Author's note: Phew, sorry about the really late update. Been a really busy couple of weeks. Hopefully normal service will be resumed now.
On another note…Deluxe Animated Arcee is here! Life is awesome! And I got nominated for best actor for basically impersonating Animated Megatron in that drama thing. Woo-hoo!
Glad the last chapter seemed to go down pretty well.
A streak of white darted through the shadows of the Detroit industrial sector, pausing now and again to scan the surroundings or press itself up against a wall.
"Keeping it low but not slow, OP", Jazz said into his commlink, "The fusion power plant is dead ahead. Not a vibe of a Decepticon energy signal".
Positioned nearby on a rooftop, Optimus nodded, "The leftover radiation from the meltdown must be concealing their energy signatures. Proceed with caution".
Optimus had chosen Jazz to proceed with this mission as he was the stealthiest member of the team. But Optimus was poised to supply reinforcements, with the other Autobots and Dinobots positioned nearby for the inevitable battle.
Arcee and Bumblebee were approaching from the north, supported by Swoop. Bulkhead, Ratchet and Snarl were positioned to the east of the plant. Grimlock waited to the west, while Optimus hung back to the south as Jazz advanced.
Optimus touched his commlink, "You're positive this is the location Cyclonus identified as the Decepticon base, Bumblebee?"
"Oh, sure I'm sure!" an indignant Bumblebee answered, "I mean, how many solar fusion power plants does this city have? It's not like I could get it mixed up with somewhere else".
"Good point".
The Autobots waited. Jazz informed them that he still hadn't detected any Decepticons in the vicinity. They advanced and tightened their invisible perimeter around the plant.
"Where are Decepticons?" grumbled Grimlock into his newly-installed commlink, "Me Grimlock was promised fight with Decepticons".
"We're still waiting on that", Optimus replied.
"Okay. Hmm. Truck robot make Dinobots come to fight Decepticons but no Decepticons here. Me Grimlock think him truck robot stupid sometimes. Me Grimlock wonder if Pretty Lady Bot like me Grimlock".
Optimus rolled his optics, "Grimlock, you have to turn off your commlink when you're done transmitting".
A pause.
"Oopsie", Grimlock mumbled before the commlink went dead.
"Jazz reporting in. Just scoped out the 'Con HQ and not a transistor of a 'Con in sight".
"What? Are you sure?" asked Optimus.
"Positively solid", replied Jazz, "Looks like they were here not long ago though, but they burned rubber and high-tailed it outta here. Looks like there was some action here: the joint's a scrap pile".
"So now what do we do, boss-bot?" asked Bulkhead.
Optimus considered it, "We head in and investigate. Maybe we can find a clue or figure out where they've gone. Everybody regroup at Jazz's position".
He ignited his jetpack and headed for the power plant. Below and to his left he could see Grimlock stomping up the street in his robot mode. As he approached the plant he could see the domed roof was riddled with gaping holes. He dropped through one and landed next to Jazz, who was examining the tracks on the dusty floor.
"Been a lot of 'Con activity here, OP", said Jazz without looking up, "Looks like they've been powering down here for quite some time".
Swoop arrived, flying in through the damaged roof. Arcee and Bumblebee drove in through the opened shutter and transformed to their robotic modes.
"So what caused them to leave?" Optimus wondered, gesturing to the damaged in the roof, "Whatever happened here, I guess".
Jazz nodded. Bulkhead, Ratchet, Grimlock and Snarl arrived.
"No dumb Decepticons for me Grimlock to smash?" growled Grimlock.
"Doesn't look like it", Bumblebee said glumly, "They must have known we were coming".
"Actually, no", a voice from above announced.
The Autobots looked up. Cyclonus was stood on the roof, glaring down at them.
Grimlock reached for his massive thermal sword and pointed it at the Decepticon. Flame began to mount at its tip, ready to gush forth in a lethal stream of hot fire.
"Wait!" Bumblebee yelled frantically, hopping up and down, "Prime, tell him to wait! He can help us!"
Optimus placed a restraining hand on Grimlock's shoulder, "Hold your fire. What do you want, Decepticon?"
The sloping grey face of the Detroit Dam, a giant structure situated on the North Santiam River, was thick and sturdy, but deep beneath its solid walls was a network of hollow chambers and rooms.
Deep within these catacombs lurked the Decepticons. Even the huge Lugnut and Blackout looked small in the enormous rooms of the great structure. Decepticon-sized computer consoles and equipment were set up in every room, and the thick walls of the dam prevented the detection of their energy signatures.
