Sky Dancer
By: PhantasmBabeIvory
Author's Notes: Kudos to you if you're one of the ones who guessed one or both of the correct answers in the poll on my profile page. And hope you enjoy reading this new installment that sets up much of the second half of the story. :D
Chapter Twenty
Had Sideways not disappeared on them and held them up from making an immediate escape, it was certain that Scorpinok would not have realized until it was too late that four of his Terrorcons had been bugged. It had only taken one of the jaguars to make a complaint that something was stuck in the gears that were powering its right hind leg and causing a mild limp.
Scorpinok threw a glance at his companions, briefly wondering how long they might be able to hide; the trees were so large that they concealed even Tidal Wave from view, but only so long as the Autobots were searching from the sky. With an air of agitation, he activated his comlink and barked out to Sideways that he'd better get his aft in gear. In the next instant, Scorpinok kneeled by the Terrorcon that was having the problem and opened up a panel near the afflicted area to have a look.
Seeing the blinking red light, and the device that it was attached to, made Scorpinok hesitate for a few seconds. Then, he shook his head in slight amusement, saying aloud, "Clever, Autobots… But not clever enough." He took a second to look at his hand before realizing it was too large to perform the needed task, then turned towards Cyclonus and laid out the situation.
Once the device had been removed and Scorpinok found that it resembled a dart, he turned to the remaining Terrorcons and asked if any of them remembered being shot at, or experienced some unexplained pain at any time. Ironically, this caused eighteen of the jaguars and three falcons to come forward, leaving Scorpinok to think that perhaps it would be better if they didn't return to the battleship right away.
Thus, once Sideways made an appearance, Scorpinok sent a broadcast to Megatron to open a gate to a remote location, until any and all beacons could be found and disposed of…
Needless to say, Optimus was quite disappointed when he caught up with Starscream and Demolisher. Though his initial reaction was to say that he should have been there, Demolisher reminded him that Jetfire could have been killed by Tidal Wave without backup.
With that said, Demolisher turned his worried gaze towards his friend, who'd been leaning quietly against a tree trunk for the past several minutes, with Starxis perched just as silently on his shoulder. It disturbed him slightly that the jet didn't even seem concerned about the fact that his hand had been broken. After a second, the hard-edged bot took a step forward, saying simply, "Don't let one failure get you down, Starscream! There will be other plans and other opportunities!"
Starscream looked up at the sound of his name, appearing for an instant to be startled. His next statement informed his two companions that there was something more on his mind. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Demolisher, but what good are plans when there's something in play that may undermine them?" Starscream tilted his head downward a notch, clarifying what he meant with, "Megatron was right to call me a weakling."
Demolisher bristled, determined not to let Starscream demean himself. "Don't say that!" the hard-edged bot barked out. "Megatron is full of slag, and we both know it!"
Starscream looked at his friend with a surprisingly hard look in his optics. "That doesn't mean that he fails to once in a while make a good point! For Primus' sake, Demolisher, just hear me out!" He paused to take a breath, then continued with, "I told Alexis once that emotions have no place on the battlefield, especially if they put both the bearer and those they love at risk. I just couldn't seem to follow my own advice."
Starscream looked briefly at Optimus, but couldn't discern what the commander was thinking from the blank expression. "My love for Alexis got in the way, not to mention the way I actually appealed to Megatron to do the right thing… Going by past experience, that's always been my problem. If I'm to have any hope of getting her back or besting Megatron in a fight, then I need to learn how to be stronger than this. Colder, even."
Demolisher remained silent for a long moment, giving every indication that he was deep in thought by the way his optics were cast downwards. At last, he looked back up and said in agreement, "Perhaps we both do, my friend."
If either Starscream or Demolisher could have peeked into Optimus' thoughts on the matter, they would have known that the commander was not in agreement with this opinion. Starxis was even looking at Optimus in expectation, as though the youngling wanted a counterpoint thrown out there. However, such words were put aside when a voice sounded from the edge of the clearing.
"There you are," Kicker said in a loud tone, causing Optimus to glance over to see the teenager standing on Ironhide's shoulder. "We thought we'd never find you, Optimus."
Optimus sighed, taking a few steps towards Ironhide and Kicker. The commander was briefly distracted when Starscream announced that he wanted to return to Ocean City, seeing as they were finished here, and stopped to watch the jet and Demolisher warp away. Turning his gaze back to the teenager and rookie, Optimus said, "Is there a reason you were looking for me?"
Kicker hesitated for a split second, then, wearing a peculiar grin, answered, "Only to say that Ironhide and I managed to tag some of the Terrorcons as they were leaving the base." As Ironhide was holding up a data pad with the screen facing Optimus to show that they were being provided with a set of coordinates, Kicker went on with, "We'll be able to find where Megatron is hiding with no sweat."
Startled, Optimus stepped closer to his two companions to get a better look, taking the data pad from Ironhide. However, he was instantly confused when he discovered that it was displaying information only from a single homing beacon. Fixing the duo before him with clouded optics, Optimus said, "You said you tagged more than one…?"
Kicker nervously raised one hand to scratch at his head. "Yeah, about that… The other four were taken out of commission just several minutes ago." He paused, wrestling for a moment on whether or not he should disclose something strange. "Also, I'm not sure why, but the Terrorcon that's still marked broke formation with the other four just after the raid. And, before the other beacons were decommissioned, Ironhide and I tracked them to a different set of coordinates."
Optimus' face hardened, even as he shook his head. Handing the data pad back to Ironhide, he said after a moment, "I appreciate the effort, but this is not something we should follow through on."
Kicker was taken aback, to say the least. "B… But, Optimus," he sputtered, only to be cut off.
"Megatron is not known for doing anything by accident or chance. He's far too thorough," Optimus said firmly. "If one of the beacons is still active, it would only be the result of a deliberate act on his part. On the grounds that he could be leading us into a trap, I don't think it wise to send anyone to that location, even if it's by shuttle." Optimus sighed once more and added, in a gentler tone, "I want Alexis back as much as I imagine the both of you do. But there are other ways to go about it."
Optimus waited a moment for an answer that wasn't forthcoming. Given that both Kicker and Ironhide appeared as if their hopes had been dashed, it was easy to assume why they were speechless. Thinking the issue as having been dealt with, Optimus began to turn away, saying that he was going to get a status report from the Omnicons on their losses and telling his two companions that he would see them back at Ocean City.
After a second or two, Ironhide's face hardened with a downright stubborn expression, and he moved to conceal the data pad within one of his compartments before turning his head to look at Kicker. "Do you see any harm in following through on this, just the two of us? We could always turn around at the first sign of trouble." Ironhide asked, in a low tone to guarantee they'd not be overheard, just in case. When Kicker shook his head after a moment, Ironhide went on with, "Then we're agreed. Now all we need is a shuttle."
Kicker smirked, the wheels turning in his head. "Trust me, Ironhide, that's gonna be the easy part…"
Once they'd gotten back to the battleship and Storm Bringer had assured Megatron more than once that she was okay, the Decepticon commander inevitably asked her just what had happened out there on the battlefield. When questioned, Megatron said, "You asked Starscream what he was doing to you. From my vantage point, I couldn't see that he was doing anything."
Storm Bringer tilted her head downwards a notch, mentally trying to work this out. Now that she had time to reflect on Starscream's words, she felt a measure of uncertainty. What did he mean when he said that I'm not who I think I am? she mused.
