Title: Transformers Set The Universe On Fire
Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Family
Rating: T for some strong language, strong violence, sexual reference and dark themes
Summary:
The Quintessons have attacked and taken precious loved ones. Now, the Cybertronians and the human allies are determined to pay them a visit to take back what they love. And to do that, they must travel into deep space.
-Chapter Twenty One-
The Five Facers
::Songs Best Used::
Satellite Photos-Two Steps From Hell
Rising Darkness-Two Steps From Hell
Lord of Darkness-Two Steps From Hell
Hammer of Doom-Two Steps From Hell
Everyone was in a frenzy now, at the news of Derezz being down. Lockdown was immediately rushing to the cockpit with the two Primes and Starscream hurrying after him. They all burst into a crowded main cockpit, yelling for everyone to get out of the way so they could see what had happened. Everyone in the path was quick to moving off to the side so Lockdown could get through and all looked alarmed.
In the middle of the room, Derezz was indeed on the ground, motionless. His optics, all five of them were off line and his appendages hung lifelessly around his frame. He wasn't moving at all. Izzy was next to him, pushing softly at one of his faces, and somewhat crying. "Dee! Wake up! Please! Please wake up!" She begged with an equally crying Flo and grave looking Jazz beside them.
Lockdown rushed over and dropped down beside his five faced friend and carefully placed his servo on top of him. "What happened?! Derezz! Wake up, slaggit!" He tried.
Jazz shook his head as he kept a hand wrapped around a distressed Florence, looking worried, himself. "We don't know! After you left the room and we started moving, Derezz just freaked out! His optics, all of 'em flashed and he fell to the ground! He's off line! We been trying to wake him up but he isn' responding! It's like he was attacked! But we didn't see anything!" He explained.
Lockdown growled, but it was no doubt that he was now worried. Everyone could see it. "I bet he has." He murmured before looking sharply around at everyone. "We need to move now! I need all of you repainted, immediately! I am betting that Derezz was attacked! The Quints must have sensed him and attacked his mental barriers! We need to get into position! Every Autobot and Decepticon who are going to be slaves needs to go to the Brigg after they're repainted! That means humans too!" He barked.
Everyone tensed up but nodded. It was just Glyph and Tap-Out who looked confused and alarmed with what was happening.
"What?! What's happening?!" The mech cried out now at Glyph's side to protect her if it needed done.
Lockdown looked at them and nodded as he pointed at them. "Slaves. No need to repaint them. The Quints probably don't know who they are. So they will be fine. But get the updated on what's going on." He ordered.
Again, both tensed up and looked around on high alert. "What?! What do you mean slaves?! We are not slaves! Who says we're slaves?! What kind of Cybertronians are you if you have slaves?!" Tap-Out growled in anger and panic.
Rodimus hurried over, having to raise his hands when the two looked at him in alarm and fiercely. He knew that they were just confused and worried about what was going on. No one had had time to let them know why they were even in the Dark Regions, heading towards Quintessa. The two new arrivals and even the old mech, Kup didn't know that they were even going to the dreaded planet. "Hold on, Tap-Out. It's okay. No one is going to hurt you. I swear. Let's get you both some energon and I'll inform you on everything that's going on." He reassured them.
Tap-Out and Glyph looked at each other uneasily before looking around at everyone else, who all gave them reassuring smiles and nods. "Okay. But what about Kup? He won't know what's going on when he wakes up." She was the one to say.
"That's the thing." Knockout spoke up while doing repairs on Smokescreen, who had Prowl and even Breakdown help him into the cockpit. "Ratchet is going to have to be working on fixing Sentinel's problem. And I need to get working on the injuries on Smokescreen." He then pointed at Tap-Out and Glyph. "Moonracer and I have to check those two out. I don't like the looks of that injury on Tap-Out. I want to check him over and make sure that gash in his side isn't infected." He stated.
Lockdown slowly nodded as he looked at him. "You and 'Racer just keep working on your patients. Ratchet too. You can be detailed last. But I want everyone else repainted now." He looked over at Sunstreaker, who straightened. "Sunshine," he ignored the snarl of rage from the sunny colored mech. "You're the painter, right? I'll have some of my pirates help you. But you need to get started on re-detailing everyone. And we need to move fast before we do get caught by the Quintessons." He stated.
Sunstreaker huffed before nodding and patting Sideswipe's shoulder plate. "Sides can help me too. He always helped me repaint myself when I became too scratched up. We have paint?" He asked sourly.
Lockdown nodded as he looked at some of his pirates, giving them the orders. "Retroracer can take you where we keep the touch up paint. Now let's get moving, now!" He barked.
All at once, everyone began moving as fast as they could, knowing they didn't have a lot of time to get things done. They needed to make it quick before they were caught.
It was a frantic hour when everyone got started. The repainting and detailing was taking place in the rec center. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe and some of the pirates were working fast with many large containers of paint. A lot of them were not colors Sunstreaker liked in particular but he could work with them just fine. He and the others had already finished with some of the Autobots and Decepticons. They were just finishing up with Prowl, Barricade, Bumblebee and Ironhide, who all sprouted some new colors.