It was an ideal base for the Decepticons. Like most large-scale installations in Detroit it was fully automated with no human staff on-site, and what little security measures there were had already been hacked and converted to ignore the 'Cons.
As she lay on a stretcher, the wounded Slipstream reflected that she had been right. Dirt Boss hadn't been content to merely take orders from her. From what she could tell, in secret he and his two followers had begun constructing a new base to rival hers for when he made his own play for power.
Unfortunately the arrival of first Team Chaar and then Megatron had dramatically altered the balance. Dirt Boss had reluctantly accepted that he was no longer 'the boss' and settled instead for commanding only the Constructicons.
After Starscream's attack had all but destroyed the power plant the Constructicons had informed the others about the dam. They had quickly relocated, transporting what important equipment that was still intact from the plant to their new base.
Slipstream and Cyclonus were being treated for the wounds inflicted by Starscream, and most of the other Decepticons who had encountered the Autobots required at least superficial repairs.
On one stretcher lay Lugnut. Strika hovered by his side, wringing her hands.
"Oh you poor thing!" she said, "Look at what that brute Optimus Prime has done to you! When I get my servos on him I'll…"
"As long as I have you by my side my recovery will be swift and my vengeance complete, my beauty", Lugnut replied gently, "But for now our thoughts must be with Megatron, who has bravely chosen to confront the accursed traitor Starscream alone".
"It's highly illogical", Shockwave observed as he studied a monitor, "Starscream was clearly offline just a few cycles prior. You must have been mistaken", he said to Slipstream, "It must have been another rogue clone".
Slipstream twisted about to glare at him, "I know what I saw, freak-features. It was Starscream alright".
Shockwave was about to answer back when the commlinks of the Decepticons buzzed and Megatron's voice rang through their processors.
"Attention Decepticons, this is Megatron. As you are all well aware I left to confront Starscream, but I can now tell you that the prodigal son has returned home. Starscream is hereby reinstated as second in command".
The Decepticons stared at one another in disbelief.
It was Oil Slick who spoke up first…"Are you sure that - ?"
"My authority and decisions are not to be questioned", warned Megatron, "I am leaving now for an undisclosed location and require several warriors to accompany me. The following Decepticons must report to the Trypticon immediately: Lugnut, Blitzwing, Cyclonus, Blackout, Slipstream, Thundercracker, Skywarp and Soundwave. The rest of you will remain behind. I am placing Shockwave and Strika in joint-command of the Earth garrison in my absence. I will issue you with furthers orders at a later date".
The commlink went dead.
Cyclonus took his commlink off 'broadcast' and tilted his head as he gazed down at the Autobots, "Did you all hear that?"
"We sure did", Optimus answered, "Sounds like your story about Starscream's return isn't so far-fetched after all. And it looks like Megatron's heading off-world with Sari".
"Feh! You can't trust a 'Con, Prime", Ratchet snapped, "I learned that the hard way. He's rigged his commlink".
Cyclonus didn't answer him, "I must go. Good luck rescuing Sari. If you wish you can attach a tracking device to me so that you can follow me…"
"That's an awfully big risk to yourself, isn't it?" said Bumblebee.
Cyclonus shrugged, "I want Sari to be safe. I am prepared to face any danger to ensure that".
"It won't be necessary", Optimus said, raising his hand, "I think I know where Megatron's taking Sari. Ratchet, did you find out about the Lost Planet?"
The other Autobots looked surprised. Ratchet nodded.
"Yeah, I did. What makes you think Megatron's going there?"
"Call it a hunch. You go, Cyclonus. You have our thanks".
"If I can assist you again, I will. But remember I do this for Sari, not for the Autobots", Cyclonus transformed to his starfighter mode and streaked away towards the upper atmosphere.
"So, what's the Lost Planet?" asked Jazz.
"Well, it took me mega cycles of scrolling through records to find it", Ratchet explained, "In the end I found it in some historical archives, dating back to before the Great War. Its real name is Falkon V, but it was called the Lost Planet because it was so remote, in the middle of an otherwise deserted sector. No Cybertronian has been there for millions of stellar cycles – it's of no real interest".
"Did you get co-ordinates?" asked Optimus.
"Yeah".
"Nice work, Ratchet", Optimus looked at his comrades, "The AllSpark showed me a vision during my last visit to Cybertron. I know this sounds far-fetched, but I'm positive that this planet is where Megatron is heading. Now I realize that that's hard to believe, but if you'll hear me out…"
The Autobots looked at one another.
"I believe it", Bumblebee said.
