Chapter 10: Armada
In a familiar desert area, the former Decepticon second in command is currently walking toward his destination while complaining to himself. "What I would not give to have wings again." He paused when he spotted a Decepticon warship. "Ah, just as I left it - the Harbinger. Things are finally looking up."
The seeker next went inside the warship and search for energon, but found nothing. "Ugh, really? Not one scrap of energon!" He pounded the wall next to him which made a door to open to reveal what was inside.
Starscream leaned back and his optics widen at the discovery. He walked inside and looked around. "A laboratory." he observed before typing in commands on the terminal, turning it on in the process. "And it's functional." Then, the pods in front of him lit up. "Protoforms." he rasped in delight.
With a certain green Autobot who was driving on patrol until he picked up an energon signature.
"Bulkhead to base; picked up a strong energon signature. I'm gonna check it out." The Wrecker informed through his comm-link before driving off the road.
Back inside the Harbinger...
"Let's see, transference of binary bonding, sub-molecular infusion... the formula seems straight forward enough. Well my little lumps of clay, looks like you're ready for the meld. Let's give cloning a whirl shall we?"
At the same moment, Bulkhead arrived to the coordinates and looked down the hole. "Hmm, no sign of activated." He observed before climbing down.
Meanwhile, Starscream attached a container and filled it with his energon before placing it in with the other filled energon containers. An image of himself appeared on the terminal which activated the transformation. Electricity cracked the entire room as the machine drained the energon causing the seeker to laugh maniacally.
"Give me life!" he exclaimed as he pulled a lever that soon gave the clones an exact image of the seeker. The machine powered down once the transformation was complete. "Ah, like-minded company at last."
Bulkhead paused in his climbing and looked down. "Energon - boxed up and ready for pick up." Then, the Wrecker looked up when he heard a familiar noise above. The Nemesis. "Scrap." he cursed. He began to climb down, but one of the rocks broke underneath him. Fortunately, the mech grabbed onto the broken one. However, it too broke because of his heavy weight. The Wrecker bounced off a ledge and fell on top of the energon boxes and falling unconscious.
Back in the Harbinger...
"Esteemed members of my armada." Starscream began his speech. "You now stand upon the very precedence of glory, to meet the destiny of which I have so tenaciously worked toward..."
"Dynamic leadership of the Decepticons." Clone #1 piped in.
Starscream stuttered surprised. "I am delighted to hear that we are on the same page."
"We are as one, commander." clone #2 started.
"We share your memories." clone #3 added.
"Your very feelings." #1 added.
"Even your sensational quest for power." clone #4 finished.
Starscream stared for a moment before clearing his throat. "I see." Outside. "Fortunately, the Harbinger's tracking systems remained synced with Megatron's warship. Of course, we require a means of reaching them." The seeker paused when he heard the sounds of engines above him. He turned around and gasped surprised when he saw them in his alternate mode. "You can transform? Uh," he chuckled nervously. "o-of course you can. How else would you fly to the ship? That was a test in which you all... passed. Now take flight and snuff Megatron's accursed spark."
Bulkhead groaned as he came back online. "Ugh, my head gasket."
One of the clones peeked around the corner and saw that it was clear. "Spread out. Keep to the shadows." clone #1 advised.
"Any one of us is an instant target upon this warship." clone #2 stated.
"But seeking together would sacrifice the element of surprise." clone #3 argued.
"Whoever manages to find Megatron first report your position." clone #4 instructed.
With that, the clones spread out in different directions. One of them snuck quietly throughout the halls but his wings dropped when he spotted a vehicon walking in front of him. Scarred, he began to back up but yelped in surprise when he bumped into someone else.
Bulkhead's optics were wide when he found himself on the enemy warship. "What the...?" The Wrecker asked himself in disbelief. Bulkhead jumped back in alarm. "The 'Cons warship." He observed backing up. But when he felt the ground start to dip he glanced back and his optics widen. "Whoa," he exclaimed when he saw the hole. "Ratchet, don't ask how I got here - long story." No response. "Ratchet, you copy?" No response. "Scrap."
