Rian: With this chapter, the most arduous editing is finally behind us. Chapters should flow more easily now, though we're still going to take our time to look over them before posting. Anyway, enjoy!
Misgel: That said, we hope to get chapters out more frequently. However, summer classes have already started up for me, so I will be putting some time aside for school. So please be patient with us. Telling us to "update" will not make the process any faster.
Megatron was filled with zeal.
True, things had certainly not gone the way he wanted, but he could see his slaves falling into his arms. At long last, that annoying, rebellious gleam in the femme's optics was gone. It had cost him an army of supersoldiers and nearly the life of his chief engineer, but he realized now it was worth the costs. If he acted carefully, his newest recruits could provide him with more than Project Predacon ever could.
His thoughts were interrupted by a piercing ring from his com-link. It was Starscream with his report. He answered the private line almost immediately.
"Well? Is it done?"
"Er, y-yes, my liege," Starscream's voice replied, though his voice was a higher pitch than normal. Megatron hardly noticed, a wicked grin spreading across his faceplates, only to vanish just as quickly as his second-in-command went on. "Though... not completely."
Instantly the warlord frowned, demanding, "What do you mean?"
"Erm… I believe it is something you should behold for yourself."
Megatron growled lightly, ending the call abruptly as his good mood soured. The slaves seemed to notice, eyeing him wearily.
"Wh-what's happening?" Quickclaw asked, feeling a flicker of frustration cross the bond before Megatron abruptly shut it.
The Decepticon leader turned to order his pet to be silent, but then he had a better idea. The Autobots went through a lot of trouble to raid Shockwave's laboratory, even firing upon their precious pet and setting off an explosion. No doubt the damage would be extensive, and if Starscream spoke true, that the Predacons were no more...
Megatron did not plan to push his slaves near the edge, no. He wanted to push them over it.
"I must inspect the damage done to the laboratory, to see if any of the clones survived," he announced, already turning away. "You two will accompany me."
"Why us?" Quickclaw queried, only to flinch when Megatron's optics flashed. Then he looked to Warpdrive's injured side. "Can Miko stay here to be repaired at least?"
"I'm fine," the femme muttered, though her assurance didn't very very convincing.
"No, you're not. You need rest—"
He was interrupted when Warpdrive finally raised her gaze, her optics flashing dangerously as she snapped, "But what about the Predacons? What happened to them?"
Megatron cocked an optic ridge. So it would seem Optimus's bleeding spark not only affected Quickclaw, but the femme as well. The beasts had torn her apart and nearly terminated her. Yet here she was, leaking energon in the medbay, and she was still more concerned over lesser beings than herself. The warlord was about to crush her hopes, but to his surprise, Quickclaw beat him to it.
"Miko..." the mech started hesitantly, gently. "If there was an explosion..."
"They could be hurt," Warpdrive finished stubbornly. "I have to see if they're okay. I have to see Predaking."
Megatron's optics narrowed at the odd tone the femme used when she mentioned the Predacon's self-proclaimed title. He remembered when the beast took her hostage, and the exasperated Decepticons had to all but wrestle her free from his claws. Apparently Warpdrive still had an attachment. He needed to sever it, and quickly.
"Let her come, Quickclaw," Megatron conceded. Tilting his helm, his lips curled in a false smile. "She's curious."
He ignored Warpdrive's rather insolent glare, while Quickclaw fidgeted, still uncertain. Finally, the former human must have accepted he could not argue against them both.
"...Alright," he relented with a sigh.
When Warpdrive tried to stand on her own, she stumbled a little, causing Quickclaw to reach out and grasp her arm to steady her. She didn't flinch away, allowing the mech to support her weight.
Megatron had to fight a growl as he watched the femme lean against his pet. He needed to ensure they relied on their masters, not each other. Something he needed to remedy soon. He had already planted the seeds of doubt. Now he merely had to watch it grow.
The warlord turned his attention to his commlink. "Soundwave, open a groundbridge."