"Me too", added Bulkhead.
Jazz nodded, "I'll buy it".
"I'm with you", said Arcee.
"Same here", said Ratchet.
Optimus stared, "What…really? You believe me? Just like that?"
"Sure we do. But we should go after 'em!" Bulkhead exclaimed, "We can transwarp to the moon and stop 'em before they leave! Maybe if we…"
Optimus regained his senses and said, "By the time we get up there we'll either be up against ten Decepticons in their starships and get ourselves fried or they'll have already left. We're going to need the element of surprise on our side".
Bulkhead punched his open palm in frustration but said nothing.
"What we need to do is transwarp to the Lost Planet", Optimus reasoned, "We can take Megatron unawares then and rescue Sari".
"Plus Cyclonus might be able to assist us without exposing himself to the other Decepticons that way", Arcee noted.
Optimus looked at Bulkhead, "You think you can rig up the space bridge to transwarp us to a remote corner of the galaxy like the Lost Planet?"
Bulkhead rubbed his chin and frowned thoughtfully, "I dunno. I'll have to take a look at the co-ordinates, but unless it's on its way to a black hole or something, shouldn't be too difficult".
"Good. You and Ratchet head back to base and see if you can work something out. The rest of you go with them", Optimus inhaled deeply, "I'm going to have a word with Cybertron Command, then go and explain the situation to the Professor".
"I'm bored", Sari declared, folding her arms across her chest.
The Decepticons didn't acknowledge her. They were busy operating the Trypticon as it steered away from the moon and into the cosmos. Slipstream, Soundwave, Blackout, Thundercracker and Skywarp were at the controls, while Megatron sat in the command chair on the bridge, flanked by Starscream, Lugnut and Blitzwing.
"We're ready for the co-ordinates, my liege", Slipstream said.
Megatron nodded and pressed a button on the command chair. A screen flipped out and Megatron tapped a code into it, pausing to ward the prying eyes of Starscream off with a glare.
"Oh please, I know where we're going", Starscream retorted, "Don't confuse me with the common herd, Megatron".
"Co-ordinates received", Soundwave droned from his station, "Plotting course. Course confirmed".
"Excellent", Megatron turned his chair around to look at Sari, who was contained behind him in a laser grid much like the one he had used to withhold her father in his underground lair, "We will soon be at our destination. I'm sorry you have to be restrained in this fashion, my dear, but your technological skills make you more than capable of sabotaging the ship. And I do not think you can be trusted just yet".
"Hmph", was Sari's indignant reply as she turned her back on him.
"Do we have to put up with this wretch?" lamented Starscream, "She's got such an attitude problem!"
"Remind you of anyone?" Slipstream whispered to Skywarp.
"You know full well that we must Miss Sumdac is of the utmost importance to our great Decepticon cause", Megatron answered Starscream, "And we shall secure what we need from her one way or another. Although your co-operation would make the process remarkably smoother, child".
Sari looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him. Megatron took it in his stride, but Starscream was incensed. He raised his arm-mounted blaster, prompting Megatron to forcibly lower it.
"Miss Sumdac, you were not unsympathetic to my goals at our last meeting", crowed Megatron, "I remind you that I am not pursuing anything 'evil', as your Autobot friends would have you believe. I am seeking the restoration of my people, and if…"
"Yeah yeah yeah, Autobot tyranny, rightful homeworld, species going extinct, I got that", Sari didn't look impressed, using her hand as sock puppet to imitate Megatron talking, "You still kidnapped me. And blew up my school".
Lugnut thundered with rage at his leader's side, "Argh! Let me destroy her for her insolence, my liege!"
Megatron didn't answer him and continued to address Sari, "As you know full well it was Starscream, not I, who abducted you. And as he was acting without my knowledge I cannot take responsibility for his actions. Rest assured I would have obtained your consent before taking you off world".
"Really? Well, guess what? You don't have my consent, so turn this ship around and take me back home!" Sari shot back cheekily.
"I'm afraid that's impossible. You've gotten a rather negative impression of my intentions due to the bungled handling of Starscream, so I…"
"Oh come on, she's not that stupid!" Starscream snapped, "Why don't you just accept the fact that we were going to have to kidnap here either way and…aargh!"
He yelled as Lugnut clobbered him with one massive fist. Starscream kicked him in the crotchplate in petty retaliation. An argument quickly broke out, with the various Decepticons struggling with one another and yelling. Only Megatron, Cyclonus and Soundwave didn't get involved.
Sari watched the furious Decepticons arguing and shrugged her shoulders, "Man, you guys really need to give democracy a try".
