Predacon's Target:
Predaking awoke from recharge when a foot poked his optic. He grumbled and blinked open both yellow optics. He looked up, to see Miya climbing over his great head, her hands grasped around his horns to pull herself up. Rumbling, he shook his head and jostled her. She yelped at the sudden movement, but a moment later her laughter filled the air.
"Come on!" she pleaded. Her head appeared suddenly in front of one of his optics, upside down, hair hanging all around her. "We gotta go to the tanks. Please!"
Despite the fact that his systems were still groggy from recharge, he had to admit, her enthusiasm was infectious. Though he was still very regretful of letting her have the organic food-substance she'd called 'cookies'. Next time he'd never let her get within ten metres of the things before bedtime.
Without a word, he stood, and let the child snake her way down his long neck to settle in her usual place on his back. He hummed to her happily. It brought his spark joy to see her so at ease, so in tune with his own habits. Despite still needing the feel of more recharge, the predacon was in a great mood as he made his way through the warship to the upper-hull, with the human on his back.
They made their way down to the labs. Shockwave only gave them a glance as he worked at his console at the other end of the room. Predaking only gave him a somewhat cautious glance before transforming and placing Miya on the ground. Once again she went to her favourite, the Wyvern, first of all, before going to each one in turn. Predaking watched her, a thrill of excitement in his cables as he couldn't wait for his brethren to meet his Sparkling. Under his leadership and protection, they would all be safe and thriving.
But a thought occurred to him: would they?
The Decepticons were not known for their affiliation with earth's native lifeforms. In fact, they openly despised them. Predaking himself didn't care for the human populace, either way. But he cared about Miya. Yet the Decepticons had already shown their distaste for her. He knew his kind would never harm her, he felt it in his primary codes. But a dark thought occurred to him as he wondered how long the Decepticons would continue to tolerate her.
He'd explained himself and Miya to Megatron already, and whilst no one had openly been hostile to her since, Megatron hadn't sworn her safety either. Predaking knew that he would not be completely at ease until he had conformation from Megatron that Miya was safe from his soldiers. He realised he'd have to bargain for that right.
"Predaking," crackled the voice of Megatron in Predaking's comm. link.
What is the human expression, Predaking thought, speak of the devil?
He activated the comm. "I am here, Lord Megatron."
"Something has cropped up on our long range scanners. I will discuss the details of the mission with you in person. Report to the Nemesis. Now."
Predaking looked over at the small girl by the tanks, who was watching him as if she'd heard every word. He gave her a reassuring smile. This was probably the best opportunity to settle his previous thought, he realised.
He knelt in front of Miya, and said, "Lord Megatron requires my presence. You stay here and watch over our subjects for me. I'll return for you as soon as I am able."
"Okay," she nodded. She then gave him a half smile and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "It's not like I can go anywhere else."
He snorted, but left her. One more cast of his optics to Shockwave, and he left the mine. For his entire journey back to the Nemesis, he couldn't quite squash down the creeping sense of dread in his spark.
He came aboard the Nemesis, and made his way to the bridge. Once again, all the droids and soldiers stared at him in awe and fear as he walked past. He towered over them, his horned helm brushing the ceiling of the ship. Ignoring them, he made his way to the bridge.
Megatron was waiting for him, Soundwave ever silently working at his own terminal. Predaking bowed his head slightly in respect to his liege lord. The ruler of the Decepticons turned to fully face him.
"Ah, Predaking, how good of you to join us," said Megatron.
"You sent for me, Lord Megatron."
Megatron gestured to holographic map of the local area. "Indeed. Our long range scanners have detected some puzzling activity. I wanted your opinion on it."
"My opinion?"
"The signature is not of predacon origin, but none the less it is an enigma. Normally, I would send Starscream or one of the vehicons to investigate. But seeing as you are the walking and talking predacon aboard this ship, I gathered that it would be wise to have your insight on the matter."
Predaking nodded. "Of course."
