Nemesis
Shatter had returned to the war ship, with her plan in full swing. She knew that if she framed Dreadwing for siding with the Autobots then the only one to take his place would be Blitzwing. Before reporting to the bridge she made a fake video feed that shoes Dreadwing giving the Autobots the relic. She used an old editing program that had never failed her to get past problems, but she will need to get it as good as possible to get it authorized by Soundwave. Once she was done with the video feel she headed to the bridge, to place the final piece into place.
As she walked into the bridge she was greeted by Megatron who looked very impatient. She walked over to Lord Megatron, putting on a face of sorrow to make sure it was as authentic as possible. "My lord." Shatter said.
"I heard you have terrible news." Megatron said. "Whatever you say will determine if you live or die."
"Lord Megatron, Dreadwing has betrayed us." Shatter said. "He gave the Autobots the relic, and I wasn't able to do anything."
"Oh really, and what proof do you have about my second in command doing such an act?" Megatron asked.
"This sire." Shatter said pulling up the video, showing her point of view. The video showed Dreadwing standing next to the container holding the relic.
*Good, you got the relic, i'll radio the ship for a bridge.* Shatter said.
*No.* Dreadwing said.
*What do you mean no?* Shatter asked.
*As in you will not be leaving here alive.* Dreadwing said pulling out his cannon. Shatter ducked from the first blast, transforming into her car mode and driving off. Dreadwing kept firing at her win his cannon, hitting her few times in her vehicle mode. She transformed and fired back at Dreadwing, trying to get him off her aft. After a few seconds of firing at one another Shatter saw three Autobots, all shooting in her direction.
She knew that she couldn't stay long, so she ran for cover, trying to get away from the four who were attacking her. She transformed into her jet mode and flew off, making sure to dodge all incoming fire. Once she was in the clear she landed onto a cliff side, taking out binoculars to see what Dreadwing and the other Autobots were doing. She looked and saw Dreadwing hand over the relic to the one called Bulkhead. The two nodded at each other and a ground bridge came up, the four walking in to never be seen again.
*I need a bridge, and tell Lord Megatron that I have terrible news.* Shatter said.
The video cut out, Shatter showing what had happened during the mission. She looked at her master, seeing anger swell inside of him and ready to burst. Before she could speak she was backhanded into the wall, slamming into it causing a giant dent in the metal. She fell to her knees, trying to comprehend what had just happened. She looked up to see Lord Megatron and Soundwave standing over her, Megatron looking like he wanted to kill her then and there.
"My lord, I did not know this would happen." Shatter pleaded.
"You will give the recording to Soundwave, so he can verify if that is what truly happened." Megatron said.
"Y-yes my lord." Shatter said. She took out the chip that had the recording and handed it to Soundwave. She hoped her skills were good enough to make sure that Soundwave didn't find anything wrong in the recording. After a full minute Soundwave was done with analyzing the video, nodding that Shatter was telling the truth. Shatter let out a sigh of relief in her mind knowing that her skills were good enough to trick the master of communication himself.
"As you can see Lord Megatron, what I have said is true." Shatter said. But he did not speak, not a word back to her." L-Lord Megatron?"
"Soundwave, keep decoding the Iacon database." Megatron said. "And Shatter, tell Blitzwing that he is now mo second in command."
"Y-you mean he's back to being your second in command?" Shatter asked.
"Yes, now leave my sight." Megatron said.
"Yes sire." Shatter said. She quickly left to go and tell Blitzwing what had happened. She didn't know if he would be glad or betrayed by what she had done, but all she knew that what she did was the right thing.
Autobot Base
"The key was already gone, there was no way that we could have seen that coming." Bulkhead said. "It could have happened to any of us."
"But it didn't, because I was too slow to get to it, I was the one who blew it." Smokescreen said. "Some great warrior i'm turning out to be."
"You still don't get it, do you?" Arcee said.
"How long until you get it threw your pan of yours that this isn't about you?" Backfire said.
"A couple of victories aren't gonna make you a legend." Arcee said. "And not every mission results in success, not for me, Bee, Backfire, or even Oprimus. We've gained relics, and we've lost some. We've also lost friends, we've even lost a world."
"But we were given a second chance at this, so everyone needs to be at their best." Backfire said.
"Arcee, Backfire, you both have made your points." Optimus said.
"No, he needs to hear this." Arcee said. "You might actually become a great warrior someday, and I sincerely hope you do. But greatness begins and ends with putting the team first, not your personal scorecard."
"There is nothing I wouldn't do for you guys." Smokescreen said.
"Then stop trying to be a hero and start being an Autobot." Arcee said.
Smokescreen took this hard, he wanted to be the best and to prove himself to Optimus. He looked over to Optimus and looked back at Arcee. "You know what? Maybe i'm just not good enough." Smokescreen said. He turned around and transformed into his vehicle mode, driving off out of the base.
"Next time Optimus advises you to stop, perhaps you should listen." Ratchet said putting the last bandage on Dreadwing.
"I'll bring him back." Bulkhead said. But before he could leave the base however, he was stopped by Optimus.
"Smokescreen is young, Bulkhead, and has much to learn, but right now he needs to clear his thoughts." Optimus said.
"I-is this how you r-run your base P-Prime?" Dreadwing asked trying to sit up.