His hands wrapped around Blitzwing's neck, Starscream looked over at her with a confounded expression on his face, "Demo-what-ecy?"
"Democracy", Megatron explained as he intertwined his fingers, "It is a system of government used by most human cultures. It emphasizes the opinion of the people expressed via elected officials".
Sari nodded, "That's right".
"It is a foolish system, mired by bureaucracy and the ridiculous opinions of the uneducated", Megatron went on, "Not even the Autobots are so absurd as to trust in true democracy. Their officials are all elected internally by governing bodies. Only organics would be naïve enough to put their faith in democracy".
"Yeah well, organics aren't the ones who've been fighting a civil war for tens of millions of years".
Starscream burst out laughing, "She's got you there!"
Scowling, Megatron leaned closer towards Sari, "You may think that observation is new and witty, but I…what's the matter now?"
He peered at her. She was hunched over, rubbing her stomach, which was making an odd noise.
"Well? Is there some kind of malfunction?" Megatron demanded to know.
"No, I'm hungry".
The Decepticons exchanged baffled looks.
"What's'hungry'?" asked Thundercracker.
"It's when you haven't eaten and your body tells you that you need to eat", Sari said, shaking her head, "Man, didn't you guys learn anything when you were looking after my Dad?"
"Ah yes, I remember!" rumbled Lugnut, "Professor Sumdac required the intake of organic fuel at regular intervals in order to keep functioning!"
"It was a most irritating task, collecting zis fuel for him", Blitzwing sighed.
"Ah. In my haste I have neglected to pick up such necessary supplies", Megatron admitted, "If you hadn't interfered, Starscream…"
The peculiar noise came from Sari's stomach again. Megatron massaged his temple thoughtfully.
"You're partially Cybertronian, Miss Sumdac. Can't you survive without these pitiful organic nutritional supplements?"
"Dunno, can't say I've ever tried", she grinned at him, "But you need me alive, right? And you don't want me starving to death or dying of thirst on the way, do you?"
Blackout squinted at her, "Thirst? We have plenty of oil".
"I can't drink oil, motor-brain!" Sari yelled, then looked thoughtful, "Though I can't say I've tried it. But I'm not going to, that'd be…eurgh!"
"Enough!" Megatron looked at Lugnut and Blitzwing, "You two will have to return to Earth and fetch the supplies Miss Sumdac will need, and catch up with us when possible".
Lugnut saluted enthusiastically, but Blitzwing looked deflated.
"Oh, and one more thing", Sari said, starting to hop from one foot to another, "I kinda need to use the little girl's room".
Megatron sank back into his command chair and groaned, "Oh, for spark's sake".
In his poorly-lit office, Captain Carmine Fanzone sat at his desk, clattering away at an ancient typewriter. He never used computers to write reports, insisting that he always managed to lose his saved data or was unable to print it off when he was finished.
But he wasn't overly fond of the typewriter either. He would have used a pencil and paper if City Hall hadn't told him that they couldn't understand his handwriting. And so he had hauled his ancient family typewriter out of the storage closet and placed it back in active service, though in truth it probably had more value as an antique than as a working tool.
Just as he reached the bottom of a page he pressed the wrong key and misspelt 'Nino Sexton' as 'Nino Seston'. With a growl he tore the useless page of text from the typewriter and crumpled it up into a ball.
"This is why I hate machines", he muttered, and tossed it deftly at a waste paper basket in the corner. It missed and rolled into a growing pile of waste paper.
He returned to his work, pausing only to swig from a now cold cup of coffee. The door opened; standing in the frame was a pretty, smartly dressed brunette woman in her early thirties. She looked around the room and wrinkled her nose in reproach: it was a mess of stacks of unwashed uniforms, empty food packaging, ancient coffee cups and stack after stack of papers.
Fanzone looked up from his desk, "Ahh, Miss Adrias. Take a seat", he gestured to a seat opposite him and resumed typing up his report.
Nikki Adrias picked her way carefully through the room, wary of stepping on anything or tipping over one of the colossal mountains of paper. Eventually she made it over to the chair and sat down, after first removing the empty coffee mug situated there.
Fanzone finished his report, pushed the typewriter aside and looked up, "Good to see ya, Nikki. What brings you here, the Mayor found a new dummy for his ventriloquist act?"
He chuckled to himself. In truth he liked Nikki. She was officially Mayor Edsel's press secretary, but in truth she did almost everything for the ageing, reclusive Mayor, from scheduling meetings with the city's sanitation committee to serving as his adviser in negotiations with alien robots over their lack of civil rights.
