly remarked, and chuckled to himself when Sam threatened to leak lubricant if Jazz made him laugh. That had his First Lieutenant imploring him for permission to 'step on it', which he granted. Jazz was quick to pass him and Simmons' vehicle, taking the lead. Those two do enjoy teasing each other, he thought.
Optimus closed the link as their bantering continued, activated his holoform in the sleeper berth, and gently shook Maggie's shoulder. Not gently enough, though, it seemed. She bolted awake, gasping. Oops. "I did not mean to frighten you, Maggie."
"Ehh..not your fault..." she muttered, pushing her hair back out of her face. "--just a dream.
Same one as before, I think.."
"What were you dreaming?" he asked, curious about that particular quirk of organic beings.
Maggie hesitated, rubbing her forehead. Like most dreams, it'd faded away the moment she woke up. Typical of them. What she did remember creeped her out, and she shied away from it. "I'm not sure," she replied, shrugging dismissively. "Dreams are just a load of nonsense, anyway. anyway. You guys don't dream, do you?"
"No, we don't," Optimus confirmed, as he followed Jazz and Simmons into the parking section. "We've stopped at a rest area, in case you need to use it's facilities before we reach the cave."
"Yeah, I do, actually." She got up, stifled a groan, and dropped back down onto the bed. Bloody hell...
Optimus noticed her difficulty in standing. "What is wrong?"
"Nothing..I'm just really stiff," Maggie told him, slowly stretching out her legs. "I don't suppose the truck you scanned had a yoga mat, too?"
"No, it did not," he replied, after a brief research on the subject.
"Oh, well. Never mind." She got up again, sat down on the floor and did a few more light stretches to loosen up.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked once she was on her feet again.
"Much better. Thank you," Maggie tied her hair back, then hopped out when the door opened for her, making a bee-line for the restroom. When she came back out a couple minutes later, Sam was having an animated dispute with the snack vending machine. "Out of order?" she asked, walking over to him.
"Yeah. Some moron jammed it up," Sam grumbled, smacking the front of the machine.
"...damn vandals..." Simmons muttered, having the same problem with the soft drink machine, his cell phone to his ear again as he waited for an update on the Decepticons.
"Oh, great." There was one quick and easy answer to the problem. Optimus and Jazz were both in robot mode, as a precaution, and Jazz was closer. Oh, why not? "Could you help us out here, Jazz?" Maggie asked. "We're starving."
"Sure, no prob'."
"I don't think you--never mind," Simmons gave up when Jazz gave the pexiglass a small tap, breaking it. What's a little petty theft, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance?
"There's some trail mixes there," Sam said, pointing to them when Maggie took a Snickers.
"U-huh." She opened the wrapper and took a huge bite of the candy bar.
"Whoa.." Sam blinked, impressed. "Always thought you were really into health food."
"Mph.." Maggie chewed and swallowed the mouthful. "Not tonight."
"Good point." Sam snagged a second bag of chips. "Thanks, Jazz.
"Welcome," Jazz replied, and broke open the soda machine, too.
Maggie pocketed two more random candy bars, and took a bottle of purified water while Sam went for a Pepsi. "We'd better get back on the road now," she said, taking another bite of Snickers. ...mm...wonderful..
"Definitely," Sam agreed, and almost laughed when Simmons gave in and also took snacks and a drink.
"Ok, let's roll out, then," Jazz said, changing back to the Aston Martin and popping open the door for Sam to get in. "--try not to get crumbs all over this time, Sam, please."
"That only happened once!" Sam protested, as the door closed.
Maggie shook her head at that, smiling, and climbed into the passenger seat. It was still a little weird to her, seeing the 'truck' drive itself. She pulled out the candy bars before they started to melt, and quietly ate the Dove one. A few miles later they were coming up the exit to the Mammoth Cave National Park.
Instead of turning off, though, Simmons drove right by it and kept going for about half an hour. He made a sharp turn and plowed through a wire fence, speeding across what looked like a wheat field, then onto a dirt path.
They wouldn't have hidden the Cube pieces anywhere near the tourist sections, of course, Maggie mused, gazing out the window at the snow-covered trees they passed. Those are kind of pretty.. She finished the water and the last candy bar, stuffing the empty wrappers in a pocket just as the SUV came to a stop between two small hills.
Simmons turned off the engine, jumped out and locked the doors. Flashlight in hand, he studied his map, muttering to himself. "...gotta be here...somewhere..."
If he's gotten us lost... Maggie thought, as she and Sam got out and the two Autobots transformed.
Reviewing his copy of the map, Optimus walked over to a stand of wildly overgrown blackberry bushes covering one side of the taller hill and scanned that spot. "There is an opening behind this vegetation, and appears to have been artificially made," he noted, activating the spotlight in his chest for them to see.
"That's it!" Simmons rushed over, and got a good look at the bushes. "Great.. This'll be fun to clear out."
Optimus glanced at him, then knelt down and grasped the thick vines with both hands, ripping them away.
"Okay..thanks.." Simmons said, a little taken aback. For some reason he hadn't thought the Autobot leader would've been willing to do something so menial as large-scale weeding. He opened the back of his SUV, grabbing a black duffel bag filled with supplies, and answering his cell phone when it buzzed. It was about damned time his contact returned his call.