He sent coordinates and he only had to wait a few moments before a swirling vortex yawned open. Knowing the younglings were still regaining their strength, he waited a few moments to allow them to approach, and they all stepped through together.
When the group emerged on the other side, all three froze at the sight that greeted them. Miko and Jack audibly gasped. Megatron's optics widened. Before, the cavern had been filled with slumbering Predacons, now it was filled with twisted, chaotic metal that spiraled in random directions. Wherever Jack looked, he was greeted with more and more of the strange material.
"What is this?" Jack gasped.
Suddenly the mech froze as his optics landed on something. Miko followed his gaze, only to gasp. If she had still been human, she would have surely purged.
Beside one of the incubation tanks was a massive, grey form. It looked horribly disfigured-a mess of metal and horns and claws, and it took a long time for the femme to process it was the remains of a Predacon. It was either left incomplete, destroyed before it could reach maturity, or the explosion had ripped it apart. Or, it was taken by another force.
The same twisting metal that surrounded them jutted out of the creature's hide in like wicked tendrils in a grotesque sight. Starscream stood beside it, examining the odd substance with a talon. He hardly looked bothered, optics narrowed in concentration and a frown on his lips.
"Peculiar," he muttered as he shifted on his pedes.
"What is this?" Jack gasped.
He received no answer to his question as they looked ahead. A familiar, slim silver figure was ahead of them, claw scraping against the chaotic branches of metal. Megatron stopped just behind the Seeker.
"What have you discovered?" Megatron demanded his second-in-command, touching the material cautiously for himself.
"It appears to be pure Cybertronian cybermatter. Not unlike that which once existed upon our primeval homeworld."
"Or that which engendered my citadel here on Earth."
"Is... is that what caused all this?" Jack asked cautiously.
"Perhaps," Starscream shrugged, strutting away from the group. He looked upon his surroundings with a fascinated look. The former human found it wasn't completely surprising-Starscream had once been a scientist himself, before he was made a military commander. "Yet the cybernucleic acid alone could not explain these odd formations."
Megatron narrowed his optics, wishing Shockwave was clear from medbay. He would have analyzed the entire cavern by now, patiently waiting to report to his lord. However, he decided to humor Starscream, asking, "Do you have any theories what else it could be?"
"Well, considering there is only one anomaly present, I do have a guess."
The Seeker turned, raising a clawed talon. The guests turned their gazes, only to let out puzzled gasps.
On the far side of the laboratory, there was an ugly nest of the strange metal, branching out like wicked tendrils. It was obviously the source of the explosion, except these brambles were different. They were covered in a sickly green slime, possessing a poisonous glow that made the former humans' tanks churn. It was a substance they knew all too well.
"Synthetic energon?" Megatron mused, raising an optic ridge at the bizarre sight.
"So it would seem that the cybernucleic acid has a rather intriguing reaction with it."
At that, the Decepticon leader's optics widened and his deep voice was nearly an amazed whisper, "Cyberformation."
"Wait," Jack interjected, stepping forward. "I thought you needed the Ome-"
A menacing hiss cut off his sentence, echoing through the air. Instantly every frame froze at the sound, save Starscream, who merely rolled his optics.
"Oh, and there is one other detail," he muttered, venom dripping from his words.
The earth quaked underneath their pedes, thunder-like steps reverberating from a darkened hall. Two yellow orbs appeared from the darkness, glowing so brilliantly they illuminated the ground before the massive, hulking figure. A bipedal Predaking stomped forward, looking like a terrible sight.
His crooked fangs were bared in a snarl and his fangs were curled in anger. His plating was bristling to make the titan look twice his intimidating height, the spikes of his armor standing rigid. Predaking's frame was stained with energon from helm-to-pede, giving him a bloody appearance. The scorch marks, gashes, and dents littering his chassis made him look all the more gruesome.
Jack shivered underneath the Predacon's scorching gaze, instinctively stepping closer to Megatron. The warlord offered no comfort, staring at Predaking as if he was a ghost. Even Miko stared with frozen horror.