He looked at the map, saw the analysis of the code fragments it was broadcasting. It was certainly strange, though nothing extraordinary. Predaking tried to think about the best way to handle the problem, but his thoughts would not be consistent. His processor kept returning to Miya, to the request that gnawed at his spark. It distracted him and made him take longer than necessary to answer. Megatron obviously noticed as he gave Predaking a look.
"Does something trouble you?" he asked.
Predaking quickly tried to cover his blunder. "My Lord, it is nothing."
"I will not have my soldiers distracted and unable to focus on the tasks I set them. Speak."
It was a direct order, and he knew he couldn't disobey. Slowly, reluctantly, he said, "Lord Megatron, it is about Miya…"
"Your human 'companion'. What of it?"
"Sir, with all due respect to you, I ask of you that Miya be fully accepted as my charge and responsibility."
"I thought I had already made that perfectly clear. Should the organic get out of hand, you are to–"
"Yes, sir," Predaking interjected quickly. "But I wish for Miya to come under no harm from Decepticons. I, of course, will manage her. She will not be allowed to wonder freely over the ship, I will be sure that she has no access to any sensitive information, or that she will get in your way. All I ask is that no one harm her."
Megatron did not look best pleased. Despite the fact that his expression never once changed, Predaking could see the way his red optics twitched in distaste. "Your obsession with this fleshy creature is still beyond my understanding."
"Rest assured, My Liege, this is an individual case. I am still loyal to your cause; no other human will affect me the way she does."
"Where is the human now?"
"Currently in the labs, sir."
"Hmmm…" Megatron looked thoughtfully at the map. "We will talk about this later. Right now I wish for your opinion."
"Yes, sir."
Miya hummed softly as she pressed her hand against the glass of the tank. It was warm, and she felt the pulsing of an electrical current within, only slightly, enough to tell there was something alive inside. She smiled and looked up at the robotic creature in the tank. She kicked her legs out, idly doing anything to pass the time.
The creepy-one-eyed-robot, Shockwave, was furiously typing away at his computer. He ignored her presence, as if she didn't exist. Which was fine by Miya, she thought he was freaky. She didn't know how her Predaking could be so at ease around him.
Without Predaking there to talk to or to do anything with, the girl tried to pass the time in any way she could. So it was no surprise when she began to hum and then softly sing to the sleeping predacons in the tanks. Was it her imagination, or did one move in its sleep when it heard her voice?
"Why do you make such noise, human?" came the monotone voice.
Miya turned. Shockwave was watching her. She couldn't tell if he was annoyed or not, as his lack of facial expressions made it hard to tell his mood. But by his silence, it was clear that he was expecting an answer.
She shuffled her feet but looked up at him defiantly. "They can hear me. It's like a lullaby you sing to babies. It helps them sleep."
"Your conclusion is most illogical."
"It's not that stupid…" she grumbled.
"The predacons are not sparklings. They are grown to full maturity. And they cannot hear you because they haven't been activated yet. Their processors are still inoperable. I repeat: your conclusion is illogical."
Miya turned her back on him, and mouthed a silent 'blah-blah-blah'. She kicked a crate of the green energon-goo-stuff.
That was when she saw them. Two strange robots she had never seen before walking into the chamber. One was white, the other tall and blue. Their emblems on their chests were different then the Decepticons. Miya shivered as she jumped to the obvious conclusion that these were Autobots. And remembering Predaking's words of warning to her about them, quickly ducked to hide behind the nearest tank.
The white robot came up to one of the tanks, a grimace on his face. "Well… this is one whole lotta ugly…"
"Megatron's cloning operation seems further along than we anticipated…" said the other, his voice more formal.
They walked on, until they came level with Miya's hiding place. The girl held her breath, shaking as she tried to not make any noise possible. But that was when Shockwave – who had previously been oblivious to the intruders – noticed them. He immediately began firing from his gun-arm.
The Autobots shot back. Miya yelped and ducked further into cover. She glanced, frightened out of her mind, at the cave entrance. She knew she had to get out, and warn Predaking. Some guardian she'd turned out to be. But honestly, what could a little girl do against Autobots? She wanted to stay and protect the unborn predacons, and she hesitated, at war with herself. But logic won out, and she began to make her way towards the cave mouth.