He walked to the door and began to find a way to escape the warship. "Stealthy, stealthy." Bulkhead reminded himself.
He stiffened when he heard footsteps approaching which made him nervous. Instinctively, he turned back around to go back in the room but the door slammed in his face. So, he hid himself behind one of the support beams. When the drones passed, the Wrecker cautiously stepped out from his hiding spot and backed away from the drones but he bumped into someone. A startled yelp escaped the green Autobot as he faced the Cybertronian, equipping his blasters.
He was presented with the familiar treacherous seeker. "Starscream?" Bulkhead asked surprised.
"Why is it that every time I return to my own stomping grounds, I find an Autobot roaming the halls?" Starscream questioned irritated.
"Don't tell me you came crawling back to Megatron?"
"Hardly. Now out of my way."
"Scream, you gotta show me a way off this boat." Bulkhead pleaded.
"Sorry too busy." Starscream lied.
"Look, when you needed help..." Bulk began.
"As I recall, we bartered. So, unless you have anything of value to offer me - step aside."
Bulkhead narrowed his optics. "The exit... now."
"I may have given Arcee a free pass when she and I last met..." Starscream suddenly scratched Bulkhead in the chassis, causing him to stumble backward. "But I won't hesitate to skewer you as I did to a certain Cliffjumper."
Bulkhead examined his chassis that now has scratches. His optics narrowed dangerously and charged the seeker who widens his optics. Bulkhead hit the seeker with his wrecking ball.
Starscream landed on his back but he recovered and shot up, equipping his blasters and aiming them at the Autobot. "Perish Bulkhead!" He widens his optics again when he saw the Wrecker charging at him. Bulkhead jumped on him and started pounding on him.
On the surface, Starscream paced back and forth. "I cannot wait to savor the vivid details of Megatron's demise." Suddenly, the seeker was flown side to side as if he was getting hit by a ghost. "What is happening?"
On the warship, Bulkhead continued to pound the seeker. "This is for Cliffjumper!"
POW!
"For Bumblebee!"
POW!
"For everything."
POW!
Unfortunately for Starscream, he screamed in pain when Bulkhead delivered the final blow to his head. "My genetic code provides a T-cog I no longer possess and all I get is their agony?"
Bulkhead panted after he killed the clone. His optics softened, "You left me no choice." He hid the dead body and peeked around the corner to find a terminal. "A comm-unit." He began to contact the Autobots. "Bulkhead to base, do you read?" No response. "Do you copy?" Still no response.
"Stupid Con-tech." He cursed and began to wish that his little sister was here to hack. "Is this thing even on?" As soon as he said that, a red flaring and a horrible noise sounded. The Wrecker covered his audio's but the alarm did not go unnoticed by the Vehicons as they went to check what caused the alarm.
Bulkhead pressed the half circle button which turned the alarm off. "Phew." He sighed in relief. His relief was short-lived when he heard a door open nearby. He ran to hide just as Vechicons looked to their left and spotted a familiar seeker instead. The two drones looked at each other as the seeker stuttered nervously so he ran. The drones chased after him.
"Halt!"
Instead of sending a distress signal to his comrades, he sent a beacon which caught the attention of a certain Decepticon copter.
"A Decepticon beacon - at last." The copter transformed into none other than Airachnid. She landed and walked to the entrance of a cave that hid her Insecticon hive. "Devoted servants, the time has come for the ultimate retribution."
"Optimus, no word yet from Bulkhead." Ratchet informed. "But I am detecting some rather curious subterranean frequencies."
"Of Earthly origin?"
"I do not know what they are, but I do know where." The screen showed familiar coordinates.
"The coordinates at which we last encountered Megatron."
"And Airachnid." Arcee added.
"And Airachnid's Insecticon." Ratchet added.
One of the Insecticons pod deactivated and roared, signaling the others to online.
"Arise my armada and attack!" Airachnid ordered.
The bugs transformed and flew out of the cave. Airachnid smirked as she watched them fly towards Megatron's warship just as the Autobots arrived. However, there were only three of them with Bulkhead on the warship and Ava is preoccupied with school.
"We are in all likelihood witnessing the launch of a mission to terminate Megatron." Optimus observed.