"What happened to you?" she asked in astonishment, at a loss of how anything could injure Predaking so.
"The Autobots, obviously," muttered Starscream. Predaking's optics flashed at the name.
"They did this," the Predacon snarled, his voice so harsh that Jack flinched further away. "The legion-desecrated. Murdered. All of them, gone!"
It was only because Jack was pressed so close to Megatron he heard the warlord mutter, "Yet you are still alive."
The Decepticon leader glared over his shoulder at Starscream, who shied away from the deadly look.
"I'll destroy them. I'll destroy every last Autobot until nothing remains but ash!" Predaking's voice grew louder and louder with each word, until his furious bellow resounded across the cavern. "THEY WILL PAY!"
At that dark promise, the self-proclaimed king twisted and raised his shaking fists into the air, only to slam them down at the nearest boulder. The rock shattered at the force with an awful noise, throwing a cloud of dust and debris into the air. While the rest of the group flinched at the violent outburst, Megatron sounded as calm and controlled as ever.
"In due time, Predaking," the Decepticon leader stated, as though the Predacon hadn't just destroyed a boulder with his bare servos. He moved towards the raging beast with confidence, his voice filled with righteous promise. "For I vow that the Autobots will not go unpunished for this outrage against your kind."
"I will destroy them the next time we meet," Predaking snarled, before his optics flashed over to Miko, his gaze drawn to the wound in her side. It was only then the femme winced at the intense gaze, only to quickly cover the ugly plating with her servo. Though it was too late as the Predacon bristled. "And they have stooped so low as to injure a hatchling."
He stalked over to Miko and Jack reacted instantly. He jerked away from Megatron, stepping in front of her as the Predacon approached.
"It's okay, Jack," Miko assured quietly. She moved forward, pushing down the arm that was shielding her. Then she spoke, her voice filled with utmost confidence, "He won't hurt me."
She offered a small smile at Predaking, whose bristling plating settled at her soft gaze. The femme glanced around only to notice that two familiar figures were absent. Her spark twisted in anxiety.
"Where... where are Lazerback and Twinstrike?"
Predaking scowled fiercely, his lips curling to show wicked denta. He turned on his heels, the wings on his back rustling in anger. "They are this way."
Without further explanation, the Predacon turned and lumbered towards the way he came. The group exchanged a few skeptical glances, until Miko broke the stalemate and trotted after the giant.
"Miko!" Jack hissed, instinctively running after her.
He tugged on her wrist, only for her to quickly wrench free from his grasp and pressed forward. Realizing he didn't have a choice, the mech followed her, hearing their masters' pedes close behind.
They did not have to travel far. Miko let out a gasp and Jack's optics widened at the two massive figures collapsed across the ground. Lazerback and Twinstrike looked no better than Predaking, their beastly forms covered in fresh wounds. Except Lazerback's optics were shut in stasis lock while Twinstrike tried to lift a helm, groaning and optics flickering.
"They were wounded in battle," Predaking explained in a bitter snarl as he saw the group's shocked expressions.
"Will they…?" Jack started to ask, but trailed off, unsure what to say. The Predacon seemed to have pity on him.
"They will survive. It will take more than this to destroy a Predacon."
"Your 'brethren' aren't as fearsome as you claim, considering how they were so easily defeated by the Autobots," scoffed Starscream from Megatron's side, mouth pulled into a sinister smirk at the sight of the pair. Predaking turned to face the Seeker, but Miko had beaten him to it.
Miko's crimson optics flashed with violence. In a speed that defied her broad frame, the femme whirled around and cleared the distance between her and Starscream in a single leap. The Decepticon let out an undignified yelp as she tackled him to the ground. She expertly pinned his lithe frame under her bulky weight, claws digging into his clavicle armor.
"What in the name of Primus are you doing?!" Starscream shrieked. "Get off of me this instant!"
Miko didn't obey, retorting in a shout, "This is all your fault!"