But not before she heard Shockwave say into his comm.: "Starscream, the Autobots have arrived. You did not inform me that your plan was already in motion."
"Only so the whole affair would appear less… staged." Came the seeker's loathsome voice.
"I have yet to purge my lab of sensitive materials."
"Then do not let me keep you, Shockwave. And remember your secondary objective. Over and out."
Miya's mind was spinning. Did he know? What was going on? The only thing Miya could be certain of, was that she had to get out. She bolted out towards the entrance.
"Hey!" cried the white Autobot, his optics widening in shock. "There's a kid in here!"
"Protect the native!" ordered the blue one.
There was the sound of gears clanking, electricity whirring. Suddenly the tanks glowed on either side of her. Lightning sparked across them aggressively, almost frying the human that ran between them with its intensity. Inside the bubbling liquid that now drained slowly onto the floor, the inhabitants of the tanks opened the optics and began to move.
Miya glanced over her shoulder. She saw Shockwave running for a green portal – a groundbridge, she remembered Predaking call it. Before he could enter, Shockwave paused, and turned and looked right at her. He raised his cannon, and fired.
The girl screamed and leapt away. But she heard the explosion behind her, felt the heat bloom at her back. Fire rolled across her body, engulfing her right side as she twisted to try to avoid the flames. She screamed, and the world went dark.
Wheeljack continued to shoot at the retreating Shockwave, even as the purple mech disappeared into the groundbridge. He turned, and was horrified to see the human girl sprawled across the floor. A small crater lay behind her, likely from a powerful blast of Shockwave's cannon. Wheeljack had thought that had been a shot meant for him that had gone wide. Now he realised how wrong he was.
He knelt beside the girl, scanners firing across her body to try and find a pulse. It was there, but faint. Blood, soot and dirt coated her face, and her clothes were burned and partially melted to her flesh on her right side. For a moment, Wheeljack thanked Primus that Shockwave had missed. If he hadn't, there wouldn't be much left of the girl except for pieces.
Gently, he scooped her up before the acidic CNA that pooled around her could do anymore damage to her. He'd almost completely forgotten about the now awakening predacons. Now they had an injured civilian in the midst of a likely hostile battle. This day couldn't get any worse…
"Smokescreen, do you copy?" Ultra Magnus said into his comm. link. "What is your position?"
"We found nothin' but a dead end. On our way now to Prime." Came the reply.
Ultra Magnus shook his head. "Negative. We require your assistance. Transform at meet us as fast as you can. We have an injured civilian that you need to transport for medical attention."
"Scrap. On my way, sir."
Not a moment later, they heard the roar of Smokescreen's engine. Wheeljack met him at the mouth of the cave chamber. Bulkhead had likely been left in the racer's dust. Smokescreen threw open his passenger door, and Wheeljack quickly laid the girl out on his seat.
"Get her to Ratchet. Go-go-go!" Wheeljack ordered.
Smokescreen didn't have to be told twice. With a spin of his wheels, he was off, spraying dirt in a wide arc as he fled the chamber.
Wheeljack turned back. The predacons inside their tanks were beginning to get more active the more of the CNA liquid was drained from them. Some were screeching and grunting. Others were starting to smash their tails and claws against the reinforced glass that held them imprisoned. The sight of so many predacons ready to break free and rip them to shreds was enough to make even Wheeljack spark-out.
And then he spotted the crates of energon at the back. His optics then drifted to his belt of grenades.
He fished one out, and smirked to Ultra Magnus. "Permission to deploy a grenade in a confined space, sir?"
"If you and I are all that stand between these monsters and the natives of this planet… then by all means," and then the officer gave the smallest smile Wheeljack had ever seen. "Blow these beasts back to the rust-age!"
Wheeljack grinned, activated the grenade and threw it straight for the energon crates.
Both he and Magnus drove their engines flat out as they transformed and raced out of the cave as fast as they could.