The fact that Megatron spoke her name softly, questioningly, made Storm Bringer focus on him. Shifting her weight, she felt slightly uncomfortable as she said, "It… It was weird. I could… hear him talking, inside my head." Her gaze locked with Megatron's, and she instantly decided it might be better to give only an abbreviated version of what she'd been told, until she could figure this out. "He was telling me that I couldn't trust you, that you were lying to me."
Though he looked bewildered, Megatron was quick to provide an answer. "I never pegged Starscream as one who would develop some psychic abilities. Perhaps it was a skill he acquired in my absence." Megatron paused, then stepped closer, gently taking one of her hands in his. "I advise you not to put much stock in what he said. Seems he'd love nothing better than to drive a wedge between me and what soldiers I have left."
Storm Bringer had barely nodded before a transmission came in from Scorpinok that they were ready to be teleported back to the ship. While Megatron was seeing to this task, she found herself plagued with doubt, the more she reflected on what Starscream had said. Who am I? Can I even trust my own memories?
Her meditation was shortly interrupted when Megatron returned to her side, softly stroking her metallic hair in a way that soothed her. She didn't know long he kept this up before he softly said, "I thank Primus that I didn't lose you out there today. And I thank you for saving me, Storm Bringer. If only all of the troops could be as loyal as you are…"
Feeling a warm feeling washing over her, Storm Bringer began to dim her optics when Megatron slowly started to lean in for a kiss. However, the mood was killed somewhat when there came the sound of someone loudly clearing their throat, somewhere behind the commander.
When Megatron pulled away from her, though he didn't turn to see who had interrupted them, Sideways spoke out. "We need to talk, Megatron. Alone."
A wry smile came to Megatron's lips as Storm Bringer watched him. "Unless it's urgent, Sideways, it can surely wait. You can come back later."
The words were barely out of Megatron's mouth before Sideways responded with a loud growl, deliberately dropping his sword to the floor to show that he was shifting to his intangible state. "Have you forgotten that quickly that I made it clear I would not be treated as a subordinate? Don't you dare blow me off," Sideways said gruffly. After a short pause, he added, "Unless you'd prefer that I go back on our bargain, I suggest that you grant me an audience, now."
A dark shadow crossed over Megatron's face, but he had no choice but to give in. Otherwise, Sideways could very well follow through on the threat, and there would be nothing that the commander could do to stop him. "Very well." Megatron turned to Storm Bringer, saying simply, "Would you excuse us, my dear?"
Once the girl had walked from the bridge, Sideways saw fit to say, "Never forget that you agreed that I'd be treated as an equal, Megatron. When I make a request, I expect to be heard."
"Just so long as you don't confuse equality with superiority," Megatron answered, fighting to stay calm. "This partnership will only succeed so long as we understand each other, Sideways. Just because you hold power over me does not mean you have to make threats to get your way. And, you'd do well to learn patience."
Megatron crossed his arms. "Now, with that said, what's so important that you felt it couldn't wait?"
Sideways blinked, suddenly feeling slightly foolish for making such a fuss. Perhaps Megatron was right; he realized that he'd never had cause to forge a working alliance such as this. Unicron had been relatively easy to get along with. But then, the goals and terms of service of the dark god had been much, much simpler.
It didn't take Sideways very long to lay out the details of his discovery and his suspicions that Scorpinok was being dishonest. "The only reason I can think of as to why he'd order this small group away from the main force would be if he were sending them to Alpha Q."
Megatron thought this over, but, try as he might, he couldn't make it make sense. "Impossible," the Decepticon commander said in a low, thoughtful tone. "If Scorpinok knows where his former master is hiding, then it's doubtful that he would still be here. Why wouldn't he take the Terrorcons and run, if that were the case?" Seeing that Sideways looked unconvinced Megatron went on to say, "I don't think we can assume that Scorpinok is a traitor without proof. There could very well be some other explanation."
After a short silence, Megatron looked up, his optics locking with Sideways'. "Perhaps the best way to know for sure is to keep closer tabs on our 'friend.' Should be child's play for you, Sideways, if you're up for the task."
Sideways nodded. "Consider it done," he answered, relishing the idea of possibly striking out at Alpha Q through his subordinate. A second later, Sideways shifted his weight and said, "And now, while I have your attention, there is another matter we need to discuss…"
After leaving Megatron's side, Storm Bringer began to wander aimlessly through the corridors of the shuttle, her thoughts in turmoil thanks to the events of the past several hours. At one point, she even found herself musing that she'd been provided an answer to Demolisher's earlier behavior. If this life was indeed not hers, perhaps he'd only been trying to return her to the one that was.
Storm Bringer pursed her lips, silently thinking, Could this be why no one other than Megatron or Sideways is at ease around me? Because I don't belong here?
So lost in this reverie, she was, that she didn't see Scorpinok standing to one side of the corridor she was passing through, until she was nearly on top of him. In fact, when he softly cleared his throat to grab her attention, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Storm Bringer took a step back, resting one hand against her chest and giving a sharp gasp in her fright. Scorpinok almost instantly held up his hands in a calming gesture. "Forgive me," he said. "I didn't mean to startle you." There was a short pause, in which he returned to a more casual pose, though he did throw a glance towards the hall behind her as if he wanted to see if there may be someone accompanying her. "I was hoping that you'd fared alright, having gone head to head with Starscream."
Her optics grew wide. "How did you…?" She broke off, then began again. "Did you see us fighting?"
Scorpinok shook his head. "Was able to put two and two together, courtesy of Sideways… There's a boastful, intuitive Decepticon for you." Scorpinok took half a step towards her. "And, I had a feeling that Starscream might come after you."
Storm Bringer tilted her head to one side, her curiosity aroused. "Do you know something I don't?" she asked in a slightly heated tone, not liking that he might know more than her memory was telling her. "Why would Starscream be that interested in me?"
Scorpinok offered her a very faint smile. "I'd say that you just answered my question," he said cryptically. "There's nothing like the introduction of conflicting variables to clue one in on the fact that something's not right." He stood up straight, looking prepared to say something more, only to be cut off when the sound of distant footsteps reached them.
Scorpinok tilted his head downwards a notch, though that faint smile didn't leave his face. "I shouldn't keep you," he said softly. "Perhaps you're better off returning to your quarters, Storm Bringer. Having some time to yourself may help you sort things out."
Storm Bringer was speechless for several seconds as she watched him walk away; she was so startled by his abrupt turnabout and cryptic attitude that she couldn't formulate any words. He was all the way down the corridor before she regained her senses and called out his name, but Scorpinok surprised her by not even breaking stride. He was gone before she knew it, leaving her more confused, and feeling far more alone, than ever…
Finding a place to talk in private, within Ocean City, was almost impossible, the colony was so filled with cameras and intercoms in every nook and cranny. Thus, Ironhide and Kicker were forced to sequester themselves within the former's room in order to discuss their plans on how they were going to commandeer a shuttle and get away from Earth.
The twosome had barely gotten started on their plotting before the handheld communicator in Kicker's pocket began buzzing. Though the teenager gave an exasperated sigh, he did draw it out and activated it. An air of calmness descended on him when he identified Misha, and Kicker had to forcibly remind himself that now wouldn't be a good time to engage in conversation. He apologetically told Misha that this wasn't the best time to talk, then pressed the cancel button and set the device on the bunk beside him.
