Author notes: It's a plot chapter! Horaay! ..I think horay, anyway. Regardless.. ENJOY the movement of things! ENJOY, I SAY. GRR.
This chapter is partially written for Red Alice. She knows why.
This chapter is also partially written for Little Mean Peppershaker. She also knows why. Or will, anyway.
RESPOND TIME. HOO.
Puppylove: I also wrote Streamline, you know. That one's Bumblebee-centric and in a similar situation. ..Sort of. But that one illustrates how I'd see the Bee react to this sort of thing. In this chapter, tho, he's much more rattled.
Ayame-san 112: Ooh, I'm going to use this song eventually. Oh, yes.
Reka1207: Blurr has a vocabulary. :D
Thing With Not Talent: Medals and WHAT for them both?! XD!! What?
Pretentious attention
Dismissive apprehension
Don't waste your time on coffins today
When we decline
From the confines of our mind
Don't waste your time on coffins today
Don't you see their bodies burning
Desolate and full of yearning?
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication?
From behind those empty walls
From behind those empty walls
-- 'Empty Walls', Serj Tankian
Souvenir: Chapter Twenty-Five
"There is a clear pathway." Came the monotone, expressionless voice of Perceptor as the digital map hung before them. The holographic display flickered with every stream of new data, constantly updating itself with even miniscule reports from various Elite Guard officers; it hadn't shut off since the first email had been translated. "We do not yet have the entire flagship down to exact specifications, but there is a clear path between the Decepticon hanger and to the room holding the two prisoners."
Despite this good news, the current Magnus let out a huff of displeasure. "Define 'exact specifications'. What's missing, exactly?" A violent glare had plastered itself on the dark blue faceplate in recent days; it maintained its' presence as the conversation went on.
"Minor details, Sentinel Magnus." It had been a surprise to everyone when the scientist had actually used the term; it continued to earn a slight move upright from Sentinel as his ego was stroked. "The exact size and shape of certain rooms along the hallway. However, the rooms are, in fact, there. Any rescue effort would have to bypass these rooms regardless, so they are of little concern compared to the problem as a whole."
"Does anyone have any idea how those cats would glide in?" A deep frown crossed Jazz's faceplate as he stood by Sentinels' side. "I'm not seein' any cooling shafts or any way to sneak in.."
For a brief moment, a frown seemed to cross Perceptors' faceplate; it vanished too quickly for anyone to be certain. The scientist had been participating in the finer details to make certain all of it made sense; the fact that Sentinel had specifically requested his assistance, much to everyones' shock and awe, had been enough to get immediate compliance. "That continues to be a problem. The only way in and out would be through this hallway."
"So, what you're saying.." Sentinel Magnus grit his dentals and covered his optics with a hand. "..Is that the only way to get in is through the front door?"
"Yes. And with use of an elevator." Perceptor didn't so much as blink.
"Frag!" Sentinel snarled, expression scrunching up in sheer fury. Just as the new Magnus appeared to either throw a fit or start blasting an angry, likely insult-filled tirade, the smooth baritone of the nearby ninja interrupted him.
"Hold up, now." Jazz glanced to the digital display with a thoughtful expression. "We got to sneak in through these halls filled with 'cons, get a couple of 'bots being held against their will out of there, and get out with nobot seeing us?"
"Precisely." Perceptor glanced to the Elite Guard. "However, I have no suggestions as who could execute such a mission."
Slowly, a sly grin crossed the cyber-ninjas' faceplate. "Actually.. I know a mech."
"What, again? Okay, people, back it up, back it up! We've done all of this before, already! Don't get too close to the the giant alien spaceship!" Captain Fanzone called over the crowd of onlookers and responding officers with a megaphone held in one hand.
It was a sight that the city of Detroit had become strangely accustomed to; the frequency of landing spacecrafts and interaction with alien visitors had been rising at such a pace in the past few years that even when a large, unfamiliar vessel landed in an empty parking lot, there wound up being more police arriving to gawk than actual citizens.