"M-Miko!" Jack gasped at the sudden event. He moved to drag the femme off of the Decepticon lieutenant before she got them both killed, only for a clawed servo to cut off his path. The mech widened his optics at Megatron's stern look. But knowing better than to question the warlord, Jack clipped his intake shut and fell into his master's shadow.
"Why didn't you warn us?! The 'Bots were at the front door and you didn't do anything!" Miko snarled, drawing energon and Starscream gasped at the sudden pain. "You didn't even try to help! It's because of you that the Predacons are dead!"
Starscream's optics were wide and bright, obviously not expecting her wrath. He fumbled for a reply, "That's not- I-"
"You left us at the mercy of the Autobots! They tried to kill me! I almost died because of you!"
"No, no, they wouldn't have!"
"Then why did they shoot me?!"
"How am I supposed to know?"
The Seeker yelped, trying to worm out from under the femme. But despite her small size, the former human was stronger, tightening her grip until metal bent under her fingers. While Jack stared at scene with shocked horror, Megatron merely scrutinized the femme with narrowed optics.
"Admit it!"
"P-Please! I can explain!"
"What could you possibly have to say for yourself?!"
Starscream's fearful gaze flickered from her to Megatron's imposing form. Looking back up at his captor, his voice dropped to a harsh whisper, his voice barely audible. "It wasn't supposed to happen..."
The human-turned-Cybertronian blinked, but she humored him and lowered her voice as she demanded, "What are you talking about?"
"The Autobots were supposed to shoot Shockwave, not you. Leave it a Wrecker to have lousy aim!"
"So this was all a ploy to cut out of the competition?"
"No-well, yes, but-gah!" Starscream choked as Miko pressed against his throat, cutting off his ventilation system and smothering his vocalizer. He forced himself to continue though, even as his voice was filled with static. "-At least you would be free."
"...What?" Miko's harsh tone was replaced by a quiet hush, her optics widening in shock. "Why would you-"
"I have my own reasons!"
Miko squinted her optics to stare down at him suspiciously, not letting up her crushing grip. Her voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. "Then tell me!"
"Oh, what does it matter-"
No longer caring about their audience, Miko rose her voice in a ferocious bellow, "TELL ME!"
Starscream flinched and even Jack jumped at the sudden outburst. The Seeker eyed her warily, until he murmured, so low even Miko strained to hear, "A warper is not meant to live in chains..."
The human-turned-Cybertronian stiffened at the words. What did-no, it was a lie. Surely Starscream was saying this merely to save his own hide. He wanted Shockwave killed, and he didn't care if she got caught in the crossfire. But... Why did he have that look in his optics?
It was the same one when the Air Commander saved her from Cylas. When he told her about Skywarp.
Miko closed her eyes with a heavy sigh, releasing her vice grip on Starscream's neck. She slowly shifted her weight off the Seeker, who sputtered in relief. He quickly scrambled away from her, a servo rubbing the dented metal as he less than gracefully rose to his pedes. The femmed watched him warily, though some heat remained in her optics. The pair stared at each for several long, tense moments.
Miko jumped as suddenly a set of long talons fell onto her shoulder. She twisted around to face her assaulter, only to see a solid black wall. She had to crane her helm to meet Predaking's gaze. But instead of that burning glare from before, the Predacon's optics were soft and warm. With impossibly gentleness, he cupped her face with her servo.
"Do not despair, Small-One," Predaking rumbled. "The Autobots will be punished for this massacre."
Miko's spark twisted at the words. Did he really think that was all she was upset about? Not that her best friends tried to kill her? Not that she didn't know if she could trust the words of a liar? Yet Predaking sounded so sure, his voice filled with resolution.
He was the one who had rescued her and Jack from Lazerback and Twinstrike with the same ferocity. He had protected her then, just as he had come to protect her from the Autobots.
"Excellent display."
Miko was torn from her thoughts at the gravelly tone. She turned to see Megatron walking forward with a fanged smile. His optics were bright as he looked down upon the femme.
"Not many can single-handedly defeat my second-in-command."