Standing opposite the bunk, Ironhide shifted his weight. "Okay, now that we're alone… You were going to tell me just how we're going to procure a shuttle. Last time I checked, there weren't even any available here at Ocean City."
A wry grin came to Kicker's face. "Not here, but there is a base about thirty miles inland that's housing some. I know that Red Alert requested such a depot towards the beginning of the alliance between Cybertron and Earth, in case the Warp Gates should ever fail us." Kicker paused, crossing his hands behind his head in his usual cavalier manner. "As for how we're going to lay our hands on one… Well, I know three little Mini-Cons who would be up to the challenge and who could probably come up with a convincing story."
Kicker leaned back slightly, a curious look rising to his face. "So, is that beacon of ours still active?"
Ironhide pulled the data pad from his compartment after an instant, giving an affirmative after a split-second and saying that the tracer now appeared to be stationary. After a slight hesitation on his part, he reluctantly said, "I don't know, Kicker. What if Optimus is right and this could be leading us into a trap? For all we know, we could be walking right into an ambush."
Kicker bristled. "Or maybe the Big Guy was wrong, and Megatron isn't always thorough. And, more than likely, it would have been Scorpinok's responsibility to look for tracking devices since they're his bots. For all we know, he could have been the one to make a mistake."
The teenager paused, leaning forward once more. "As I said before, we'll pull out at the first sign of trouble, but all that we're going to be doing is some recon. We don't even have to get close to the point of origin; the long range scanners would let us know what we're in for in advance, and we'd have a warp engine at our disposal to make a clean getaway."
Ironhide set down the data pad and started nervously wringing his hands together. "Suppose Megatron has another jammer on hand…"
A low growl escaped Kicker's lips, but he kept his cool enough to answer. "Then we rely on the regular engines and the firepower at our disposal. We'll even have High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock along to assist." The teenager paused again, then said, "Don't chicken out on me now, Ironhide. We've been given an opportunity to help save Alexis, and we shouldn't waste it! As soon as we get a location, all we have to do is radio to the Autobots on Earth to send backup."
When the answer came not from Ironhide but from the communicator lying on the bunk next to Kicker, both the room's occupants just about jumped out of their skins. "Therein lies your problem, Kicker," Misha said, loudly enough to ensure that she'd be heard. After a short pause, she said, "The next time you're going to blow someone off, make sure she doesn't know you well enough to get suspicious, and that she doesn't have the means to hack into your communicator."
Kicker blanched, quickly snatching up the handheld device. "Misha," he said quickly, frantically wondering just how much she had heard. "I can explain…"
Her next words, when she cut him off, actually had both him and Ironhide reeling. "The communications array on the shuttle is linked into the GPS system," Misha said tersely, but still in that soft-spoken tone of hers. "You leave that active, and you'll only have an hour at best before Optimus and the others catch up to you and drag you back to Earth."
After a few seconds of trying to comprehend this, Kicker and Ironhide looked at each other in bewilderment. Ironically, both of them were thinking the exact same thing: Did she just imply that she's going to help us?
Once back in Ocean City, Optimus was quick to gather together his most seasoned warriors that weren't otherwise occupied for a private meeting. As he was told by Hot Shot, Starscream and Demolisher had retreated to the shooting range on the upper levels.
With a sigh, Optimus looked around at Hot Shot, Scavenger, Red Alert, and Jetfire in turn, kicking off the meeting by saying, "I hope that all of you aren't completely disheartened by this one failure. The situation with our missing teammate aside, there are other matters that need to be addressed… The building of our new mines in the Alaskan tundra is still ongoing, and I'd like to appoint you, Hot Shot, to go there to provide some security… And maybe, we can rope Kicker into venturing back out there to pinpoint where the Omnicons should be digging."
Optimus turned towards Jetfire, quickly adding, "I'm temporarily putting you in charge of Ocean City. In the meantime, I'll be accompanying Red Alert and Dr. Jones to Cybertron to get started on the planet-wide defense system… and to see about implementing some personal upgrades." He looked over at the medic. "I think it's time that I gained some flight capabilities of my own. It may help even the battlefield and maybe knock Megatron down a notch."
Red Alert nodded, going on to add, "With any luck, we'll have Cybertron protected before Megatron even thinks about venturing there. Completing that big of a project is going to take some time."
Optimus looked downwards at those words, that heavy feeling returning to rest on his shoulders. Much as he hated the idea, he had to admit that ensuring that Megatron did not lose any more team members might buy them some time. Quietly, he said as much to the soldiers before him, swearing them to secrecy to ensure that this statement did not get back to Starscream.
After a short silence, Scavenger began to wonder why he'd been asked to attend this meeting, as Optimus had yet to assign him anything. "May I ask why you summoned me here, sir?" he asked in a quiet tone.
Optimus nodded absently, then looked up and abruptly told the others they were dismissed. Once he and Scavenger were alone, the commander said, "I requested you because I've always trusted your judgment. You've always had a knack for resolving personal matters and opening one's optics." Optimus shifted his weight, adding, "On that note, I need you to do something very important…"
For roughly twenty minutes after she'd sequestered herself within her room, Storm Bringer had been staring blankly at a cylinder-like device in her hand. In spite of herself, she'd been compelled to follow Scorpinok's advice, and had been surprised to find one of the jaguar Terrorcons had been waiting outside her door, brandishing a few gifts for her.
As Scorpinok had said in the data pad that now rested at her side, the device she held would help unblock her neural pathways and ensure that she remember who she was. Nevertheless, Storm Bringer could only feel apprehensive at the notion; did she really want to find out if Megatron had indeed lied to her? The Decepticon commander had been so kind up to this point, and he clearly felt something for her.
And yet…
Storm Bringer pursed her lips, thinking of Demolisher and Starscream. Given their actions, it was clear that they (and it seemed, Scorpinok as well) both felt that she didn't belong here. After letting that idea weigh on her for several moments, she got to her feet with a sigh, detaching her winged weapon and setting it against the wall so that she could at least have a reflective surface to look into.
With that accomplished, she kneeled down and tentatively opened a panel on her brow. Still, Storm Bringer was hesitant when she raised the device to hook it into the foremost part of her processing unit.
As Scorpinok had explained, a small amount of nanobots would be released into her CPU that were designed to immediately repair any anomalies. Still, she was slightly unprepared for how instantaneous the effects were, and Storm Bringer involuntarily yanked the device away. Her balance must have been thrown off because the next thing she knew, she was flat on her back, the device pressed against the floor by one heavy hand and her breathing labored.
After a long moment of trying to keep from losing it and attempting to process everything she'd done in so short a time, Alexis buried her face in one hand, rolling onto her side and quietly weeping for all she was worth. So distraught she was, that she couldn't even think of a means of escape at this point. Oh, God, she mused with a heavy spark, the memory of fighting her beloved weighing heavily on her in spite of the fact that it wasn't her fault. Starscream, I'm so sorry…
When he was called before Megatron and Sideways, Cyclonus was just waiting for one, or both, of them to add some further insult to injury. Given what he'd been put through the past several days, such resentment was understandable. So, it came as a great surprise when he heard what the Decepticon commander had to say.
Blinking energetically, Cyclonus let his gaze travel to the rogue bot standing at Megatron's side, vaguely aware that the latter was saying, "Sideways here made a good point that perhaps I'd been a bit rash in recent decisions. And having Demolisher turn traitor put the whole team in a precarious position." Megatron paused, then added, "I have no desire to lose another soldier… I hope you'll be content in having your flight capabilities restored, and that you'll be able to adjust to this new form."