At least, Fanzone mused to himself, it wasn't blocking traffic. The last event with the Autobot ship -- and it certainly was an Autobot-owned craft by the symbol that blatantly stared at them from numerous decorative points on the whitewashed metal -- had been more of a headache than the police captain could have thought possible. The paperwork alone had lasted for days.
"Ugh.." The Brooklyn native sighed. "Why does it always have to be giant alien robots..?"
"Captain Fanzone?" The voice from above him nearly made him jump; instead, he glared up at one of the very same giant robots that annoyed him so frequently. "You'll let us handle it this time, I hope?"
"Yeah, yeah.." Fanzone grumbled. "Just try not to make a mess of things, will ya?"
"Sure." Optimus Prime laughed from above him. "They're probably here just to yell at us, anyway. It probably won't take more than a few hours."
Suddenly, there came a cacophony of excitement from the crowd of onlookers; Fanzone glanced back to the large spacecraft just in time to see a burst of steam erupt from the bottom of the ship a few seconds before a hatch door slid open and met the grass. Why the supposedly super-advanced alien technology still employed steam, Fanzone had no idea.
As expected, a pair of tall, metal figured stood inside the ship. Neither of them looked particularly pleased, although one did wave to the crowd. One of them stood tall, sported a deep blue color, an almost impossibly large chin and appeared thoroughly annoyed.
Fanzone could already tell that this was going to be a bad day.
"Hello.. Sir." The displeasure was clear in Optimus's hesitant voice; teeth grit from the Prime. Assuming, of course, giant alien robots actually had teeth.
"I'm not here for pleasantries, Optimus." Mr. Giant-Chin sneered with disdain. "I'm here to pick up one of your bots."
"What?" Optimus jolted in surprise. "Why? Who?"
The Detroit police captain glanced up at the worried robot that he would never admit was a friend; from the corner of his vision, he could see the rest of the Autobots stiffen and brace. It carried all the tension of an expectant brawl.
If a scuffle broke out, there was going to be a mountain of paperwork. Things like this was why he hated machines.
"Stay cool, O.P." The previously waving Autobot in the ship -- a thinner, sleeker one -- held up his hands in a placating manner. "We're not here to arrest anybot. We just wanna borrow one of your crew for a while, dig?"
"Not without the rest of my team there." Optimus continued to stare warily at the ship-bound pair.
"We don't have time for this!" The blue one with the chin exploded in obvious rage. "I want that ninja bot of yours in this ship right now, or I'm going to arrest the lot of you for insubordination!"
Clear surprise crossed Optimus's face; a stunned glance was sent back to the similarly shocked Autobots behind him before looking back to the furious blue robot. Fanzone could easily notice the forced calm; it was something every good officer learned to do.
"Not without the rest of my team." Each word was spoken slowly and with thick enunciation.
"Gah!" Another shrieked eruption; Fanzone already disliked the blue one. "Frag it, Optimus, I swear --" He stopped as the tall one at his side laid a hand on his shoulder. Then, he took a deep breath and straightened. "..Fine. Fine! Just get in here! And make it snappy!"
"What exactly do you want, Sentinel?" Optimus frowned deeply as they were led through the Elite Guard vessel.
"Yes, why do you want me here? Am I under arrest?" Prowl displayed a calm disposition, but even Optimus could spot the subtle hints of worry and distress. Sentinel was the new Magnus, after all, and never did like their group.
"One, it's Sentinel Magnus now, Optimus." The Magnus in question snarled. "And two, I'm not going to tell you anything until your all of you sign silence contracts."
"A contract?" The Prime shared another baffled look with his friends.
"..What, seriously?" Bumblebee boggled. "Must be a big deal if the Elite Guard's going to all this trouble to keep it quiet."
"It's something pretty big, yeah." Jazz nodded back to the scout. "Biggest thing I've ever been part of, actually."
"Bigger than Safeguard?" The minibot blinked.
"..Well, it's relative, but I think so." The Elite Guard ninja seemed to muse.