"You're welcome, Agent Simmons," Optimus replied, removing the rest of the bush to reveal the cave entrance they'd been looking for. To his relief it was large enough for him to enter in his robotic form. Going inside in his truck mode was not an option he cared for. It would have left him vulnerable, and there was no telling what might be waiting for them on the other side. "Jazz, I want you to stay here, in case there are any unwelcome visitors."
"Sure, Optimus." His visor slid into place as he took up guard duty.
"Should I stay out here, too?" Sam asked. Now that they've finally reached the cave, he was suddenly extremely nervous. He really wanted to help, but...things didn't exactly turn out so great when he'd been given the original All Spark. Not that he was jinxed or anything, of course...
"If that is what you want, Sam, then yes," Optimus nodded, understanding his sudden reluctance. The boy's been through so much already...
"Any Decepticon shows up here, we'll say 'hi' to 'em for ya," Jazz proclaimed, shield coming out of his arm in emphasis.
"Damn straight!" Sam enthusiastically agreed, grateful to have something useful to do. Something that didn't involve Cubes that might vaporize him if he screwed up somehow.
"Well, you don't need to worry about Starscreech and his group right now. They're in Shanghai, China, attacking factories," Simmons informed them after putting his phone away.
"Starscream," Optimus corrected, then paused. "Factories?"
"Yeah. One of them just destroyed a Volkswagon plant," Simmons told him, puzzled. "Guess they don't like Beetles?"
"It's early afternoon over there. The factories'll be filled with people," Jazz growled.
Bastards. Maggie set the empty water bottle on a rock and slung her rocket launcher over her shoulder.
"What about Soundwave?" asked Sam.
"That one was last seen going into Pioneer Forest, in Missouri," Simmons reported. "Far as we know, he's still in there."
"He must've gone there to hide and recharge," Jazz suggested.
"Perhaps." His optics dimmed for a moment over this latest disaster in China, then Optimus quickly transformed. "We must hurry!" he urged them, and entered the cave first.
Simmons pulled two lanterns out of his bag and turned them on. "Here, use the green one. I've got plenty of extra batteries in my bag, if we need them." He handed Maggie one of the lanterns, zipped the bag closed, and followed Optimus Prime.
Maggie held it up, eyeing that dark entrance. ...okay..you can do this... She glanced back over her shoulder. "Be back soon, Jazz. Sam."
"Yep. See ya in a few, Maggsie,"Jazz said.
"Good luck," added Sam.
Maggsie? She rolled her eyes over the nickname, waved to the pair, and followed Simmons. The tunnel that Sector Seven must've carved out went on for a few yards, then she found herself in the cave itself, where Optimus and Simmons were waiting for her. "Wow.." Maggie breathed, looking all around as she walked over to them, and almost collided with a stalagmite. "Agh!"
"Keep it down, will ya?" Simmons griped. "And be careful."
"Well, excuse me! Maybe you sneak around in caves all the time, but I don't," she huffed.
"Stay calm, please," Optimus quietly requested, looking down at Maggie. "Would you prefer to wait outside with Sam and Jazz, Maggie?"
"No... I have to stay with you." She absently patted his foot as she looked around some more. This part of the cave system was huge, the ceiling tall enough for an Autobot twice Optimus' height to stand under. "Whatever happens, I'll see it through to the end."
"Very well." Optimus smiled briefly at Maggie, then frowned when she shivered. "You're cold. The temperature here is slightly low for human comfort," he said, after analyzing the cave's interior.
"Yeah, it's a bit chilly in here. I left my coat with Mikaela," Maggie recalled. Hope she's doing alright."So what--" She stopped short when Optimus scooped her up in one hand. "--now?"
He set her down on his left shoulder and turned to Agent Simmons. "Where are the All Spark fragments?"
Well...this is nice, she had to admit, relaxing atop the warm armor, and decided not to complain. He was just being considerate, after all. In that commanding, assertive way of his.
"According to the map, we need to go that way." Simmons pointed to his left. "The exact location should be marked with the Sector Seven insignia."
Optimus strode off in that direction, running a deep scan of their surroundings along the way. Some of the stalagmites and stalacites had been removed -- by Sector Seven, he presumed -- creating a wide path that he followed.
After nearly a mile of searching the cave suddenly narrowed to fifteen feet across. Optimus took three more steps, then halted, placing one hand against the wall to his right. "These rocks were placed here as camouflage; they conceal a five-inch thick layer of concrete."
"This must be the spot, then." Simmons looked closely at the rocks. "And here's the Sector Seven symbol!"
"I don't suppose you have a couple pick-axes in your bag?" Maggie asked Simmons, and flinched when Optimus suddenly slammed his fist through the wall. Good Lord, he is in a hurry! Her grip tightened on her lantern, and the edge of Optimus' armor plating. "Doesn't that hurt?!"
"It is..manageable," he answered, ignoring the jolt to his pain receptors and focusing entirely on the barrier between himself and the All Spark remnants. A large chunk of concrete broke off as he withdrew his hand.
"Okay..." She hid her face against the side of Optimus' neck, just in case small pieces went flying up at her, while he ripped away more of the wall, making the hole large enough for him to get through. A solid kick cleared the way for Simmons, too.
Maggie lifted her head when he stepped through the hole to the other side, and looked around the enormous cavern they were in. "...oh, shit..."