Cyclonus bowed his head, struck speechless for a moment. Sideways seemed to know what the eccentric bot was thinking, for he gruffly interjected, "Don't take this to mean that I'm your friend! I only intervened on your behalf so that this team doesn't wind up any more fragmented than it already is!"
Cyclonus hesitated for a moment more, then asked awkwardly, "Do I still have to change my name?"
Sideways shook his head, snorting at the idiocy of that statement. "I hate to break this to you," he said sarcastically, "but you're no longer a helicopter. And it's hardly a fitting name for a snow mobile, aerial or not." When Cyclonus inquired if Sideways had any suggestions, the latter hesitated for an instant before derisively responding, "You can call yourself Slushy for all I care."
Seeing the telling glint in Cyclonus' optics, Megatron interjected, "Don't even think about taking that seriously, soldier…"
Until Scavenger finally made his way up to the shooting range and saw both Starscream and Demolisher in action, he'd been unsure if Optimus had been right to be concerned. But the surest sign that Megatron's former troops were truly serious about learning to be detached was inherent in the way that they were actually fighting each other.
Scavenger stood and watched for a moment, idly wondering just whose idea this had been. Perhaps Starscream's, given that the jet seemed the more determined of the two and wasn't pulling his punches to the extent that his friend was.
Demolisher looked up at Starscream, having just been knocked flat on his aft, and a grimace crossed the face of the hard-edged bot when the jet demanded in a hard tone that he get up. Starxis, in the meanwhile, was perched on a table not too far away, looking surprisingly heartened to see Scavenger.
Feeling he'd seen enough, Scavenger strode forward, his arms crossed. "Stay where you are, Demolisher," he said loudly, making Starscream round on him with a hint of surprise. It didn't take long for the jet's expression to melt into fury.
"This is not your business, Scavenger," Starscream snapped. "You're not going to stop me from doing whatever I have to in order to get Alexis back."
Scavenger's face went blank. "It's funny," he said in an astonishingly even tone. "I would have thought you'd be better and smarter than this by now." After a very brief pause, he added, "Allow me to agree with Megatron. You are weak, as well as the world's biggest idiot… Optimus may not see that, but I'd personally worked alongside you for several months at one time, Starscream. You're still as young and naïve as you were when I first met you."
Starscream was speechless for an instant, then was practically frothing at the mouth. "How dare you!" he spat out. "You know how much I've done when it came to keeping the peace between the factions?!"
Scavenger tilted his head to one side in a infuriatingly cavalier manner. "To be fair, that proves you have excellent diplomacy skills. But why not leave battling Megatron to someone who can actually do so on even terms and who won't make some half-afted attempt?"
Demolisher was ready to cut in with an angry retort, but was stopped when a sudden weight landed on his chest. Looking down, he was greatly surprised to see Starxis gazing up at him; the youngling's wings were even folding in against his flank. "Stay put," Starxis quietly chirped out, supposedly keeping his voice low so his adopted father wouldn't hear. "Let Scavenger talk."
Demolisher hadn't heard what Starscream said in response, but Scavenger's next words clued him in. "The fact that you're flying off the handle so badly would almost guarantee that this little scheme of yours is not going to work… Give it up, Starscream. You have no hope of reaching Megatron's league of emotional suppression. And that being the case, I suggest you leave rescuing Alexis to those who can actually pull it off."
An angry curse passed through Starscream's lips at this declaration, and he shifted his weight, detaching his wing sword and taking an aggressive stance. "Don't you dare imply that I don't have what it takes to save her!" he snarled in a loud tone.
Scavenger shifted his weight as well, but remained just as relaxed as before. Still, a cocky smile came to his lips that really irritated the jet before him. "Please," Scavenger replied with a strong note of humor. "You couldn't even hope to best me on a good day, you good-for-nothing novice… I bet that even Alexis is going to one day surpass you on the battlefield." Scavenger hesitated for an instant, tilting his head slightly to one side. "Oh, wait. I hear she already has…"
Later on, Starscream would never be able to pinpoint just which one of Scavenger's statements set him off. With an angry cry, he was raising his sword, rushing towards the seasoned vet in a rage. Scavenger didn't even flinch, and responded by quickly identifying the blade's most likely arc and deftly stepping out of the way.
An amused chuckle escaped Scavenger's lips, adding to his opponent's irritation. "Is that the best you can do?" he goaded, prompting Starscream to make another attempt.
Past Starxis' plea that he not get involved, Demolisher had been watching the exchange with a near-overwhelming sense of confusion. But, something about Scavenger's last statement inspired an idea on what was happening here. With wide optics, Demolisher began to view this battle with a growing understanding, as he started to see more and more what the seasoned vet was doing. The more he thought about it, the more that Demolisher began to believe that this was perhaps the better course of action.
The fight, such as it was, continued for maybe another five minutes, with Starscream growing increasingly enraged under Scavenger's taunts. At some point, the jet stopped screaming at his opponent to shut up, and seemed to be wholeheartedly attempting to take Scavenger down. Still, Demolisher was impressed when Starscream, during another blind rush, suddenly left the ground, swiftly pirouetting in the air above Scavenger to move in just behind the seasoned vet.
Scavenger was blinking furiously for an instant, undeniably surprised by this move, before Starscream, still airborne, kicked out at his unprotected back. With a grunt, Scavenger stumbled forward a few paces, but amazingly remained on his feet. The latter barely had time to turn before Starscream was on him once more, driving his sword towards his opponent's chest.
When a hand closed roughly around Starscream's arm to stop him from running the blade home, the jet looked over at Demolisher with a start. "That's enough," the hard-edged bot said in a no-nonsense tone. "Scavenger's not the enemy."
Scavenger threw a quick look towards Demolisher, his expression blank, then focused on Starscream. Without giving the jet a chance to speak, Scavenger said simply, "Congrats, Starscream. You're much better at improvising when you're angry."
Starscream remained silent for a long while, his mind reeling as he took time to process this. At last, he looked up at Scavenger with wide optics and said incredulously, "You couldn't just tell me this?!"
Scavenger offered a wry grin. "Would you have believed me if I had?" he countered. A pause, and then, "You're a good warrior, Starscream, don't get me wrong. But even you still have some things to learn… Trust me, burying your emotions while in battle is not always a good thing."
Scavenger hesitated for an instant, then said in all seriousness, "In all the time I've known you, Megatron has done everything possible to make your life a living hell. He has tried to take your self-respect and kill your spirit. And now, he has the one being, other than Starxis, that you hold most dear!" Scavenger crossed his arms, throwing another quick glance at Demolisher, which told him that the hard-edged bot was also listening to this with rapt attention. "Use that to your advantage, Starscream. You take every little thing that Megatron has ever done to cause you pain, and you use it to fuel the hatred you feel towards him! And don't even think about whatever favors he might have done for you! None of that matters now, and certainly doesn't outweigh his kidnapping and brainwashing of the woman you love!"
When Starscream looked up, there was a dangerous, fiery gleam in his orange optics that both Scavenger and Demolisher were glad to see. In an equally intense tone, he said simply, "Megatron is going to be in for a world of hurt when our paths next cross…"
Ever since their return to the battleship, Scorpinok had been waiting for an opportunity to contact Alpha Q. He didn't know just when the next raid might come about, but the last thing that he wanted was a repeat of what had occurred that afternoon.