"I-I would hardly call it a defeat, my Lord-" Starscream was quick to defend himself, and even quicker to be silent when Megatron's mouth curled downward and his optics brightened. Wings fell flat on his back, and Decepticon warlord returned his attention to the femme.
"I see Shockwave's training is quite effective."
It was the equivalent of a blade to the spark. Miko stiffened. The Decepticon leader merely smirked at her reaction, optics filled with triumph. Before the femme had the chance to claw at his ugly face, he turned back to Starscream.
"You were a scientist of Vos, were you not?" The Seeker was still nodding when Megatron was demanding, gesturing to the metal all around them, "Then what do you hypothesize why this cybermatter resembles chaos?"
"Well, I can't be certain, my Lord, but it would appear the basic elements are unstable," Starscream hypothesized, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "But I can surmise that the unfinished formula for the Synth-En, reacting with the cybernucleatic acid, may have contributed to these erratic cybermatter formations."
Megatron hummed, squinting in thought. He slowly began to pace, tucking his arms behind his back. Jack eyed the Decepticon leader warily, as he could practically hear the gears turns in the warmonger's helm.
Finally, Megatron turned back to the group as he spoke, "If we manage to find the means of mass producing this cybermatter, then we should consider using it to further advance the Decepticon cause. Should we choose to restore Cybertron, or cyberform Earth, we would require a launch mechanism, would we not?"
Jack and Miko exchanged glances, baffled. Cyperform?
Starscream only frowned, just as confused, but nodded hesitantly, "I... suppose you are correct, Lord Megatron. Though we would need to acquire the resources needed to undertake such a large-scale project."
Megatron gave a broad, fanged smile and a wicked gleam in his optics. It made Jack shudder, knowing nothing good ever came from that sinister look. Except, he could never anticipate the words the Decepticon leader spoke next.
"Then we will focus all our remaining resources... upon the successful reconstruction of the Omega Lock."
Lennox shuffled through the papers that littered his desk, mostly reports that he either needed to look over or ones he made himself to send to the higher-ups at the Pentagon. More than once he found himself rubbing his face in exhaustion. He never would have accepted that promotion to lieutenant colonel if it meant so much paperwork. He needed to be elsewhere right now―with his men, with the Autobots. Lennox needed to figure out how to make sure something like last time never happened again.
The images were still fresh in his mind. His men lying across the ground, bleeding and screaming and dying, as fire burned at their flesh. As the fire burned everything. The commander could still hear the Predacon's awful screams, its claws and fangs flashing in the sunlight as it tore the humans apart. As it tore Raf apart.
Poor, poor Raf.
The human-turned-Cybertronian had tried to take on the beast himself, to buy the humans enough time to escape. He fought bravely and relentlessly, but it was no use. Lennox could only watch helplessly as the Predacon pounced on little Raf, ripping him apart and throwing him around like a dog with a chew toy.
The former human was still recovering. He could walk on his own now, but his movements were slow and stiff and he could only stay on his pedes for so long. Ratchet recommended a series of exercises so he could practice his range of motion, which was almost like physical therapy for robots. Bumblebee usually volunteered to guide his charge when the medic couldn't. And then there was the damage to his processor.
Raf still couldn't recollect anything from that horrible day. The best they managed was bits and pieces from him. He remembered traversing the tunnels to a gigantic cavern… then nothing.
It was Bumblebee that chose to tell him that when they arrived at the energon mine, they had been ambushed by a resurrected Predacon, and the mutant had gotten knocked out early in the fight. The result was a shocked and depressed Raf, a disapproving Ratchet, and a looming Optimus Prime.
And then Raf had a seizure. One moment, the youngling was talking to Bumblebee, trying to convince him that he could drive again. The guardian replied he wasn't ready yet, failing to notice how Raf froze and his optics flickered. Then, without warning, he had collapsed to the ground.
Before anyone in the room could react, or Lennox could comprehend what was happening, Raf's frame started convulsing. His limbs flailed in random directions and his armor shifted at odd angles, creating disturbing clanging sounds. Bumblebee shouted as loud as his prosthetic voice would allow as he called for Ratchet.