Prowl was now almost completely white with chrome blue paint sporting down his sides and door wings. His chevron between his cool blue optics was painted red with a thin yellow line running down the center. He was completely happy about it but he didn't complain.
Barricade was still mostly black but with dark chrome where the white used to be. His optics were still bloody red as ever, but like everyone else, his Decepticon emblem had been scrapped off from his frame, making him out to be a neutral.
Bumblebee was now reversed colored, black and yellow. It was like a complete opposite version of himself but instead of his baby blue optics, red lens had been fitted right over them, giving him almost violet purple optics. It looked strange on him but he didn't quite look like himself any more and that was the goal.
Now as for Ironhide, he nearly blew a gasket when the detail team had conversed with each other about what color he should be and they came up with fiery red, to match his temper. The only reason why the Weapons Specialist wasn't completely freaking out because Optimus told him off for nearly blowing his temper out of the water.
"Yeah, well look at me, Hide! As if I'm happy about it either! I liked my blue and white frame! Now I look weird being red and orange and yellow!" Rodimus grumbled as he looked over his new paint job sourly.
"I don't want to hear any of you complaining! Look at me! I am like a twisted version of the American flag!" Starscream snarled as he looked over his newly painted, red, blue and white frame.
Everyone was grumbling about their new colors and lack of their emblems.
Arcee huffed sourly as she looked her new paint job of periwinkle pink and white over. "I look like a fragging soft little femme, who plays skip-de-loo." She grumbled.
Sunstreaker every one of those bots a dark look. "Enough complaining! You all look fine! I wouldn't have painted you all like that if you didn't look good! So shut up!" He snapped, aggravated that they were even complaining about the colors that he painted them. He HATED it when someone was so critical about his artwork.
Sideswipe snickered as he released Bumblebee from his detailing and motioned to the next victim...er...subject. It was to be Jazz. "Hey, Sunny, what do you think about Jazz?" He asked his twin.
"Can' I just keep my original silver color?" Jazz sighed miserably, shoulder plates slumped and head hanging low.
Sunstreaker shot him a look, shaking his head before putting a thoughtful look on his face. He looked Jazz over before slowly nodding. "White and black frame and helm with blue and red on the hood. He will look good with those colors." He called before beckoning over to Optimus, who sighed and made his way over. "Optimus, it will be easier if you just transform into your truck form. I can paint you better that way because of how big you are." He told him.
Optimus nodded as he then made the transformation. He just sat there, waiting for Sunstreaker to start. But it took a moment as the sunny colored mech circled him, looking him over thoughtfully.
And then grinned mischievously.
"Got it. I have the perfect image for you, Optimus. Since you have to be a pirate, we have to make you look really bad and evil like. So I think black, blue and very dark purple will work for you." Sunstreaker said before fetching for the paint colors. And then he dragged Optimus into an empty room, wanting it all to be a surprise for everyone else.
It was a long time before the door opened again and everyone was waiting to see what Sunstreaker had done. He only came out though, looking very smug.
"Hey, Sunstreaker! Where's Prime?" Lockdown called over as he entered the room, looking and admiring all of the newly painted mechs and femmes in the room, ignoring all of the returned sour looks he was getting.
Sunstreaker grinned before taking a bow as if presenting a show. "Everyone, allow me to present to you the biggest, meanest most ruthless Cybertronian ever to exist," he paused before practically sliding to the side with his arms stretched to the side at the door. "Nemesis Optimus Prime, the dreaded Leader of the Evil Autobots." He said with pride.
The door slid open again and revealed the towering now highly intimidating figure they all had ever seen. They all knew it was the Autobot Leader. Optimus almost looked like himself.
Keyword: almost.
Except for the fact that he was painted completely black with the once red flames now dark with vicious purple and deep blue etched around the flames. His once deep ocean blue optics were now a burning magma red, the color that once matched The Fallen's optics.
Everything in the entire room stopped what they were doing just to stare wide optic'd and eyed, jaw dropped at Optimus, who just stood tall and firm, and very imposing.
Whistling, Lockdown wandered over and circled Optimus, looking him over and nodding an approval. "Oh yeah. You're definitely good, Sunshine." He said smirking as he looked the Autobot Leader over. "I think this will work just fine. Not even I would frag with somebot who looks like this." He then faced Optimus, who was watching him with burning red optics. "Okay, Prime. Time for a little test. Give your meanest scariest threat."
Optimus grimaced before clearing his vocoder and tried. "Um...uh..." he tried to think.
The entire room exploded with hysterical laughter as mechs and femmes nearly fell over to hear such sheepish non-words escape from this severely imposing figure.
Lockdown snorted, his arms folded and he gave him an almost cruel smirk. "Try again, Prime. Try and sound mean, vile, vicious. Kind of like as if you were the Decepticon Leader instead of Megatron. Come on." He said over all of the laughter in the room.