"No Dreadwing, but dealing with matters such as this takes time." Optimus said.
"So, w-what are you going t-to do with me?" Dreadwing asked spitting up energon.
"I will give you a choice Dreadwing, join us to stop megatron, or go back and follow tyranny." Optimus said.
"The o-offer you gave my b-brother." Dreadwing said. "J-joining you is n-not the same as b-betraying mine."
"Then go on your own path, find what makes you part of the universe." Optimus said.
"Strike out on my own, not likely." Dreadwing said. "If Shatter was able to lie to Lord Megatron then I am not safe anywhere."
"So you can't run, but you can't stay." Backfire said. "Then what are your options?"
"Not staying with us, he killed good bots." Bulkhead said. "I mean look at Seaspray."
"I know that you all feel like this is not the best of ideas, but I believe that Dreadwing can see past his narrow view and look at what we offer." Optimus said.
"If you s-still want me to j-join Prime, then I w-will gladly join the All Spark." Dreadwing said.
"Dreadwing, don't discourage this offer, we may not be a warship, but we are family." Optimus said.
"My family is long dead, thanks to your scout." Dreadwing said.
"I have learned that on this planet, isn't a place or person, it is where you grow a relationship with others." Optimus said.
"And how can you call the cons family if they did this to you?" Ratchet said. "Not to mention Shatter may have already made a story so you betrayed them."
"And Megatron won't like seeing your face if he was convinced." Arcee said.
"Dreadwing, know that even if you don't want to join us, our base is always open to you." Optimus said placing his hand on Dreadwing shoulder.
"I will t-think about it." Dreadwing said.
"Good." Optimus said. "Now I must get back to decoding the last set of Iacon entry."
After several minutes of waiting, Dreadwing didn't know what to do. If he stayed with the Autobots then he would be living with enemies. If he were to go back to the war ship, then Blitzwing would kill him on sight. He didn't know what to do, or why he would do anything. His pride was shattered, he had no place to go, and if he left then he would be hunted down. He turned to see the Autobots talking and Ratchet working on his tools. He decided to get some answers from the doctor and see if he could help him make a decision.
"Doctor, w-what does Prime s-see in me?" Dreadwing asked.
"Well, i'm not quite sure." Ratchet said. "But if I were to guess, he sees a part of himself in you."
"H-how so?" Dreadwing asked.
"Well for one, you two are smart about things and plan ahead." Ratchet said. "He cares about every single one of us, and that includes his enemies."
"You think I care for you Autobots?" Dreadwing said.
"Not particularly, but you and Optimus worked on multiple occasions for a better goal." Ratchet said. "That you set aside your differences so both of you can get out of there alive, like the time in the cave with the Insecticon."
"I see, so me and him are like what the humans would say 'two sides to a coin'?" Dreadwing said.
"I believe that is the most accurate assumption." Ratchet said. "Where did you hear that from?"
"Back on the war ship, Knockout would always make me watch human films with him, since Breakdown is now dead." Dreadwing said. "Humans are unorthodox at best."
"Tell me about it, Bulkhead's human partner, Miko, plays such terrible music that it would rupture you processors." Ratchet said.
"And he enjoys it?" Dreadwing asked.
"Yes, but most of us don't." Ratchet said.
"Ah, the final entry has been decoded." Optimus said.
The others except Dreadwing went to see what Optimus has done, and they were shocked that it didn't take him long to do so. But something caught Ratchets optic. "Has it?"
Optimus turned back to see that the entry was giving off an image. "Hmm, perhaps it's a layer of secondary encryption?"
"Maybe it's a picture of the relic?" Bulkhead said.
"Of what possible use could that be to us without knowing it's location?" Ratchet said.
"I trust Alpha Trion had his reasons." Optimus said.
The picture came together and showed all in the room what, or who, was the relic. "Smokescreen!?" Bulkhead said.
"Wait, the kid is the final Iacon relic?" Backfire said.
"Is this that hotshot's idea of a joke?" Arcee said.
"Some prank." Bumblebee beeped.
"Maybe he knows where the key is?" Bulkhead said.
"And never bothered to mention it?" Arcee asked.
"A more likely possibility is that Smokescreen himself is somehow is the key, without knowing it." Ratchet said.
"Whatever the case, he could be in grave danger." Optimus said turning on his comlik. "Smokescreen, return to base immediately." no response.
"He may have deactivated his comlink." Ratchet said.
"Locate his position and prepare the ground bridge." Optimus said.
"On it." Ratchet said.
"Man, we shouldn't have said that stuff to him." Backfire said.
"What's done is done, and right now we need to get him back before the cons do." Arcee said.
"I have triangulated his position, get ready to bridge out." Ratchet said.
"Okay, you guys ready?" Backfire asked.
"Yeah, lets get the kid back." Bulkhead said.
The ground bridge opened and the team consisting of Optimus, Bulkhead, Arcee, and Backfire went in. Once they got there, they saw Soundwave taking an unconscious Smokescreen through the Decepticon ground bridge. The group charged at Soundwave to try and get Smokescreen out of there, but it was to late. The ground bridge closed and now Smokescreen was on the clutches of the Decepticons. The group just stood there looking in aw that they had lost a relic and a comrade.
Hey guys, I hope you all like this chapter and please send feedback, have a great day.