From there, it hadn't taken long to get the few signatures needed to move forward; not one of them refused or asked questions about the written legalese. None of this was part of an ordinary event for the Elite Guard -- Sentinel especially, Magnus or not --, so it all must have been an extraordinarily critical event that was occurring. Something that, although they weren't certain what was happening, they wanted to be part of it.
"Okay.." Sentinel took a deep intake. "To put it as simple as I can for you maintenance bots, we need Prowl's skills for a very sensitive mission." He looked to the ninja in question with the same perturbed expression he ordinarily held. "Jazz insists your holo-projector mod is the best chance we have to pull it off."
"My holographic projector?" Prowl blinked widely behind his visor. "What am I being drafted for, exactly?"
"A rescue mission." Jazz frowned simply thinking about it. "I'm sure O.P. got this funky email a while back that was all mixed up?"
"The email with the strange address?" Confusion crossed Optimus's faceplate. "We got the follow up email from headquarters that said it was a glitch and to ignore it."
"Yeah, thing is, it was no glitch." Jazz sighed. "One of our own bots sent it from inside the 'con mother ship. It's all in secretary code and asking for help."
"The mother ship?! The same ship that's the flagship?!" Bulkhead sputtered.
"No Autobot's ever gotten out of that place in one piece!" Ratchet gaped. "Every bot knows that! And you want the kid to go in there willingly?!"
Behind his own visor, Jazz rolled his optics. "Not alone. There'll be a team."
"Bots lives are at stake here, you know." The subdued, tempered tone that came from Sentinel seemed ill-fitting; it was more shocking than any yell would have been. "I think you bots even know one of them. Field Agent Blurr was supposedly stationed on this mud-ball."
That earned an instant reaction.
"Blurr?" Prowl gaped.
"He was captured by the Decepticons? How?" Optimus's optics widened in shock.
"But the last we saw him was with the space bridge --" Bulkhead stopped at realization. "..That I built. Oh, slag."
"What the slag happened to Blurr!?" Bumblebee's vocalizer pitched in a horrid shriek.
The cry from the small scout caught everyone by surprise. Even Sentinel stopped a moment to stare at the terrified yellow mech.
"..Uh.." The Magnus sputtered a moment. "..Shockwave got hold of him."
"What?!" Bumblebee stared up at the new Magnus with the widest optics any of them had ever seen.
"..So.." Prowl shook his head slightly to clear away the astonishment the screaming had caused. "You need my assistance in order to rescue Blurr from the Decepticons. I assume he was captured for information?"
Both Elite Guard and Magnus hesitated; the silence only alarmed them both.
"If it's not for interrogation, then why do the 'cons want him?" Optimus gulped; he had the terrible feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer.
"It's not just Blurr." Jazz took in a deep intake. "When Shockwave ran off when we found out 'bout him, he went and kidnapped another bot right out of HQ. A bot by the name of Cliffjumper."
"Cliffjumper?" Optimus blinked. "Wasn't he Longarm's -- ..Oh."
"Yeah. Oh." Sentinel grumbled. "Cliffjumper's been sending the emails. From what he told us in those emails, he and that agent are together and both being held by Shockwave."
"But.. Why?" Prowl frowned in continued confusion. "Are the Decepticons really so depraved that they would kidnap Autobots to torture for their own cruel amusement?"
There came another pause; the answer was obvious.
"From what we got from intel.." Jazz took a deep, slow intake. "..They're being held as Shockwaves' own personal spark slaves."
"The sick fragger apparently had a thing for minibots." Sentinel growled and folded his arms.
Horror rung clear on all of their faceplates.
"You aren't.." Ratchet was the first to eventually break the silence, voice barely above a whisper. "You aren't serious --"
A loud crash of metal against metal interrupted the medic; they all jumped and turned to stare at what had made the noise.
Bumblebee had fainted.
Don't you see their bodies burning
Desolate and full of yearning?
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication?
I want you to be
Left behind those empty walls
Told you to see
From behind those empty walls
From behind those empty walls
From behind those empty walls
From behind those God damn walls
Those walls..
-- 'Empty Walls', Serj Tankian