The medic had rushed into the room and the team could only watch for several long, agonizing moments until Raf's seizure stopped as quickly as it started. Ratchet had immediately taken the unconscious mech back to his medbay, running scans and even going as far to remove the plates protecting his processor.
Nothing had been out of the ordinary, however. The newly-implanted wires were still in place and the memory cells were still functional. Ratchet was more confused than the rest of the Autobots. Eventually, he determined Raf wasn't in immediate danger, but was uncertain if the seizures would persist. How severe they would be, the medic could not say.
Even Lennox could see the guilt in Ratchet's optics. The Autobot had done his best, performed a miracle even, but it still hadn't been enough. Raf, however, remained unaware of the others' distress. He had no recollection of the seizures, so the team was forced to continue on as if they never happened. An Autobot would accompany him at all times, to the youngling's annoyance, complaining that he didn't need a constant babysitter.
The only good news was that Project Predacon had been terminated. With the Decepticon facility and nearly all of their Predacons clones were destroyed, the Autobots had finally tilted the scales of war back in their favor. Lennox did not know what had happened to the three surviving Predacons that could transform. If they had survived, nothing good would come of it.
In the aftermath of the Predacon army's destruction, came a near falling out between Bulkhead and Wheeljack. The two were once inseparable, but now they couldn't be in the same room together without arguing with each other. As far as Lennox understood, the Wreckers blamed each other for losing Miko once again.
During the battle, Shockwave had taken Miko hostage, and Wheeljack had fired at the scientist when Miko was still in his grasp. A tactic Lennox was not unfamiliar with. As an Army Ranger, he had been taught to take the shot, if the target proved more valuable than the hostage. Even if it resulted in an injury or even death. They could deal with the aftermath later.
But then he was told Miko was caught in the crossfire, and she had carried the mortally wounded Shockwave through the groundbridge. Rather than pursuing the Decepticon or locking down the area, Wheeljack had angrily launched a grenade. Nearly bringing the entire mountain on top of Wreckers.
Lennox glanced down at the paper in his hand, still trying to word his report carefully. If he somehow turned the disastrous operation into sounding like a victory, it could make the higher-ups at the Pentagon realize that the Autobots were valuable allies. Perhaps it could help Fowler, who was still fighting his case in Washington D.C. Apparently Galloway was on a warpath.
Lennox sighed deeply, feeling his headache worsening. He looked over at the side table pushed against the wall, longingly eyeing the bottle of whiskey upon it. He would kill for a drink right now. The lieutenant colonel was considering giving in to temptation, only to be interrupted by the shrill ring of the phone. Lennox answered it without delay, bringing the bulky device to his ear.
"This is Colonel Lennox—" he started, but was cut off by a frantic voice. Instantly every muscle in his body tensed and he practically jumped out of his chair. "What are you talking about? Our sensors didn't even—!"
The caller went on, and Lennox's felt a chill crawl down his spine. Oh, why did this have to happen now? The man breathed through his nose and evened out his tone.
"Alright, I understand," he replied with the calmness and authority of a commander. "Reinforcements will be there shortly."
With that, Lennox slammed the phone down on the base, abruptly ending the call. He took his coat in hand and hadn't even pulled it all the way on as he stormed out the door. His office was attached to Hangar E, the Autobots' newfound base of operations. The lieutenant colonel didn't walk far, coming to the second-story railing that looked over the main lobby.
"We've got a problem," Lennox announced, and the several Autobots present glanced up at his arrival.
"What is it, Commander Lennox?" Optimus Prime asked, stepping forward as he heard the urgency in the human's voice.
The NEST commander swallowed thickly and his eyes were solemn. "'Cons again. Looks like we caught them in progress this time. U.S. forces are holding them off but they won't last long."
The Autobot leader narrowed his optics, demanding lowly, "Where?"
"The Los Alamos nuclear power plant."