Clamp looked at Prowl, wanting to help. But how would he tell them it without talking? He stood, and shook his head. "I'm going too." He said aloud, shocking everyone. His voice was deep, but raspy, since he hadn't used it in a long time. His wings stiffened in discomfort. He really didn't like to talk.
"Clamp, you did speak," Raider yelped.
"Yes. I've been silent long enough. At one time my silence saved us. Now it just reminds me of that day. I want them, Raider. I want them both dead."
"I'll come too," Raider said grabbing his half brother's servo.
"No. You are the youngest and very last of us. You will stay here and live. I will go with Psi-boss and do whatever Prime and Prowl need us to do. With any luck we can kill the spider, and then Galvatron." Clamp squeezed Raider's servo.
"Wanna help," Raider said with a pout.
"You will when the time is right. Raider, understand, I have to do this."
The younger Seeker nodded and watched as Clamp followed Prowl and Psi-boss.
"You think this plan will work?" Clamp asked.
"Prowl is a tactical genius," Psi-boss answered.
"That's not what I asked?" Clamp's vocalize hissed and scratched but he would not fall silent again.
"If what they've all said about Airachnid is true, yes, it should work."
"Psi-boss, are you scared?"
"Yes. I don't know Airachnid but-"
"Yeah, never met her exactly, just been a witness to what she's capable of. Be careful, she likes to hurt before she kills." Clamp's turbines whined in distress.
Leaning over, Psi-boss took his large servo in hers. "We've got powers she doesn't and we've got better backup."
The hidden Autobots watched the two Seekers in the clearing and waited. With signal dampeners cloaking their presence all they could do was wait. Sideswipe sent a thrum of excited anticipation to his brother, who returned the same. All these millennia away from the Pits and the red and yellow frontliners still loved the fight and anticipation of one.
Barricade stood silently running a claw down the spikes of his melee weapon. He had full confidence in his brother's plan, but that didn't elevate his concern. Despite her size, Airachnid was one of the deadliest 'Cons to ever wear the brand, and when faced with losing, even more so.
From his hover high in the clouds, Starscream waited. He could not wait to see the accursed spiderbot fall. She had been a dagger in his protoform since her arrival on this planet. Megatron's favoritism of her only emboldened the wretch, and she used that further undermine his position as Second.
Phht, mighty Megatron, so overly wrapped up in his obsession with his Second he never saw Airachnid slowly trying to seize power. Now Starscream wondered, was she trying to seize it for herself, Galvatron or for the three of them. No matter, one down and soon the other two to fall.
Turbines heralded the arrival of Copycat.
"You're late," Psi-boss hissed.
"Up your turbine. In fact, that slagging Praxian can shove his plan-" Copycat fell to his knees gasping and unable to speak, his helm twisting awkwardly to the side.
**I don't like rude** Psi-boss said into the shapeshifter's processor. **Don't do it again, or you will know the true meaning of pain.**
::Psi-boss, release him. Copycat, take your position and shut your mouthplates.:: Prowl commed the pair.
::At your command, Prowl.:: An evil grin spread across Psi-boss lipplates as she released Copycat and he scrambled to his perch among the trees.
::Could you get any stupider?:: Sunstreaker asked Copycat over comms.
::Seriously mech, she's one bad aft telepath, just ask Soundwave. Oh, you can't she exploded his processor. Boom.:: Sideswipe couldn't resist needling.
::CEASE.:: The sharp order coming from Prowl as the whir of helicopter blades approached the clearing.
Starscream made a show of landing in the open clearing as both Psi-boss and Clamp repeated the ritual Seeker greeting of their Winglord. The stealth copter hovered at a distance, close enough to see but not interfere.
"Winglord, we have searched a long time to find you," Clamp said.
Psi-boss bounced excitedly at his side, bouncing from pede to pede as Raider usually did.
The stealth copter approached and landed.
"You will forgive if I don't show such reverence, traitor" she said with a sneer to Starscream.
::Got her down.:: Copycat commed Prowl.
::Now.::
The command given Psi-boss blasted Airachnid with a powerful telepathic shock. The spiderbot shrieked, staggered but did not fall. Psi-boss kept the attack up, all while jamming Airachnid's comms.
"YOU BITCH!" Airachnid screeched, then spit venom at Psi-boss' optics. The telepath twisted back but the burning venom seared the side of her faceplate and helm. She howled in pain and fell back.
Flames erupted from Clamp's arms as he hurled fireball after fireball at Airachnid. Starscream launching several missiles that slammed into her.
The others charged from their hiding spots, Prowl firing several acid pellets which hit Airachnid squarely in her backplates. Clamp aimed his next fireballs directly at the rotting armor, as Starcream's last missile hit the spiderbot square in the spark.
Her burning lifeless shell fell.