"I can't think of a reason to stop that even if we could." Arcee stated.
"But we can stop Airachnid." Optimus said as he reached the edge of the cliff. The trio aimed their blasters at the rogue femme who heard the transformations of blasters.
"Rear guard, engage the Autobots." she ordered.
Several Insecticons diverted from the group and fired at the Autobots. Airachnid watched as the Autobots were bombarded and covered in smoke. Her optics widen a bit when she noticed her nemesis Arcee jumped through the cloud of smoke. She quickly transformed into spider mode and went to lure Arcee away from the others just as the motorcycle landed just where she was. Arcee accelerated as fast as she could while Optimus and Bumblebee engaged the Insecticons.
On the warship, Bulkhead is now crawling inside a tunnel underneath the walkway. "Stealthy. Stealthy." he reminded himself. Suddenly, his spark froze when someone called the Decepticon tyrant.
"Lord Megatron." The Wrecker peeked through the crack but ducked back down when he spotted the silver titan.
"Yes, what is it?"
"An intruder."
"Autobot?" Megatron assumed, which made Bulkhead nervous.
"Starscream." A confused expression crossed the Wrecker's face. "He was last seen in the vicinity of the bridge."
Megatron turned on his pedes and made his way to the bridge.
When he was out of hearing range, Bulkhead sighed heavily. He wanted to kill the tyrant for his little sister, but knew he couldn't fight him alone like Optimus or Ava can. He also didn't want to risk getting captured so he wisely stayed hidden.
Arcee continued to chase her nemesis. She raced toward her until her momentum was interrupted when an explosion hit behind her. She moved one of her side view mirrors and spotted a couple of Insecticons are chasing her. They fired at the motorcycle who dodged all of them. However, they didn't see the incoming tree and as a result, crashed into it and ricochet off his comrade and toward the spider.
Airachnid noticed this which caused her optics to widen. "No!" She yelled before the bug crashed into her.
Arcee stopped at the edge and transformed. She watched as Airachnid drilled a hole to escape. She approached the hole and equipped her blasters. "Underground, there's a surprise."
Meanwhile, Megatron reached the bridge and found a dead drone. The warlord entered the bridge with his fusion cannon aimed at the intruder that appeared to be Starscream but it was just a clone.
"Megatron, it has come time to settle old scores." clone #1 stated.
The tyrant laughed at that statement as if he had said a bad joke. "Really Starscream? All on your own?" he taunted.
"Actually." The others said in unison.
Megatron looked behind him and saw more Starscream's. He narrowed his optics as he face the 'clones', turning his back on what he assumed is the 'real' Starscream. "Clones." he observed. "Well played Starscream. If you're even here among your underlings."
"Underlings." The clones repeated in unison as if they were offended.
"We are as one..." clone #2 started.
"...though many." clone #3 added.
"Bring me Starscream's head on a stick and I will reward you as my second in command - all of you." Megatron proposed.
Two of them looked at each other before looking back at the warlord. "No, you are trying to trick us." #3 stated.
"Am I?" Megatron smirked.
"Is he? #3 asked.
"Accept my proposal and we all win. Otherwise, you will end up terminating each other to get the spoils. It is your nature after all."
"Don't listen to him." #3 advised.
"Prepare to perish at my hand." #2 said.
"Our hands."
"Yes, only our combined fire power will ensure Megatron's destruction." #1 stated.
"Take aim." #2 instructed.
Suddenly, a loud noise that all Cybertronians heard. "Do you hear that?" #1 asked. Bulkhead paused when he heard the noise.
It was the swarm of Insecticons that just arrived at the Nemesis.
"Ignore." #2 instructed.
"Fire on three." #3 said.
"One..."
"Two.."
Suddenly, the ship shook which caused the seekers to fall. "What was that?" #1 asked. He widen his optics when he saw Megatron aiming his cannon at him.
"The sound of the tables turning." Megatron stated before firing.
The other clones recovered just in time to see one of them being fired upon by Megatron.
On the surface, Starscream was jolted around when Megatron fired at the clones, causing him pain. "What is going on up there?!" he demanded.