Finding a secure place to initiate a communication was almost impossible, as any one of the Decepticons could stumble into an area that was deemed safe or, given the way voices carried around this place, could overhear Scorpinok's side of the transmission from a distance.
An opportunity seemed to present itself as Scorpinok was sitting calmly in the rec room (or what counted as one) of the shuttle, as Cyclonus and Sideways wandered in engaged in minor chitchat. Or at least, Cyclonus was; Sideways looked just as indifferent, and was giving uninterested responses, as always.
Scorpinok remained silent for a few moments as he watched the exchange, though his attention was briefly drawn when Cyclonus abruptly asked his companions what they thought of the name, Snowcat. After giving a slightly absent nod to indicate that it sounded alright, Scorpinok resisted the urge to laugh in amusement when the eccentric bot announced that he just might adopt this name.
Scorpinok didn't know what had inspired this moniker, but eventually decided that Cyclonus/Snowcat was screwy enough that it didn't matter.
Scorpinok lowered his head a notch, trying to think just where the others might be. He was relatively sure that Tidal Wave might be asleep/in recharge right now, and Megatron was almost certainly on the bridge, plotting their next plan of attack. And the girl, with any luck, had taken Scorpinok up on his offer.
He took a moment to silently wish her well; she'd need all her wits about her when it came to escaping the Decepticons and making her way back to Earth.
Scorpinok leaned forward in his seat, lightly clearing his throat to grab the attention of his two companions. "I'm going outside to get some fresh air," he offered as an excuse. In a fit of whimsy, he added, "Try to have fun without me."
Once positioned on the outer hull and safely held in place by the ship's magnetic field, Scorpinok idly began walking towards the port side cannon, making a quick mental note that he should see about fixing it. Within moments, he was positioned just behind the gun, confident that he was now out of view of the bridge.
With a sigh, Scorpinok lowered his visor, simultaneously bowing his head. In a soft-spoken tone, he said, "Alpha Q… Can you hear me?"
The reply was almost instantaneous. "You need not ask, my friend. I have been awaiting your call since this afternoon."
Scorpinok lightly shook his head. "Then perhaps you know what I'm going to say… What in Primus' name were you thinking, pulling a stunt like the one you did? I gave you those Terrorcons so that you could start collecting from remote locations, so you'd have Energon to feed to your half of Unicron. If any one of Megatron's troops had seen them come or go…"
"But they didn't," Alpha Q interrupted. "I made sure no one was watching."
Scorpinok paused, then told himself that Megatron surely would have come after him by now if the rogue Terrorcons had been seen. To Alpha Q, he said, "Perhaps we got lucky this time. But keep monitoring the situation here on the battleship for the next day… And do not do anything like you did this afternoon again! If Megatron ever gets wind of the fact that you and I both are playing him, then it will be all over!"
After Alpha Q voiced his agreement, Scorpinok terminated the conversation, moving his visor so it once more rested at his forehead. For a minute, he turned his gaze towards the stars, as a means of helping to calm his frazzled nerves. At last, he turned to go back inside, relatively sure that maybe everything would turn out alright after all.
Once Scorpinok had gone, Sideways turned visible just yards away from where the former had been standing, a very amused look present in his optics. A second later, Sideways phased back through the hull to rejoin Snowcat in the rec room, anxiously awaiting the moment where Megatron viewed the recording (as seen by Sideways' own optics) telling where Scorpinok's loyalties really lay…
Alexis didn't know how long she lay on the floor in her quarters, wallowing in sorrow. Strangely, she was broken out of it once the mere thought of Megatron came to mind. She didn't know how much time she would have before he came looking for her; it wouldn't be good if he found her in such an emotional state.
Alexis pushed herself up into a sitting position, fighting like mad to compose herself. During this, her gaze wandered to the cylinder-like device she still held in one hand, which inevitably brought Scorpinok to mind.
Alexis lightly and thoughtfully bit her lower lip, wondering if her initial instincts about Scorpinok's character were valid after all. Given that he had provided her with the means to recover her memory, perhaps he was as honorable as she'd first believed. And whatever his and Alpha Q's plans were, at least the two of them were relatively harmless in comparison to Megatron.
Now that Alexis' thoughts were more focused, she was eventually drawn to an inevitable, and interesting, conclusion. Though part of her mind was screaming that she had to figure a way to escape and make her way home, she couldn't ignore the fact that Unicron was still a factor in all this, and the primary goal of the Autobots was to locate him so that he could be taken out once and for all.
Alexis looked towards the floor, attempting to soothe her turbulent mind while softly saying, "Megatron likely wouldn't know that I have my real memories back. If I just play along for a while longer, this conflict could only be lasting for a matter of days."
The thought of Starscream and Starxis, and how much she would like to go back to them, tried to rise to the forefront, but Alexis forced it back into the lower recesses of her mind with a violent shake of her head. To keep it buried, she focused wholeheartedly on Unicron and how great it would be if he was removed from the equation.
Alexis didn't know how long she sat there before her comlink suddenly buzzed to life, making her jump. When Megatron's voice rang through, apparently summoning her, Tidal Wave, and someone named Snowcat (?) to the bridge, Alexis climbed to her feet and reached for her winged weapon, hardening herself for whatever was to come, and preparing herself to put on the show of her life…
Once Misha had gotten on board, Kicker and Ironhide were subjected to a variety of factors that they'd not considered. Both the guys were still, for the most part, in shock that she was aiding them, even though she'd made it clear early on that she wished to help Alexis as much as they did. For instance, one of the points addressed was the subject of food and that they'd best stock for up to twenty days just to be safe.
The primary reason that Kicker didn't argue with Misha on her coming along for the ride was because he feared giving her an excuse to go running to one of the Autobots. And, he had to admit, it was a fair exchange for the way she had meticulously schemed a way for all three of them to get away from Ocean City and commandeer a shuttle from the base on the mainland. Kicker and Ironhide would never have been able to bypass the security systems at both locations without her.
When Hot Shot radioed in a request for Kicker to come help them out in the Alaskan tundra, Misha had assured him that she'd see about the last minute details. "Just be ready to leave this evening," she had said, anticipating that the task at hand should only take him two hours at best.
Shortly after Kicker had departed, Misha and Ironhide were sequestered within the latter's quarters, and she was at work removing his own individual locator. As he watched her carrying out this task, Ironhide commented, "You must really care about Alexis to want to do this."
Misha looked up at him, a small hint of surprise in her blue eyes. It took her a moment to find her voice and offer a reply. "It's not just because of that," she said softly. A pause, and then, "I've been apprised of every aspect of the situation ever since the first attack by Alpha Q, and I've come to understand that Unicron is a dominant factor in all this… I've heard the stories, about how he nearly wiped out the entire Transformer race."
Misha paused again, wanting to get back to the task at hand but deciding she owed Ironhide more of an explanation. Setting down her tools, she said, "Optimus is a good leader, but exercising caution should only go so far. As far as we're aware, Unicron doesn't have nearly the same level as power as he did before. We'd do well to be sure he never gets that far, whether Megatron is controlling him or not… This could all be over, and soon, simply by taking Unicron out of play. All we need is a location, and the Autobots will be able to hit him with everything they've got."
Ironhide nodded thoughtfully and remained silent for so long that Misha felt free to carry on with her job. It took mere minutes before she succeeded in detaching his locator (roughly the size of a small boulder, but much more lightweight), after which Ironhide plucked it out so he could store it in one of his compartments. As Misha had said, he'd do well to keep it with him until they were ready to depart Ocean City. When the time was right, he'd plant it inside his room, so no one would realize he was missing until it was too late.
