I let out a soft sigh and looked at Rodimus with a tilted head.
"Would you all please wait on the balcony for a sec?" I asked them as I turned back to them. "I need to think about this."
They gave Rodimus a mean look as they did as I asked.
"Just keep the human out of it!" Rumble snorted.
I rolled my eyes. "I value his advice, now get on the balcony!"
"What am I supposed to do now?!" I gave him a desperate look. "I'd love to help them out, but they ARE the bad guys."
He crossed his arms across his chest. "They are right about Galvatron though, lately he does do all the work for us when it comes to taking out Decepticons."
"Well, what's the fun in that?" I grinned.
"And he's getting more and more unpredictable."
"Would you mind if I help them?"
"Hmmm… it might have a positive effect for us as well," he said, referring to Galvatron's unpredictability.
"I can always take a look at him, right?"
He nodded. I gestured the Decepticons back into the room. To keep his cover Rodimus stayed back.
"So will you help us?" Rumble wanted to know right away.
"I'll see what I can do. Can you bring him to me?"
"HUH, we're gonna need one heck of an excuse to get him to come with us. Cyclonus messed that up when he lured him to Torkulon," Rumble told me.
"You could just grab him in a real battle," Frenzy suggested.
"Or we could stage a battle to grab him!" I came up with.
"Are you MAD?! We don't want the Autobots to know about this!" Rumble exclaimed.
"Don't you think they've noticed by now? He does all their work for them in a battle!"
"Galvatron won't appreciate that…" Rumble said, already fearing for his life.
"If you have a better idea, I'd like to hear it."
"A real battle…." Frenzy tried.
"When I'm regenerating his brain, I do not want to be shot at or attacked in any other way. You cannot guarantee that in a real battle, can you?"
They shook their heads.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure he won't know it's a set up."
The looked at each other, discussed their options for a moment and came to a conclusion.
"Very well," Rumble said for all of them.
Back in his own body, Rodimus called Ultra Magnus, Springer, Kup, Blurr and the Aerialbots into the briefing room.
In the meantime the synthoid-machine was taken to Autobot-City and rebuilt in a special, highly secured chamber. It was a most interesting piece of machinery, worthy to be kept around.
When Rodimus told the others about our plan to help the Decepticons, they called us crazy at first.
But recalling Galvatron's behavior towards the Decepticons lately, they had to admit it was getting out of hand.
"So please explain to us how this us OUR problem?" Springer responded.
"It's not," I said before Rodimus could reply to that. "But they came to me for help."
"So?" Kup asked.
"We're the good guys! We help others in trouble, right?" I tried to convince them.
"They are Decepticons…" Ultra Magnus stated.
"They were BEGGING me for help," I told them.
"Do we really need a mad maniacal and totally unpredictable enemy?" Rodimus lay out on the table. "We won't just be doing them a favor but us as well."
"And what's the fun in a battle when Galvatron takes out the Decepticons for you?" I said with a smile. That had to change some minds.
They had to admit they'd rather take out the Decepticons themselves.
Now to come up with a plan… what kind of battle would we come up with?
"How can we stage a battle and make sure Galvatron is gonna show up?" Ultra Magnus pondered out loud.
"What would he definitely show up for?" Springer asked.
"Energon…" Kup said.
"I got it!!" I jumped off of my seat and looked at Rodimus. "He's show up if YOU are out on your own! We'll make it look as if you're having one of your dips and took off to some remote place to get some peace and quiet…" I sat down again. "The Decepticons only need to tip him off. He'll show. Well?"
Rodimus put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at me. "Thank you, Alyx."
The others grinned.
My cheeks flushed. "No offence… really… but why else would you be out all by your lonesome...?"
No comment, just the annoyed gaze.
"We don't need to tell them you're having a dip…"
"I'm NOT having a DIP!"
My grin changed in a naughty smirk. "We could always put you no the edge of one…"
"What do you mean 'we'?" Springer asked with a grin. "You can do that just fine on your own!"
Laughter. Even Rodimus could laugh about that one.
"It would be easier than coming up with some battle… and we'll need less Autobots…" Ultra Magnus said.
"I could erase it from the memories of those who're needed…" I suggested.
"That won't be necessary," Rodimus quickly said before I tried anything. "We could use some backup in case something goes wrong."
"What could possibly go wrong? I'll be there, I'll fry their circuits if they try anyting." I smiled.
"We're bringing backup anyway," Rodimus insisted.
"Very well… You're the bait… you decide." I let out with a sigh.