Optimus slowly nodded before looking around at everyone laughing before he narrowed his vicious red optics. "SILENCE!" He growled loudly and in a deep sinister voice. "If I hear another peep from all of you, I'll beat you until your scrap metal!" He practically snarled.
The laughter went completely dead and everyone looked at him with unease and horror. They could not even believe that this was the kind, gentle, comforting Leader they all knew. They knew it was an act but still...it was terrifying.
Lockdown and Starscream both smirked as they looked Optimus over, nodding in approval. "Good. Now that I can believe. I don't even think the Quintessons would want to even be in the same room as you, Nemesis Prime." The pirate said with a dark chuckle.
Optimus looked back at him, smiling faintly, though it looked more like he was glaring at him. It even made Lockdown pause, grimacing in some form of intimidation. "Do you think it will work?"
"Oh, yeah. It'll work all right. If I didn't even know it was use, I'd be running out of this room right now and hiding in my quarters from you." Lockdown said with a tinge of unease in his tone. "You just kinda scared me now." He remarked chuckling now somewhat weakly.
"Sorry." Optimus said almost sheepishly.
Chuckling, Lockdown looked around at everyone who had been repainted. There were still a few who needed work ad he pointed at those ones. "I say you be red." He remarked.
"Huh?! But I was going to stick with being silver! How else will Sunriser know it's me when I see her! I can't change my color other wise she won't know me!" Sideswipe cried out in alarm. "I wasn't going to...!"
"Yeah, you are. You need to be repainted. And I think red is the best color for you. Your twin can stay yellow but add some black to your frame." Lockdown growled.
"What?! No way...!" Sunstreaker snarled.
It was now Optimus who turned a look onto the twins, making them cringe in alarm to see such intimidating optics fall on them. "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, I know you probably don't want to do it but you must. It is for the sake of Sunriser, the Sparklings, Mikaela and the Dinobots. Please, just do what is asked of you. When this is all over, we can repaint our selves back to the colors we are suppose to be. But for now, just go with it." He told them.
Hearing those words stirred up determination in everyone. They all knew that this would have to have happened one way or another. It was for their loved ones.
"Okay, Optimus. For Sunriser and my sparkling." Sideswipe said firmly before looking at Sunstreaker and lifting both arms to give him better access. "Well, bro. Get painting."
Sunstreaker nodded just as determined and started on his twin brother.
"So, that's why you're all out here. You weren't out here to rescue us but sparklings and your comrades." Glyph said as she sat on a crate with Tap-Out standing next to her, listening to the explanation that Skywarp and Elita One, who now sporting a new paint job of soft pink and silver all over her frame. It was honestly her old color from Cybertron but the detailing team couldn't think of any other colors that would suite her at all.
Elita One nodded as she smiled softly at the two new arrivals, who looked thoughtful and sympathetic for her. "Yes. It is a coincidence that we found you, but at least it worked out for all of us." She told the two.
Tap-Out slowly nodded before pausing to look at the group of humans now walking over, lead by Izzy and Flo. He placed a hand on one of the crates and began tapping his fingers against it. "Well, count us in. We will help out as much as we can to find your friends and sparklings. It's the least we can do after you saved us from that nightmare we were living in. Kup will say the same. He has always had..." he grimaced as it hit him. "But you already know about his honor, don't you?" He asked, still tapping his fingers.
Elita smiled at him and nodded. "I remember Kup very well. He was my creator's body guard, and even my own when I was very little." She said softly.
Tap-Out, still tapping his fingers, smiled almost in awe. "Oooh, is he going to surprised when he wakes up and finds you here, Lady Elita One." He said with a light spark.
Glyph giggled as she nodded, glancing up at Skywarp, who in turn, had not stopped watching her since they reenergized their selves and listened to the explanations. "He will be happy though! To know that Alpha Prime is still alive! I remember all the tales he used to tell me about serving with him!" She said merrily.
"Why are you tapping your fingers?" Izzy spoke up suddenly, looking at Tap-Out.
Tap-Out blinked, finally stopping his fingers and looked down at her in surprise. He paused looking back t his fingers before grimacing and drawing his hand away from the crate. "Sorry. It's kind...of a habit I have had since I was a sparkling just out from the Well. It's kind of how I got my name. Tap. Out." He said with a shrug. "If it's not me kicking some serious aft until my opponent taps out, it's me tapping my fingers. I used to tap 'em in a rhythm too, back at the Elite Academy. Annoyed a lot of downright serious military mechs and made several of the fun ones happy because I can literately make music with my tapping."
Izzy and the others smiled, shrugging. "I wasn't annoyed. It just...you were kind of doing a rhythm there. I thought you were trying to make music and all." The dark haired twin said grinning.
Tap-Out shrugged back, smiling before his head lift up and his optics lit up. Everyone noticed and turned to see what he was looking at and their eyes and optics landed on the new arrival in the room.
Kup.
The old mech was finally awake and with Breakdown and Moonracer. He was looking around, almost cautiously as if expecting an attack any time soon but as soon as he turned watery blue optics onto the group, he looked surprised to see Elita One.