Misha sighed, then looked back up at him, saying gently, "Okay, we're all set… You ready to do what you'll have to when Kicker and I contact you?"
"Yeah," Ironhide replied, accentuating it with a thumb's up gesture; she guessed he must have picked it up from Kicker at some point. "Just wish me luck. Being stealthy is not my strong point."
Misha offered an encouraging smile. "At least you won't have far to walk…"
When he'd rejoined Sideways and Snowcat in the rec room, Scorpinok had not thought much of their subsequent departure when the former had told the latter that perhaps they should see about reinstalling a set of thrusters. For a long moment, Scorpinok had settled into his chair, lost in his own thoughts and idly musing that Sideways would make an excellent engineer if he wasn't so hung up on personal grudges.
Scorpinok didn't notice that Sideways, Snowcat, and the girl had re-entered the room, let alone that they were all facing him with varying degrees of hostility, before the eccentric bot was shouting at him to get up. Startled, Scorpinok looked up, and the fact that each of them had a laser weapon pointed at him caused him enough unease that he didn't dare think of disobeying the request.
Scorpinok had barely climbed to his feet before Sideways said, in a downright harsh tone, "Megatron wants a word with you. If you don't comply, there is not one of us that won't hesitate to shoot you."
Scorpinok tentatively took a step forward, then two, his optics darting towards the girl. However, he couldn't discern whether or not she had her true memories back, as her face was completely blank.
Briefly, he wondered if she'd gone to Megatron to disclose what Scorpinok had offered her, but then deemed it unlikely. Would she really want to give the Decepticon leader even the slightest hint that she might doubt him?
The first words that passed through Megatron's lips, once Scorpinok was standing before him, were the last thing that the majestic bot wanted to hear. "Exactly how long did you expect you could hide your continued affiliation with Alpha Q?" the Decepticon commander said in a disturbingly calm tone. "Be careful how you answer, Scorpinok. We already know the truth."
Scorpinok was silent for a long while, purposely looking to the left and right to gaze at each of Megatron's troops. Even Tidal Wave was present at this point; save for the girl, the antagonistic looks he was getting told him that he didn't have a hope of escaping. Focusing back on Megatron, Scorpinok was surprisingly relaxed when he said, "Do what you will, Megatron. I'm not going to deny a thing."
Sideways was the one who spoke next, causing all optics to turn towards him. "Yes, but are you prepared for the consequences?" There was a short silence, then the rogue bot continued with, "I heard everything that was said during your last transmission to your master, Scorpinok. And, I'd say you provided us with the very thing we needed to draw Alpha Q out of hiding." Sideways tilted his head to one side, his optics indicating that a cruel smile was playing at his lips. "I think we'll see very soon just how much regard your liege has for your well-being."
Scorpinok turned his gaze back towards Megatron with a strong feeling of dread, thinking simply, What are you going to do…?
As far as Kicker, Misha, and Ironhide's plan went, there were two factors that were already in play that were working in their favor. 1) High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock were free to come and go from Ocean City as they pleased; the Mini-Cons had been granted a vast amount of free will following the end of the first war. And 2), the fact that Optimus had accompanied Red Alert to Cybertron meant that the Autobot leader didn't have a say in any activities that Kicker might engage in.
Still, Misha faced one heck of a challenge when it came to pleading with Jetfire into allowing her and Kicker to drive over to the nearby town for a Chinese dinner. As part of the argument, she had even said, "It's not fair to keep us humans cooped up just out of fear that the Decepticons may be coming… Plus, I'm going back to Desert City tomorrow, and I'd like an opportunity to spend some time alone with a friend. We'll even have High Wire with us to radio back to you guys in case of trouble."
As Misha had hoped, Jetfire did cave in, but with great reluctance. Thus, she and Kicker were soon crossing the bridge to the mainland, on board High Wire. Once out of sight of the colony, the Mini-Con they were riding came to a halt, transforming to his bot mode after the two teenagers had climbed off.
Wordlessly, Kicker, Misha, and High Wire doubled back to the shoreline on foot; the two humans had purposely worn dark clothing so that they wouldn't stand out against the dimming landscape. During their trek, Misha typed in some commands on her palm pilot, then initiated a private broadcast. "Okay, Ironhide, you're good to go. See you soon," she said.
Though he knew that they had every chance of pulling this off, Kicker was still growing quite antsy while he and his companions waited for Ironhide. Misha was quick to notice his discomfort and sought to put him at ease when she said, "We're going to be okay, Kicker… We may be in for some trouble with Optimus and the others for pulling a stunt like this, but we're doing the right thing in the long run."
Kicker gave an ironic laugh. "Funny," he said lightly. "Alexis once told me that there's no better feeling than the one that comes with knowing you did the right thing. Accomplished something momentous, even." He looked across at her. "I'm starting to know what she meant. After all, what could be more significant than actually helping to end a war?"
Misha hesitated, then very shyly took a step towards him. When she nervously lay one hand against the side of his face, her eyes rife with uncertainty, Kicker almost didn't dare breathe for anticipation of what was coming. He wasn't disappointed, as she leaned in and brushed his lips with hers in a quick, tentative kiss.
If Ironhide hadn't interrupted them, bursting from underneath the ocean water a number of yards away with a loud splash, Kicker and Misha didn't know what they might have said to each other. Dripping wet, Ironhide moved towards the two teenagers, voicing his displeasure over having been made to swim such a distance. As Misha had planned, he'd been able to make it to one of the city's airlocks, thanks in part to her pre-recording of some security footage that she'd set to play on a loop, and from there, climb down to the sea below.
"Glad you made it," Kicker said, though he didn't take his eyes off Misha. The look he held for her was quite reassuring; it told Misha that the feelings between them were mutual.
Misha pursed her lips, looking up at Ironhide and laughing gently at his complaint that he'd better not be facing any rust issues. Softly, she told him that such a thing could be fixed easily by Red Alert, given the opportunity, then suggested that they be on their way. "One phase down, one to go…"
When Megatron made the announcement that they would be journeying to Unicron's remains, Alexis almost couldn't believe her audio receptors; she really had to fight to keep the feeling of excitement from showing on her face. En route, even though she was keeping a gun trained on Scorpinok from behind and to the left, all she could focus on was that she'd soon have a set of coordinates that the Autobots could work with.
It wasn't until she saw Megatron actually tap into Unicron's processor and create an asteroid of sorts, with chains bolted into it and a rocket attachment, that Alexis was even able to think about anything else. Feeling slightly numb, she watched as Snowcat and Sideways, under the orders of the Decepticon leader, closed the cuffs of the chains around Scorpinok's wrists. Clearly, the point of this endeavor was to send Alpha Q's subordinate on a collision course with either a planet or star.
Alexis remained silent as she watched Tidal Wave carry the asteroid outside, and as Sideways programmed the boosters to fire up. As the rock was launched into space, her optics locked briefly with Scorpinok's. She didn't know if it was that glance between them that did it or if she would have come to the same conclusion on her own. It didn't matter what the outcome would be; this tactic could end either in the capture of Alpha Q or in Scorpinok's death.
After the way he had helped her, she knew that she couldn't let this happen.