Everything that went to the Mayor went through her first, and that put her in a position of great power, but Fanzone had yet to see her use that power unfairly. She was a patient and highly skilled diplomat and one of the few bureaucrats the chief of police had any time for, though she could be a little stiff at times.
"Official business, I'm afraid", Adrias said, "The Mayor received a memo from Washington this afternoon".
"Oh? What now? I figured they were sticking to the whole 'alien robot quarantine' thing".
"They are, but the President's considering taking matters to another level".
Fanzone took a donut from a box on his desk and offered the box to Adrias. She declined with an upheld palm. He shrugged and chomped down on it noisily.
Adrias wiped the resultant crumbs off the lapel off her suit and cleared her throat, "Washington thinks it's important that a few select officials in Detroit know what is being undertaken. Please bear in mind that this is strictly confidential".
She was being unusually severe, Fanzone noted. He swallowed another mouthful of donut and quirked an eyebrow.
"Come on, ya know me better than that. 'Course I ain't going to say nuthin'. But get to the point, sweetheart".
She smiled a little, allowing her frosty demeanour to waver before resuming it, "The Pentagon is considering evacuating the city of Detroit".
Fanzone choked on his donut, spluttering and coughing. He pounded on his barrel chest to force it down and stared at her in amazement.
"What?! You can't be serious!"
"Completely, I'm afraid. The Pentagon believes that the situation is unsustainable, especially after the two most recent Decepticon attacks".
"The Autobots been doin' a pretty good job of keeping everyone safe so far. There hasn't been a single casualty!"
"So far", Adrias pursed her lips, "And we both know that we've been incredibly lucky in that regard. We're at the mercy of the Decepticons, Captain. People aren't safe here".
"It ain't been safe here ever since the world's most prolific criminals started popping up ta take advantage of the easy pickings!" Fanzone argued, standing up suddenly, "If people want to leave, then they got the choice as it is. And that's fine. But this city ain't dead. People aren't leaving. Wanna know why that is?"
Nikki Adrias didn't answer.
"'Cos people like it here!" Fanzone thumped his fist down on the table, "People like being caught up in the most exciting thing ta happen to Planet Earth. And as long as they're happy to stay here, who are we to argue with 'em?"
Adrias looked away, "It's beyond our control. Nothing's been confirmed yet, but I wanted you to know it's on the cards. If the situation escalates any further though I think it can be guaranteed".
Fanzone shook his head, "We gotta put our faith in Prime and the Autobots. I wouldn't say this to their faceplates, but they've never let us down before and I don't think they will now".
"That's not the view Washington has taken on the matter", she stood up and headed for the door, "I'm sorry, Captain. I've done everything I can, but it's out of our hands now".
Fanzone escorted her to the door, "Sure, I know how it is, Nikki. Keep me updated, will ya?"
She smiled and nodded, "Will do".
He closed the door after her and leant back on it, looking up at the dirty ceiling miserably, "Well, it's all in the hands of the machines now".
"I'm sorry, Professor. My team did everything it could but…we were outnumbered and too late".
Optimus had watched with grief as Sumdac took the news of Sari's abduction like a train wreck. He looked away awkwardly, across the city of Detroit from atop Sumdac Tower. The old scientist clasped his forehead and groaned.
"Oh Sari…my poor, sweet little Sari…"
"I'm sorry. I know I promised you we wouldn't let her fall into Decepticon hands. We failed, but I'm not going to stop there".
Sumdac didn't appear to notice.
"We think we know where Megatron went", Optimus said, "And we're going after him".
Sumdac looked up, "But…hasn't Megatron left the planet?"
"Yes. But we know where he's going, and we're prepared to follow him".
The old man's eyes widened, "You're going to leave Earth behind just to find Sari? I thank you for your concern of course, Optimus Prime, but will your superiors allow you to leave Earth unguarded?"
"Earth won't be unguarded. Sari's not the only one at risk here. I spoke with Cybertron Command earlier and they agreed that we can't allow Megatron the chance to repopulate his army".
"But…who will guard Earth while you're gone?"
Optimus was about to reply when a pulse from the space bridge flared out, whipping papers through the air and startling Sumdac. Shimmering transwarp energy bloomed just in front of the chevrons on the space bridge, and an enormous shape cast its shadow over the city.
Thousands of tons of sheer mechanical power hovered above Sumdac Tower; joints and servos creaked and groaned as the giant rose one arm in a salute to Optimus Prime.
"I. Am. Omega Supreme!"