The Iaconian Princess of Cybertron smiled warmly before walking over towards him. "Kup, my creator's old friend. It is so good to see you." She said sweetly.
Kup gave a short weak laugh, holding his side with Breakdown supporting him before he started sinking down to one knee guard. He waved Breakdown off when the bulky mech made a move to catch him. "Lay off, mechling. I am just bowing down to a Prime's offspring." He grumbled.
Elita quickly swooped down, taking the old mech by the under arms and pulling him back up. "There is no need to do that, Kup. We are equal. I will not have any Cybertronian, any being bowing down to me, no matter my title." She said softly.
Kup smiled back and stood up on unsteady legs. "Still sweet as energon sweets, Little Ariel. You always were. Sweet tempered but can be fiery when provoked." He jerked his helm towards Moonracer. "She told me what happened back on Sojourner's. I thank ye greatly for taking care of me, Glyph and Tap-Out. I was almost afraid we would'a became one of those monsters in the end." He then frowned seriously. "Pinky lady here, also told me that one o' your Primes was hurt. That he got bit. Ya haven't gotten rid of 'em yet?" He asked seriously.
Elita One sighed but shook her head. "No, and we won't. You remember Sentinel Minor, don't you? The Minor who became Prime after my creator retired?" She asked.
Kup nodded as he jerked his helm towards Moonracer again. "She told me it was him. I 'member him being a big, loud, boisterous oaf. He was the reason I retired from being Weapons Specialist and a Prime guard. Couldn' stand 'em." He remarked.
Elita One nodded, sorrowfully at the thought of Sentinel now dying for a second time. Only his fate seemed like it was going to be worse. "We don't want to kill him, Kup. He has the right to die peacefully. And when he does, we will deal with the after." She stated.
"He ain't gonna die peacefully, Lil' Princess." Kup said gravely. "He gonna be hurting as it comes down to it. Yer better off shooting 'em now just to be merciful. He is gonna wish ya had." He warned her.
Elita's optics dropped, sighing painfully. "None of us will make that choice for him, Kup. And no one will. It is his choice and he hasn't said anything yet. We have two working on a solution right now. One of them is the adopted daughter of the mech who created the Terrorcons. If anyone can find a way, it's her."
Kup shook his head sighing. "Hope yer right, Lil' Princess. I might've not liked Sentinel but he don' deserve to die like that." He then straightened, looking firm. "Big mech, here," he motioned to Breakdown. "Tol' me what yer'all doing. Count me in. Ain't gonna stand by and let a bunch of five faced freaks hurt a handful of sparklin's. I 'member those freaks. Bunch of cowards if'n ask me." He growled.
Everyone straightened at his words. The humans moved closer, looking surprised.
"You knew the Quintessons?!" Figs asked in alarm.
Kup frowned down at him before nodding. "Saw 'em when I was a younglin'. Scared me ta bits, honestly. Vile, nasty scrapheaps. I 'member when the Firs' Thirteen went up against 'em. Biggest bad battle I ever saw. Lotsa good mechs and femmes died fightin' in that war agains' the five facers." He frowned. "I also 'member seeing the five facers' leader, their whatsit call 'em? High Lord Quintess'n? He was a lot smaller than I thought 'em would be when I heard abou' 'em. I hear' rumors he was suppose ta be a real big thing, terrifying an' all. But he wasn'. He was actually smaller than some of the other five facers. Shocked the slag outta me, excuse mah words."
Sam and Trent frowned at one another, not believing what they were hearing. It seemed to be the same for everyone else because they even frowned in confusion.
"Wait, if the so called High Lord Quintesson was smaller than the other Quintessons, why was he leader than?" Epps asked frowning.
Kup shrugged before limping towards the wall, waving Breakdown off of him when he tried to support him. "Don' rightly know. Probably cause he was the first Quintess'n ever created by that pit spawned fool, Unicron. Or," he paused, now looking quite menacing. "Cause size don't mean anything. He might've been smaller than the other five facers, but he was one powerful son of a glitch. Had mental powers ya wouldn' believe. Alpha Prime was the strongest Telepath tha' ever existed, said to even rival Unicron, 'emself. But even he struggled agains' that High Lord Quintess'n, o' their's. He only beat 'em cause he managed to, and luckily might I add, outsmart the damn five facer. Fooled 'em with something that I don' know what. Whateve' he did, it hurt that five facer bad. It was how the Great War was won. Alpha Prime lashed wit' somethang in the powers of mentality and the Quints had no choice but to flee. Took their puny leader with 'em and that was it. Never did find out wha' happened ta the whole lot of 'em." He paused looking seriously at Elita One, who was listening with a thoughtful look. "Til now. Tha' true there's one on this ship righ' now?"
Elita slowly nodded as she glanced down at Izzy and Flo, who looked uneasy to know all of that and know that this old mech might try something against their disabled friend when he couldn't defend himself if attacked. "His name is Derezz. He...he has been quite helpful to us." She said looking back at Kup.