The ships defenses were activated as the swarm began to circle the ship.
"Exterminating you was so gratifying the first three times." Megatron stated as he approached the down clone with his cannon aimed at him. When he got close, the ship shook again which caused the clone to escape. Megatron turned around and the front screen showed the Insecticon swarm. "Airachnid. A busy day for assassins."
Meanwhile, an Insecticon fired at the Autobot scout who dodged them. He jumped toward the 'Con and kicked the bug toward Optimus who swung another Insecticon in his hand into the other. Bee landed by his leader.
"Arcee." Optimus called the Autobot femme but she was nowhere to be seen.
The femme was underground searching for her nemesis who waited for her on the wall, charging her blasters. On the warship, Megatron arrived outside and began to dispose of the Inesecticons. Back underground, Arcee continued to search but paused when she reached the Insecticon hive. She equipped her second blaster and walked again, still not noticing Airachnid on the wall. But when she looked at one of the pods, Arcee spotted her nemesis on the wall through the reflection of the pod. She narrowed her optics and jumped to cover. Airachnid shot at the blue femme but all of her blasts were blocked by the pod she was hiding behind. Arcee took this as an advantage and fired rapidly at her nemesis.
She stopped when the spider fell to the ground. Airachnid grunted as she recovered and glanced up to see Arcee aiming her blasters at her. "When you extinguish my spark make it hurt. You know I would extend the same courtesy to you."
"I'm not like you." Arcee stated.
"Very well." Airachnid jumped toward her.
Arcee jumped away and blocked an attack that sent her backward. She recovered and equipped her blades then spotted a pod open, giving her an idea. Airachnid used her spider legs and sent her nemesis backward again. Arcee lunged forward and kicked the spider in the face before sending her toward the pod. Airachnid stumbled backward to the pod and accidently activated it.
"No!" She cursed as she tried to run but was caught in the pod. One of her spider legs was cut in half. Arcee watched as her nemesis was permanently frozen in stasis lock.
The Insecticons disposed all of the Vehicons leaving Megatron alone to deal with the swarm. The swarm surrounded the silver titan and was about to attack him when the connection to their queen was lost. Megatron prepared to defend himself against the swarm but noticed that they were bowing instead of attacking him.
"Forgive us one true lord and master." They said in unison.
"This day has certainly seen its share of thwarted intensions." Megatron remarked.
Inside, Bulkhead managed to find his way to the power core. He spotted a panel which made him to equip his wrecking ball. "One way or another, I'm getting off this boat." he declared before jumping off the ledge and threw himself toward the panel. That caused the power core to start exploding and the ship to fall out of the sky.
"Now what?!" Megatron noticed the ship began to fall.
Bulkhead arrived at the docks just in time to see a clone fall to the wall. "Out of my way!" He said before transforming and flying out of the ship. It was then he realized he made a mistake but soon assured him that this was for his little sister.
Megatron arrived to the command center.
"My liege, our power core has been compromised." A drone informed him.
"Prepare for landing." Megatron ordered.
The Nemesis crashed into the ground before slowing down just before it reached the edge of a cliff. When it landed, Bulkhead took this opportunity and raced back to base.
"Stasis." Ratchet observed the Decepticon femme. "She deserves worse."
"I intended worse, more times than you know." Arcee stated.
"You are stronger for the choice you made." Optimus assured her.
Suddenly, honking caught everyone's attention to the entrance of the base and saw a familiar green vehicle transform into Bulkhead. "Guys, you are not gonna believe the day I had!" he exclaimed before noticing the pod with Airachnid in it. "You too, huh?"
A clone transformed when he arrived at the Harbinger and walked inside where his master was.
"Lord Starscream, your most loyal servant has returned. But I regret to inform you that our collected mission has failed." The clone slowly raised his rocket at the seeker.
"Hm, yes, I got that sense. Something to do with... a throbbing ache in my side!" Starscream turned around and fired a rocket at the clone.
The clone now had a hole in his chassis. "You knew I would attempt to terminate you?"
Starscream grunted in pain. "I feel your pain... really I do." He fired his rocket and screamed in pain. "Ah! Scrap that hurt!"