"Psi-boss," Clamp dropped to his knees to pick the small telepath up. Sunstreaker handed him a polishing cloth to wipe the venom away. The damage was extensive. Psi-boss cried in agony.
"It hurts."
::Ratchet, a groundbridge, medical emergency, Airachnid spit venom of Psi-boss.:: Prowl commed.
Optimus charged out of the swirling green vortex before Prowl could finish the comm..
Shockwave following at a slow hurry.
"Get back, you stupid slagger," Starscream shrieked. "We'll bring her through."
Shockwave reluctantly retreated, rather than upset the volatile Seeker. Optimus followed with Psi-boss cradled to his chestplates. Barricade motioned Sunstreaker and Sideswipe in. Starscream followed with Clamp dragging Airachnid's smoldering remains.
Copycat landed and nodded to Prowl.
He opened a comm to the Nemesis. Airachnid's voice coming from his vocalizer.
::My Lord, the two Seekers have in fact joined with the traitor Starscream. They disappeared into a groundbridge. Now all your enemies are in one place. I vow to you, I will find them and you shall have their sparks as trophies.::
::You have done well, my Airachnid. Did you find Barricade yet?::
::No, my Lord. He hasn't made any further contact?::
:No.::
::Then I shall make finding him my highest priority.::
::NO! FORGET HIM. I WANT THOSE TRAITORS!:: Galavatron screamed.
::And Barricade shall help me find them. After all, what Autobot could resist a Decepticon distress signal. They come, if only to take what remains of him prisoner, and when they do, they're mine, as is the location of their base.:: Copycat mimicked Airachnid's purr perfectly.
A maniacal laugh filled the comm.
::Yes, my Airachnid. Go, find him. Find them all.::
The comm went dead.
"Well that was creepy," Barricade said.
"Copycat, keep up your surveillance of the Nemesis, I'll contact you again," Prowl said, and disappeared into the groundbridge.
"Sure." The Seeker took flight muttering. "Stupid little telepath got what was coming to her."
"We need to talk to Prime about that guy." Barricade stepped into the groundbridge.
Ratchet, Wheeljack, Starscream and Shockwave all huddled around Psi-boss. Optimus stood off to the side of the berth, Prowl by his side. Their helms close together as they spoke. Steve lurked as close as he dared to the mediberth.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were sitting off to oneside by themselves, everyone else on the other side of medbay. Predaking lurked in a large passageway. Barricade approached the twins.
"How is she?"
"Can't say. They haven't said much of anything. Shockwave is on the verge of hysterics and Starscream may or may not have slapped him for it."
"I missed Star slapping Shockwave? My job sucks." Barricade folded his arms across his chestplates.
"It was kind of funny," Sunstreaker said with a deep chuckle.
"For the love of Primus, GET OUT." Ratchet pointed to Shockwave.
The large sparked mech hovered and fussed.
"NOW!" Ratchet's tone brooked no argument.
"Come, worrying isn't good for the sparkling," Optimus said, breaking away from Prowl. He offered his servo which Shockwave latched onto. "You need to rest, Ratchet is the best there is, you need not worry."
Once the two had departed the medbay and main area, tensions eased.
"This will be most effective," Starscream said, handing a jar to Ratchet.
The medic took the nanite rich salve and applied a liberal coating to Psi-boss' face and helm.
"I'm sorry to say that you will most likely have scarring. That venom of Airachnid's is highly corrosive and toxic. The salve will reduce most of the damage but not all," Starscream said.
Psi-boss' gaze flittered from Steve to the floor as she gave a half-sparked shrug.
"No matter. Who comes through a war without a battle scar or two, anyway?" Steve said, approaching Psi-boss' mediberth and placing his servo near hers. "Doesn't change anything."
"Oh, goody, more sweetsparks," Sideswipe quipped and ducked the wrench that whizzed by his helm. "Losing your touch, Hatchet."
The clang of another wrench hitting its mark proved Sideswipe wrong.
"Son of one cred pleasurebot," he yelped, rubbing his helm.
"You earned that," Prowl said no sympathy in his tone. "Clamp, would you please take Airachnid's remains to the chamber next to the one holding Megatron's."
"Yes, sir," Clamp tried but failed to detangle himself from Raider.
"I got it," Acree said, standing and half dragging, half kicking Airachnid's shell down the passageway.
"Her anger is deep," Predaking said.
**Isn't all of ours?** Bumblebee clicked.
"Just promise me something, my younglings."
All optics turned towards Megatronous.
"When your enemies are defeated, and your war is won. You musn't let your anger continue to be who you are or define you. When the last spark of your enemy is extinguished , let your anger extinguish as well."
"I don't know if I can," Clamp was the one who said what the rest were thinking.
"Then there is no point in fighting anymore. Everything is already lost," Megatronous said sadly and left the room.