The old mech frowned, narrowing his optics in thought before slowly shaking his head. "Neva heard of a friendly Quint before. Ya sure he ain't playing ya?" He asked sourly.
Izzy scoffed but shook her head as she folded her arms, giving him a dark look. "Derezz is good! He would never hurt any of us. He has done a lot for all of us. He was keeping up mental barriers against his brothers to protect us." She said in Derezz's defense.
Kup huffed in amusement before frowning again and looking at Elita. "Wha' happened to 'em?" He asked seriously.
"He collapsed for some reason. None of us can figure out what happened to him. I believe our group's Telepath, Soundwave is trying to get into his processor right now, to find what happened to him. Maybe even to wake him from Stasis. So far, we haven't heard anything." Elita said gravely.
Slowly nodding, Kup cupped a hand around his lower face plates and thought for a moment. "Sounds like he might'a gotten into a mental figh' with the other five facers. Seen somethin' like that happen only once. Two Quints back in the war were just staring at each other and then one just collapsed, optics flickering until they were completely off line. Alpha said that he took a quick look when it happened. Said they were fightin'. They had some kind'a disagreement."
"What happened to the Quintesson that collapsed?" Flo asked worried.
Kup shook his head. "Don' know. Never did ask. No Cybertronian really wanted to go socialize with the five facers when they were attackin' us." He said in a pointed way, making everyone grimace. "If ya worried I migh' attack ya Quint, don' be, Lil' Femme," he said optic'ing Flo. "I figh' fair. I never stab a mech in the back. Even a Quint." He snorted as a thought hit him. "Though, ya can' stab a Quintess'n in the back anyway. They don' got one."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh at the small joke he made. They all knew he was going to be a fun old mech to have around.
"Sides, if he is helping ya, I ain't gonna complain. Might watch 'em carefully. Jesta be sure he don' try anything. But if yer Prime now trusts 'em, then I don' have room to talk." Kup added, smiling. His optics then snapped wide open as if he saw something that caught him completely off guard. "What in the name of Primus?!"
Everyone frowned at his reaction before turning to see what it was that had him freezing like that only to freeze their selves; alarmed, awed and a little bit of fright.
Optimus had stepped into the room in his new full out color with Lockdown, Starscream, Soundwave and a few of the other newly painted mechs. Skywarp, however, took one look at Starscream's new paint job, snorted then fell to the ground laughing hysterically. He was literately rolling around on the ground, screeching with laughter.
Starscream gave his trine mate a dark look, knowing full well why he was laughing. He gave his newly red chassis, pristine white legs and arms and wings a nasty look, as well as his painted blue servos and peds. "Laugh it up, Skywarp! Just keep on laughing! You get to be repainted too!" He snarled viciously.
Immediately Skywarp stopped laughing with a deflated whine. "WHAAAAAAT?!" He cried from where he sat on the ground, wings held up high. "But I don't wanna!"
"Too bad! Thundercracker is already in the rec room being repainted! So go now!" Starscream barked, pointing to behind him down the corridor.
Skywarp whined again before drooping his head miserably. "Awwww! Scrap." He whimpered.
Glyph giggled, thinking his reaction was quite cute to be honest. She wandered over and lightly patted his arm, getting his attention. "It'll be okay, Skywarp! Just remember! You're doing it to save your niece! You want to see Slipstream again, right?" She asked him sweetly.
And neither noticed the bugged out optics and eyes or the chuckling Kup as they watched the pair. Tap-Out's jaw fell in shock as he listened, not believing it at all.
Skywarp flickered his wings before smiling brightly at Glyph and nodding. "Yeah! You're right! Thanks, Glyph! You're so awesome, you know that?!" He asked before he looked up from her.
CRACK!
"SLAGGIT! SKYWARP! DON'T WARP EVERYWHERE YOU GO! DAMN IT! NOW I HAVE TO REPAINT THAT SPOT ON THUNDERCRACKER AGAIN!" came a familiar distant roar of Sunstreaker from down the corridor.
"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" Skywarp's whine could be heard.
""SKYWARP, WILL YOU GET OFF ME?! YOU'RE CRUSHING MY PED!" Now came Thundercracker's roar.
Glyph burst into giggles, not still realizing that everyone was still gaping at her. She only noticed when she turned, smiling at everyone did her smile fade as she saw how many people were looking stunned. "What?" She asked innocently confused.
Tap-Out shook his head, jaw still dropped as he pointed towards the hall. "What was that?!" He asked almost shrilly.
Glyph raised an optic ridge at him before she caught on and scoffed as she folded her arms and stuck her hip joints out. "I like him. He's funny!" She said now glaring at him, daring him to say something any more.
"O-okay. Whatever." Tap-Out said now slightly weirded out.
"And kind of cute." Glyph added under breath, making optics snap back at her in alarm when they barely heard her.
"WHAAAAAT?!" Tap-Out practically squealed in alarm.
Kup chuckled, shaking his head before looking up at the imposing figure of Optimus Prime. "Ya know, Optimus. I wouldn'a known it was you if it weren' for yer frame and signature. Can't believe yer a Prime now. But then again..." He said in amusement.