With that thought in mind, Alexis looked at Megatron after a few moments, idly wondering just how well the Decepticon leader (or Sideways, for that matter) had thought this through. Forcing a mischievous smile to rise to her lips, she stepped towards Megatron, catching his attention by laying one hand on his arm and hoping beyond hope that he was so enamored with her that he wouldn't deny the request.
"Mind if I have a personal shot at the traitor, before Alpha Q comes for him?" Alexis said slyly, her optics twinkling. "It could be fun to inflict some hurt first."
Megatron's optics flickered with surprise, causing her a brief instant of doubt. But, he recovered in no time and offered an entertained laugh. Raising one hand to touch her face, he said jovially, "That's my girl." A pause, and then, "Have at it, Storm Bringer."
She turned away with a devious smile playing at her lips, then took a few steps in the general direction of the retreating asteroid before going airborne. En route, she was silently praying that Scorpinok was fast enough that he'd be able to outrace the Decepticons; she was less concerned about herself, when it came to that point.
Scorpinok looked her way as she got nearer; she guessed he must have spotted her out of the corner of his optic. For a long moment, he simply stared at her in bewilderment, perhaps wondering just whose side she was on.
Alexis certainly kept him guessing when she swooped in, putting on a fully convincing show for whomever might be watching when she kicked him across the side of the face. A moment later, she maneuvered downwards so she and Scorpinok were face to face, and she had one hand clasped over his throat. Her gaze darted ever so briefly to the right, the short glimpse giving her an idea of just how thick the chains were.
Focusing back on Scorpinok, Alexis said simply, in a tone that didn't betray her true intentions, "Not fair that you shouldn't pay for double-crossing us like this." She leaned in slightly, saying in a near inaudible tone and punctuating it with a telling wink, "But far be it from me to do what Megatron won't… Get ready to run, Scorpinok."
He might have thrown out a protest if Alexis hadn't moved as quickly as she did. In a flash, she had set her laser weapons up to their highest level, and both chains that were binding him to the asteroid had been blown apart before anyone, even those watching from Unicron's remains, could fully realize it.
Hurriedly, Alexis grabbed Scorpinok by the collar, pulling him away from the rock with the intention of getting him moving. "Go!" she yelled, pushing him ahead of her before turning her gaze towards the Decepticons. That single look almost undid her; nothing was more frightening then seeing even the tiniest hint of fury in Megatron's optics at this point.
Biting back her fear, Alexis was spinning round, transforming as she did so. Slightly heartened by the sight of Scorpinok doing the same (though she was slightly surprised he could given that the broken cuffs were still around his wrists), she fired her thrusters up to their highest level, zooming away as fast as she could manage.
They hadn't gotten far before she noticed that Scorpinok's speed wasn't quite at the same level, prompting Alexis to slow down a tad so they were flying side by side. He tilted slightly on his axis after a few seconds, asking simply on the off chance there was any doubt, "You remember who you are, I take it?"
"Thanks to you," Alexis answered just as simply. "Now come on. We need to…"
She wasn't given a chance to finish before a volley of laser beams began shooting past her, causing her to yell out in fright and take evasive maneuvers. After a second, she powered up her rear sensors, hoping to get a sense of who was firing at them. The answer couldn't have been more terrifying.
It was Megatron, also in vehicle mode. And what was worse, he was gaining on them both at an alarming rate. Even Alexis, on full impulse, would not be able to escape before he'd be upon her.
"No!" Alexis said aloud, a hint of panic in her voice. More than anything, she feared being transformed back into the loyal subordinate he'd made her out to be. After a moment, she added, "We're going to have to fight him off, Scorpinok."
For what seemed like forever, her companion didn't say a word in response, then surprised her by answering, "Seems we won't have to bother… Cause here comes the cavalry."
Curious by what that meant, Alexis focused her attention forward once more, then had to transform back to her bot mode without breaking stride to be sure that her senses weren't deceiving her.
A large red and orange shuttlecraft had appeared in front of her and Scorpinok, seemingly out of nowhere. Given its proximity, she surely would have noticed it if it had been there seconds ago.
Alexis wasn't given long to question this before a hatchway opened near the top of the shuttle, and a similarly-colored bot came racing out onto the hull, brandishing a laser rifle of his own. It wasn't long before the mystery bot was shouting out to both her and Scorpinok to get inside, after which he began firing with near pinpoint accuracy towards Megatron to provide them with some cover.
Alexis was downright mystified by this development, but she didn't dare think of questioning such a godsend. Returning to her full speed, she zoomed towards the hatchway, slowing down and shifting back to her more standard mode so she could make her way inside. Roughly ten seconds later, Scorpinok, and then their savior, were following in her tracks.
The door had barely slid closed before their savior activated his comlink and barked out two simple words: "Now, Chromia!"
Alexis didn't even have to question what that meant, as she heard the unmistakable hum emanating throughout the entire shuttle to mark the activation of a warp engine. She had heard it enough times before, in all her years of association with the Autobots, to recognize it for what it was.
Not that they were safely out of harm's way, Alexis leaned back against the wall nearest her, feeling suddenly weary and scarcely believing that she and Scorpinok had made it. After a long moment, she looked up at the red and orange bot before her, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. "I don't know who you are," she said awkwardly. "But… thank you."
He didn't answer except to look across at Scorpinok. "Thank Alpha Q… He's the one who hacked into our computers and said you needed help," their mystery savior said in a downright gruff tone. "And might I say, Scorpinok, that your sovereign definitely has a screw loose?"
Scorpinok let out a deep breath, his gaze wandering to Alexis. "I don't think we're out of the woods yet, Rodimus… Both the girl here and I may be outfitted with homing beacons which may allow Megatron to find us."
Rodimus offered a wry grin. "Then you're lucky to be with someone who has the means to detect such devices if there are any." A slight pause, and then, "Both of you, come with me…"
As she'd done with the surveillance feed at Ocean City, Misha was able to hack into the computer systems at the mainland base remotely and record enough footage to play on a loop. She and Kicker had made a brief pit stop at a local grocery to purchase a large amount of canned food and some clothes, but they were otherwise all prepared for the journey. Prior to his swim from Ocean City, Ironhide had secured their pre-packed bags, Kicker's battle armor, and an extra suit of space gear for Misha inside one of his water-tight compartments.
Once onboard the bridge of the desired shuttle (Misha had made sure to select one with its own warp engine), all participants, even High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock, were hard at work getting the ship ready to launch. Most notably, they were disabling both the GPS system/communications array and the remote piloting system. Needless to say, Kicker and Ironhide were extremely glad that Misha had been brought on board and that her mind was so keen that she'd been able to look at this escape plan from every angle.
Once the tasks were finished, all six partners in crime took a few moments to relax before they each seated themselves at various areas on the bridge. Once again, Misha took charge, instructing each of her companions (though there was some doubt that the three Mini-Cons even needed instruction) on how to prep the ship for launch.
Once this task was completed, she set about strapping herself in, inspiring Kicker and Ironhide to do likewise. "Be ready to warp away once we clear the atmosphere," Misha said simply, letting out a deep breath.
Seated next to her, Kicker reached out, catching her hand in his and giving it a squeeze. In return, Misha smiled warmly at him, and felt a small rush of excitement when he faced forward and said, "Okay, let's do this…"
Shortly after the alarms started blaring through Ocean City, Hot Shot, Jetfire, and Scavenger were gathered within the command center, each of them focused on the image of Carlos Lopez on the main screen as their human ally was frantically reporting that they'd lost one of their shuttles.
