It had taken Prowl less than the predicted decacycle to formulate several plans and contingencies for the Autobots' final showdown with the Decepticons. They had begun transforming the abandoned island into a series of inescapable traps and strongholds.
Bulkhead oversaw the construction of the traps and strongholds with Megatronous, Bumblebee, Arcee, Smokescreen, Predaking and Steve doing the work.
"It feels good to be doing something useful. I've been an observer for far too long," Megatronous said.
"Well, you did have to wait until you got a good visor. I'm just glad to be building again," Bulkhead said.
::I can't believe that we may be on the verge of finally ending this war.:: Bumblebee beeped.
"I know. The more I think about it, I have no idea what I will do once it's over. I've been fighting for so long, I can't remember anything else," Arcee said as the two secured the rigging to one of the traps.
::I know. I don't even remember what peace feels like.::
While Bulkhead's team worked construction, Wheeljack installed the defensive weapons systems, the Twins, Barricade and Optimus working with him.
The outward appearance of the construction looked like the Autobots were setting up a new base. Nothing gave away the site's true purpose.
Barricade placed a large heavy weapon case on the ground "You sure this thing won't blow up on me?"
"YES. I tested it myself," Wheeljack groused.
"Not filing me with confidence," Barricade countered.
:: Don't worry, 'Cade. If you get hurt I'm sure Smokey will kiss the boo-boo and make it better.:: Sideswipe teased over comms.
Without pausing, Barricade unpacked the weapon and threw the empty, hitting the frontliner square in the faceplates.
"OWW!" Sideswipe fell back.
"Barricade, please do not damage Sideswipe. I rather like him," Prowl said.
"Why?" Sunstreaker asked.
"Why do I like him?" Prowl asked.
"Yeah, I mean, he's Sideswipe," Sunstreaker continued, securing the base of a weapon mount.
"HEY!"
Prowl paused and tilted his helm. "I don't really know. He just grew on me."
"Like rust," Barricade piped up.
"I don't have to take this, you know," Sideswipe huffed.
"Actually since you're my split spark and Prowl's bonded, you do," Sunstreaker said with a small sarcastic smile.
"Well-I don't have to take it from him." Sideswipe pointed at Barricade.
"Yes, you do, in-law, remember," Barricade.
Sideswipe huffed air out his vents, and in a rare display of affection Prowl gently rubbed one of his disgruntled mate's audial horn, eliciting a purr from said mate.
The groundbridge opened and Psi-boss and Starscream exited.
"We've come to help," she said, approaching Prowl.
"Help with setting up the weapons," he instructed.
"You're unusually quiet," Starscream said to her. "Conflicted about your creators I assume." Psi-boss shot him a surprised look. "One need not be a telepath to figure that out. Let me give you a piece of advice you can take or leave. If you categorize everything in life as either right or wrong, you shall spend your life frustrated and angry. You have to be flexible and see every shade of grey in-between."
"You seem very sure of yourself."
"Always, youngling. I was the sole creation of the Winglord of Vos. I was raised to never doubt myself and believe it was my right to rule. When enemies sense weakness, a ruler's rein ends rather quickly."
Psi-boss stopped abruptly and began scanning the sky. "Someone is approaching."
All optics turned toward the approaching flier.
"Well, stick up the aft, Praxian, how lovely to see you again," Copycat said as he landed and froze. The twins emerged from seemingly nowhere to aim their weapons against the Seeker's helm.
"Copycat, you have thus far done an excellent job with intel," Prowl said, his doorwings high and unmoving.
"Copycat," Optimus said, approaching the pair. "Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, please disengage your weapons."
The twins nudged their weapons against Copycat's helm then retracted them, remaining directly behind the troublesome Seeker.
"How long until I report finding you?" he asked, refusing to show any sign of being intimidated.
"Three earth days," Prowl said.
"Galvatron will not be leading any assault. It will be led by a division of Insecticons and Vehicons infected with the contagion. The mighty Lord of the Decepticons is holed up in his chamber, scared sparkless of contracting it.
"Once you get the infected into the traps it should take 52 joor for them to die. Will your traps hold?"
"They will," Prowl answered, his confidence in Bulkhead's engineering firm.
"Still, you best make sure Shockers has a cure in case any of you get bit. Strange thing, they like to bite servos to infect. I guess it's the easiest place to reach.
"Winglord, jerky telepath," he sneered as the two approached.
"Shadowshifter," Starscream said regally.
"Shockwave will have the cure, the question is will you actually come through for us when we need you, or will you run?" Psi-boss asked, her wings hitched high.
"Seriously, femme, what are you, the worst telepath in the history of Cybertron?"
The others glanced between the two snarling at each other.
"That is enough from you both," Optimus barked.
"Taking an uninvolved stance as usual, Prime," Copycat hissed. The two began a heated staring contest, giving those present the impression there was an argument taking place over encrypted comms.
Psi-boss used the interruption to scan Copycat's processor as unobtrusively as possible. Surprisingly an old memory file was currently looping and drawing a lot of energy.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, sir," Copycat answered.
"You know once you walk out of this office there is no record of this. If we succeed, the war is over, if you're caught or fail-"
"You know nothing and I get a court martial or die, or all of the above."
"Copycat, this is serious. We're going around official channels. If Prime, Jazz or Prowl find out I came up with this and we went behind their backs, we're both screwed."
"Whoa, Loper. First, we came up with this. Second, it has to be done, Jazz got the intel, and if it was anyone else's it would be another story. You just make sure you're here when I get back with a good cover story.
"Once I've assassinated Megatron and am safely back, we'll go to Prime, Prowl and Jazz and tell the truth. And if I succeed but don't come back, you tell them. Prime will never be able to kill one of his oldest friends, but Megatron won't hesitate to end Optimus. I have to do this."
Interloper nodded, leaned in, gave Copycat a brief kiss then Copycat walked out of the chamber.
Unsure of what she had just witnessed, Psi-boss filed the memory away and decided to talk to her Sire at a more appropriate time.