Optimus smiled, though it creeped others out because it looked like he was glaring instead. "Kup, old friend, it's good to see you still alive. I had heard you had deactivated. I am so glad that the rumors were only just." He said offering his hand.
Kup snorted in humor as he took Optimus' hand and gave it a hearty shake. "Eh, ya thinkin' of the Kup tha' was in yer unit, ain't ya?" He received bewildered confused looks. "The Kup ya probably saw die was a shifter name Makeshift. I know 'bout 'em cause of Alpha. Threaten'd 'em once. He was a Decepticon spy turned rogue. Wanted somewhere ta belong, make 'emself useful. Not a bad mech, t' be honest. Just confused of his belonging. Too bad he died. Could'a used 'em. He was smart, if not stupid at the same time. Knew his stuff and how ta get around things. Shame." He said shaking his helm.
Optimus slowly nodded before looking at Soundwave, who stepped forward. "Soundwave has finished trying to find out what happened to Derezz." He said and everyone went dead quiet to listen. He just shook his head with a sigh. "He cannot get into Derezz's processor. Not with him in stasis. Apparent ally he has some very strong off line fire walls. Without Derezz being functional right now, we are blind."
Lockdown nodded as he gravely looked around at everyone. "Until Derezz can boot himself back up, the only optics we have watching is Soundwave's. But by the time we even notice the Quintessons coming, it might be too late." He stated.
"So what do ya need?" Kup asked trying to get to the point.
The space pirate shook his head as he looked at the old mech. "Just what you all think. We need everyone who is going to be a slave in the Brigg now. That, and when the Quintessons show up, no one is to think about why we're there. No matter what happens, no matter what you see. The Quintessons will probably be scanning your minds when we meet up with them." He told them.
Everyone just nodded as they took in the information he was giving. It was to be expected really.
But then, optics lit up and all straightened when everyone saw Ratchet entering the room, looking stressed.
"Ratchet." Optimus greeted him.
Ratchet looked up at him and stalled, optics growing wide at the sight of Optimus' new paint job and red optics. He stared for a moment before grimacing and walking over to them. "Primus, Optimus. You look more intimidating than Megatron or even Galvatron ever did in their life time. It's really unsettling seeing you with red optics." He stated as he looked him over before shrugging. "Well, I get why though. I think that can probably fool anyone." He added.
Retracting his battle mask this time, Optimus showed everyone that he was smiling and not glaring when he noticed them drawing back in unease again. "Yes, courtesy of Sunstreaker's artistry." He said before sighing, knowing that wasn't the reason that Ratchet had even come out of Sentinel's quarantined quarters. "How is he?"
Sighing heavily, Ratchet shook his head, knowing exactly who Optimus was asking about. He dreaded telling them but they needed to know the terrible details of how the oldest Prime was doing. "Airachnid is with him right now. Sentinel's already starting to wear down. His entire frame is burning up so we have had to put coolant into him and even some cooling pads all over him to keep the overheating from getting worst." He paused glancing around at everyone, who were all hanging on his every word. "He...he has started purging energon from his tanks. He may have internal tearing in his frame now. He's not going to last too long. Whatever Airachnid needs to do to save him, she needs to work fast. Problem is, we don't have any resources for it. She even told me so. Sentinel is not going to last three orns. I am only guessing two in a half." He looked sorrowfully at Optimus, who lowered his optics, which were dimmed with sorrow to hear that his friend was pretty much dying. "I'm sorry to say, but we need to prepare for the worse, Optimus. We're going to lose Sentinel sooner than we want."
Optimus sighed, his shoulders falling a little to hear about that. He didn't want to lose his old friend but if things kept going the way that they were. Then they wouldn't have a choice. "Thank you, Ratchet. I am afraid you may be right. Can you just make him as comfortable as possible until he does shutdown?" He asked, softly.
"If that is going to do anything." Ratchet murmured but he nodded either way. "I will do all I can for Sentinel, Optimus. He has made a request from you though." He received a pained look from the Prime, who already had an idea of what Sentinel was talking about. "Yes, that. He has requested that when he does shut down, he wants you to be the one to shoot him before he comes back online as a Terrorcon. He refuses to become one of those monsters." He said sympathetically.
Slowly, Optimus nodded, looking as if the entire solar system was leaning right on top of him, weighing him down. "Let him know that I will do as he asks. I wish it wouldn't come to..." He was saying.
Suddenly, Soundwave's helm shot up and he completely tensed his entire frame before jerking to look at Lockdown. He was fully aware of how everyone noticed and were now looking at him with unease and alarm. "Lockdown: We have a signal outside Death's Head." He spoke now tense and gravely. "A large warship has just entered the scanners reach and are approaching our ship."
Lockdown tensed, his slanted red optics flashing before he looked sharply at the large telepath. "Soundwave, can you put up mental barriers for now? I am betting it's the Quintessons. They've found us." He then looked sharply around at everyone in the room. His optics glowed as he opened all transmissions for everyone in the room and even on the ship to hear. "Slaves to the Brigg now! Drop whatever you are doing and get into cells! All pirates, on alert. That includes our new pirates." He said looking at Optimus to emphasize that, who nodded. "I wished we had more time to prepare. They came sooner than I thought they would have. But we have run out of time. We need to get into positions now."