Even though the three Autobots in question weren't nearly as skilled with computers as Red Alert, they were still able to compile enough satellite footage to get a picture of what was going on. Once one shot revealed a clear view of the bridge's occupants through the main window, the trio were soon on their way to Ironhide's quarters to find out what was going on.
Needless to say, a detached beacon and a data pad offering an apology from Misha were the last things that Hot Shot, Jetfire, and Scavenger wanted to find waiting for them. After a very long moment of silence, Hot Shot said, "We're dead… Optimus is going to kill us when we tell him we lost Kicker!"
Jetfire shook his head. "Forget Optimus… I think I'd be more scared of what Kicker's parents are going to do to us…"
Following the flight of Scorpinok and the girl, Snowcat, likely fearing Megatron's wrath, had made himself scarce before the commander could make his way back to Unicron's remains. Tidal Wave and Sideways faced no such problems; it wasn't like Megatron could easily beat the stuffing out of either of them.
Still, Sideways was subjected to some minor questioning, as if the rogue bot might have some understanding of what had gone wrong. Once it became apparent to Megatron that Sideways couldn't shed any light on the subject, the Decepticon commander was soon announcing in a huff that he was going back to the battleship.
Megatron had barely left them before Sideways' attention was drawn to the colossal bot at his side when the latter said, "Tidal Wave glad that Storm Bringer's gone."
Sideways blinked, uncomprehending for an instant. I was sure that Tidal Wave felt some sort of attraction towards her. Otherwise, why…? Sideways broke off mid-thought, as an outlandish realization hit him.
He'd misinterpreted just who Tidal Wave was jealous of!
Sideways shook his head in disbelief. He'd heard stories of some mechs (mostly Decepticons) who'd been either incorrectly or deliberately outfitted with a femme's spark, but Tidal Wave had never struck him as one such being. But for whatever reason, the big guy had wound up stuck in a body that didn't exactly befit him.
Sideways smiled wryly beneath his faceplate after a moment, tilting his head to one side. Well, at least I can still have fun at Tidal Wave's expense…
Alexis had to admit that she was hardly surprised when Rodimus, who'd been scanning her for any Decepticon beacons, did find one. In seconds, it had been removed and destroyed; the resulting scans of Scorpinok didn't produce any, much to her amazement. But clearly, Megatron hadn't been as concerned with keeping track of the latter.
Once the task was finished with, Scorpinok let out a breath and said, "I thank you for coming to our rescue when you did, Rodimus. We'd never have made it out intact without you."
Rodimus gave a single nod, then replied with, "Don't mention it… And now, we should be on our way. Alpha Q had requested that my girls and I bring you back to him."
Alexis bowed her head, tuning out the next part of the exchange. For a long moment, she remained silent, simply trying to process the events of the past two hours. Then, a small smile began to form at her lips, as she realized that she had all the information she needed. She'd be able to go home after all!
Gazing back up, Alexis loudly cleared her throat, causing both Rodimus and Scorpinok to look towards her. "Well, before we get too far… perhaps you could drop me off in the vicinity of Earth," she said softly.
Scorpinok froze after an instant, something in her optics cluing him in on something he'd overlooked. Silently, he berated himself for being so stupid; he should have known what the girl would be looking to achieve, once she had her memories back. As things stood, he couldn't have dug a bigger hole for himself and Alpha Q.
Scorpinok shifted his weight, adopting a semi-aggressive stance as he anticipated her reaction to what he was about to say. "I'm sorry," he said simply. "But I'm afraid I can't allow that."
There was a short silence, then she began laughing in amusement as though she thought he was joking. The humor in her optics died when she realized he was serious, and she was soon tensing in response. "You have no right to hold me here," she said, a hard note in her voice; Scorpinok didn't blame her.
Still, he was adamant when he said, "I can't allow Unicron to be destroyed by the Autobots."
Alexis tensed even more once this statement sunk in, even as she slowly began to realize that she was at something of a disadvantage. Still, she knew where at least one of the exits from this shuttle was; all she had to do was get there.
Alexis watched both Scorpinok and Rodimus intently, hardly surprised to see that the latter looked to be siding with the former. However, she got the sense that she shocked them both with how quickly she moved; she had detached her winged weapon and brought it around to the forefront in a lightning flash.
Rodimus had drawn a laser pistol in the same instant and was trying to fire off a shot when Alexis surged towards him, spinning off to the right and ducking as she did so. This maneuver allowed her to catch Rodimus around the left ankle with the edge of her weapon and pull his foot out from under him. Thrown off balance, her so-called savior was soon toppling towards Scorpinok.
Alexis didn't give either of them a chance to recover before she was racing through the door out into the hall. Swiftly, she backtracked the way she remembered coming. As she ran, she noticed that there were ceiling-mounted guns that were swiveling in her direction; Alexis vaguely recalled Rodimus making mention of another Transformer (Chromia) present on the ship.
The automated weapons were something of a hindrance, but Alexis was too determined to let them stop her. She relied on her own weapon to both shield her from the blasts and take them out at the source.
In either case, Alexis was not entirely prepared to see a hostile-looking blue femme awaiting her at the exit, brandishing a sword and blocking the door. After a couple tenuous seconds, Alexis said, as a warning, "I don't want to hurt you."
The other femme offered a smirk by way of reply, and said, "The feeling's not mutual…"
Gritting her metal teeth, Alexis rose to the challenge, moving forward and letting her determination fuel her as their weapons began to clash. Her opponent was skilled, but of the two of them, Alexis was the more resolute and imaginative. In the end, all it took was one very convincing feint, and the blue femme had been knocked off balance, crashing into the wall to the left of the airlock door.
Alexis wasted no time before hooking her weapon back into place and drawing her laser pistol to aim at the control panel next to the door. She had every confidence that the shot would short out the locking mechanism and cause the door to slide open; just knowing that she was virtually home free couldn't have had her in any higher spirits.
Unfortunately, it also made her careless.
Alexis literally hadn't heard the loud scuttling noise approaching from behind before something sharp slid into the area just below her neck, making her yell out in pain. Reflexively, she reached around to grasp at whatever was there, but was unable to reach it. In shock, Alexis half turned, and froze when she saw Scorpinok was just behind her in his beast guise, his tail slowly retracting away from her. In an instant, she realized what he had done, even as she felt her body beginning to go numb.
The stinger, which she remembered Scavenger saying acted as a sort of paralytic, had just been embedded in her.
Alexis took a half step back before she stumbled slightly. In the next instant, Scorpinok had switched back to his bot mode and was reaching for her, an enormous level of sorrow in his optics that surprised her.
"No," Alexis protested, wanting to fight him off but finding that she was already too weak. Shortly after he'd pulled her into his arms, Scorpinok nevertheless sank to his knees. Though she was sure that his look of regret was intended to try to make her understand, she was too angry to even care. And why not, since he, like Megatron, was so intent on keeping her from those she loved?
"I am sorry," Scorpinok said anyway. "But you left me no choice."
Alexis dimmed her optics, thinking simply, Not again…
Author's Notes: Hope you all enjoyed this part of the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I am now over halfway through; there's roughly eighteen more chapters to go.
Past this point, the only canon character I will be introducing is going to be Shockblast (end of next chapter), but I will be throwing in Thundercracker of the Cybertron series as well to add some more balance to the Decepticon team.
Next up -- Alpha Q's/Scorpinok's true intentions revealed... and Optimus' fears of a planet-wide revolt are made real...