"I can't leave my patient, not when he's dying, Lockdown." Ratchet said sternly.
Lockdown gave him an equal stern look but nodded all the same. "Then you and Airachnid stay with him, locked up in his quarters. Do not come out unless I give the order." He turned to look at Kup. "Pirate or slave?" He asked almost darkly.
Kup huffed before shaking his head as he pushed himself up to unsteady peds but he refused Breakdown's help when he wandered over to help support him. "Slave. I'll do better to pretending to be one. It'll give me the chance to protect Glyph and Tap-Out like I promised them that I would. Besides, look at me." He said with a dark chuckle, arms out in a presentation. "Can you really see me as a pirate?"
Chuckling darkly, Lockdown shook his head. "No, I can't." He looked seriously around at everyone that was slowly moving now. "Get moving, mechs and femmes! Slaves in the Brigg! Pirates, to your stations! Move it! We don't got all day!" He snapped.
And everyone moved faster.
It took only about ten minutes to get everything together like they had all planned out. The Autobots and Decepticons and humans who were pretending to be slaves were now crowded up into Brigg cells, not exactly enjoying it either. They were under guard by some of the pirates, who were quietly reminding them all of how to be slaves while fitting each and every one of the Cybertronians with stasis cuffs. The humans were instructed that they had to wear collars, not that any of them were happy to hear that. But they didn't have a choice on the matter. They were to pretend to be human slaves so they allowed the pirates to place very uncomfortable metal collars around their necks and they sat to wait for the scariest moment of their lives.
Lockdown was immediately heading straight to the main cockpit with Optimus and Breakdown in toll. He had both Izzy and Flo on his shoulders, instructing them to stay behind his helm as much as possible. He didn't need the Quintessons paying too much attention to them, even though he couldn't very well hide them either. He sent a silent transmission to the Prime to remind him that he was to act like a ruthless pirate and to not blow his cover at all. Upon entering the main cockpit, the pirate captain jabbed his hook towards one of the pirates under his command. "Open up the visual. Let's see who we have." He ordered.
"Yes, Captain!" The pirate barked sharply before following his orders.
It took only a moment for the large visual screen to light up on the target but when the image showed itself to everyone in the cockpit, a few vents were caught. Lockdown sent those who did it a calm look, pinging them to try and stay as calm as they could, even though it wouldn't help. He knew very well that a lot of sparks were spiking in unease right now. His own was one of them.
The ship that had approached Death's Head was a very large one in deed. It was more large in length that width, but still larger than Death's Head by far. It was almost a tubular shaped space craft. The head of the ship was very long and wide but narrow as if an aerial take off ramp for shuttles or even aerial beings. Triangular shaped thick plates were lined down the entire length, standing almost fifty feet high from being connected from the long fuselage of the ship. The larger part of the ship was in the aft part, looking more like enormous but very thick solar plates. Sharp looking pieces of metal were lined along the edges of the main part of the ship, and it took a little zooming in to see that they were all high powered cannons.
On the side of the ship there was an unfamiliar scrawl of symbols but none of the cockpit's occupants could read what it said.
But Lockdown lowered his head, narrowing his optics. "It's the Quintessons." He glanced side wards at Optimus, who was tense as ever as was everyone else. "Don't speak, don't draw attention to yourself. You are Nemesis, if they even bother asking. You're going to be my new Third in Command while Derezz is out. Whatever you do, don't think about why we're going to Quintessa. They'll probably try and scan your processor. I will do what I can to keep their attention on me. If you start to feel mental prodding in your processor, don't fight it. Let them take a look. Just don't give them the information of why you're here." He warned the Prime.
Optimus nodded as he lift his head and forced his processor to go completely blank other than the fact that he was thinking of how alarming that ship really was. He would do all he could not to blow their cover. It was for the sparklings, Sunriser, Mikaela and the Dinobots' sake after all.
"Captain, we're being hailed by the ship. Someone wants a word with us." The pirate at the communications station called over.
Lockdown stood up fully, his entire frame steeling itself for what was to come. "Open transmissions. Let's greet our new guests." He stated.
A moment later, the communications screen flashed on and it took everything that Optimus had not react to what he was even seeing. Or rather...who he was seeing! Lockdown, on the other hand, frowned and narrowed his optics at the human that was sitting before him. "Who the frag are you?!" He demanded harshly as he glared at the heavily scarred human sitting in the screen.
The human was a man, heavily scarred across his face and even more. His hair was dark brown, if not missing a few lines here and there due to scars. But his eyes were dark, mirthless but full of ruthless delight as he looked right back at Lockdown, not even bothering to look anywhere else. He was wearing a black alien like suit, that seemed to be made out of some strange flexible alloy. Even though Lockdown did not even know who the human was, Optimus sure did. And he never would have expected to see Christopher Moxen again, more or less, out in the middle of space.
"My name is Chris Moxen, Cybertronian. And you would do well not to talk to me like that. I have a pretty bad ass battle ship here that would tear into..." Chris Moxen was saying.
Lockdown growled viciously before he shook his head. "I don't speak to lower life beings such as yourself! You are not worth my time! And it is obvious that you're not in charge of that Quintesson ship! So I suggest you put your masters on the line!" He snapped.
Chris' eyes flashed dangerously before he started turning to say something to someone off screen. "Fire up the...!" He was saying.
But a long golden appendage of metal claws trailed right into view and knocked against the human's shoulder to shush him. It was something that everyone on the Death's Head recognized by now because of Derezz. Then the screen shifted until it was on a large bulky mass of metal with vicious looking faces on all sides. The Quintesson was enormous in size, possibly bigger than Derezz. It was a silver and golden mass with black sharp spines on top of the entire mass. But the face facing Lockdown, vicious green optics glaring right back at him were in the face of a green, snarling face. It had sharp fangs revealed in the mouth, obviously for show. It looked more like an demonic Egyptian pharaoh to be honest. It almost sent a shudder running through Optimus just to see this vicious looking creature. He could see that the other faces were almost as snarly as this one, but in different colors and looked very much different than this face.
"I am Deliberata, Quintesson Commander upon this vessel, Guardian of this sector of Dark Regions. And you are trespassing upon space you have not been permitted to, Cybertronian. State your reasoning for intrusion and then prepare for capture." The Quintesson's deep, intimidating voice echoed from the beast of a Quintesson.
Lockdown kept his cool just fine, but he narrowed his optics before bowing low at the waist. "Commander Deliberata, I see. I have mistaken myself and our ship to be trespassing into the Dark Regions without permission. I will ask you to forgive..." He was saying.
The Quintesson's optics flashed brightly before he bobbed in the air, waving his claw like appendages. "I know you, Cybertronian. I recognize your signature and features." He gave a low, dark chuckle when Lockdown stiffened and looked back at him with a steeled look. "I am aware of your destination...Lockdown, was it not?" He continued on as if not noticing or caring that the space pirate had stiffened like that. "Yes, I see into your processor. The one Cybertronian Gladiator Slave that managed to escape from our prisons of Quintessa." The Quintesson went on before his green face flashed off and the face on his right, a vicious golden and gray face with sharp looking spikes were on top of the helm. The optics were golden, matching the face, which were now looking off somewhere else. He began making deep metallic clangs, which was a language that Optimus didn't recognize at all.
Lockdown tensed before looking around at everyone, sending a quick transmission to all of them. -Prepare yourselves! Don't fight it or it's going to hurt more!-He said through all transmissions and even into the Brigg so that they would know what was about to happen.
Before anyone could even understand what was about to happen, a electrifying beam shot from the large ship at such a speed that no one had time to prepare for the attack. The electrifying beam hit the head of Death's Head and jolts of static began rushing through the entire ship, zapping all Cybertronians. There were startled cries as each and every Cybertronian were shocked by whatever this attack was. The humans could only gasp as they felt static raising their hair but it seemed that electricity coursing through the ship didn't affect them like it did to all of the Cybertronians. It was just a small jolt running through them, causing them to cry out in alarm.
And before anyone knew it, all Cybertronians dropped to the ground, optics flickering and their systems flashing warning signs that they were about to go into forces recharge. Lockdown barely had time to catch himself and the girls on his shoulders as he stumbled down to his knee guards. "S-So-CRACKLE-Son of a gli-gli-gli-ZAP!-glitch!" He managed to snarl in static out before he hit the ground with Izzy and Flo quickly jumping and rolling across the ground to avoid getting too banged up.
Every Cybertronian on Death's Head, no matter where they were, or who they were fell into darkness, leaving the humans to cry out to them in alarm. They had no idea what just happened but they knew it wasn't good.
Author's Note:
Uh-oh! Now everyone is trouble! :D How'd you all like that little cliffhanger I put in there? LOL. I know I have been throwing some cliffhangers in left and right in quite a few chapters but you have to admit it, cliffhangers can be so much fun!
As for every Autobots and Decepticons' new paint jobs, I am basically making all of them look like live action versions from Transformers G1 series. Everyone but Optimus, to be honest. How I came up with the new design of a bad guy looking Optimus, there was this picture I found while looking up Nemesis Prime and I came across this picture of Bayverse Optimus as Nemesis Prime, only in very dark colors. I thought it was just such an awesome look for our favorite Prime so I kind of took it up.
Anyway, I will admit it. After this chapter, it's going to get a little darker, more sinister for our favorite Cybertronians and humans. Some of the new contents will probably be a little disturbing on what they're going to start seeing since it is going to be the Quintesson planet, a place full of slavery and such. It's going to take a pretty dark turn from here on out. I hope you're enjoying the story nonetheless. I'll try and have the next chapter out soon for you!
Best Wishes,
Serin Darkwolf