a/n: Sorry about the delay, but I have wrapped up Volume 1 of "A Girl and Her Bike", and can now give this prequel my near-undivided attention.
Except for "Super Deformed CHIBI!"
And Myths of Cybertron.
And another crossover I was thinking of working on in addition to this.
...
But, without further ado:
Chapter 3: Wreck and Rule
The gathered Ascenticons murmured amongst themselves in the makeshift stadium, until Soundwave stepped out on the page.
"Ascenticons," Soundwave opened, "Your leader, Megatron!"
The Ascenticons erupted into cheers as Megatron stepped up onto the stage, Starscream and Jetfire following behind him as B-127 perched in the rafters, scanning the crowd for threats.
Outside of an unenthusiastic but seemingly defused K-class survivor, nothing really seemed all that out of the norm.
"My loyal Ascenticons!" Megatron opened, "For too long have we slaved away under the chains of the Functionists! They have stated that our in-built alt-modes have made us lesser! That we were predestined for obscurity for our labor-built alt-modes."
The entire audience reacted with jeers and curses directed at Nominus Prime and the High Council, save for the K-class survivor, who just tried to look everywhere except at the stage.
"But if our usefulness is defined by our alt-modes, then what of them?" Megatron questioned, "Does Afluous really serve any purpose as a limousine? Can Heretech's vehicle mode carry anything useful? What use do Contrail's and Nominus Prime's alt-modes serve?"
The audience replied with a chorus of "Yeah!" and "What good are they?" as Megatron drank in the energy from the room.
"It is quite obvious to me, they set up this caste system to hide their own obsolescence!" the Ascenticon Leader continued, "In the wilds of Tsiehshi, it was the natural order that the strong prosper while the weak get in line. And the caste system has turned that on its head, keeping us on our knees before weaklings who hoard power that never belonged to them!
"So hear me now Ascenticons, we must topple this oppressive system, break our chains, and restore the TRUE world order!" Megatron announced.
The audience cheered.
"And now, your candidate, Starscream!" Megatron replied.
All of the enthusiasm was immediately drained from the room as Megatron stepped aside to let Starscream take spotlight.
"Glory guzzler," Starscream muttered under his ventilation, before recalibrating his voicebox and clearing his vents. He focused the power of his Spark into his voicebox, and amplified his voice. "MY FELLOW ASCENTICONS!" Starscream screeched as the Ascenticons winced and covered their auditory receptors and B-127 barely stopped himself from falling out of the rafters. "For too long have we suffered in mediocrity! We have our forgeright, and I, STARSCREAM, shall lead you all into greatness!"
Laserbeak hovered in the air, keeping his optical and auditory sensors focused on Starscream, and broadcasting the entire speech to the entire Ascenticon Wireless Network.
"A vote for Starscream is a vote for greatness!" Starscream's voice echoed from the radio as the purple and orange four-tread tank sped down the darkened back roads of Iacon's Outer City, "As your leader, I shall-"
The radio caught off as the truck sighed.
"Why did Megatron put that idiot on the ballot?" the car asked.
"Impactor!" a voice shouted over the comm-link, "I've sighted the target, he's just outside the Autobot Candidate's Complex!"
"Excellent work, Whirl!" Impactor praised, "Dropkick! Get Topspin and Twintwist and meet me at the ambush point Whirl's broadcasting to you! We've got another Functionist Elite to downgrade for Blitzwing's project!"
"On my way!" Dropkick replied, "Just uh… Gotta get past all this traffic first… This would be a lot easier if I had wings…" Impactor sighed.
"Nevermind, I'll transmit the coordinates to Roadbuster and we'll bring what's left of old hammerhead to you to salvage," the truck replied, "Alright team, let's wreck and rule!"
A green and tan motorcycle with crates attached to its back and sides drove away from the inner districts of Outer Iacon, humming contentedly to the tune they had imagined on the spot from the rhythm of the other vehicles.
"Would you knock it off?" a nearby automobile snapped.
"Sorry!" the motorcycle squeaked, before coming to a stop at an intersection, "Let's see, Rampage said his home was-"
"I didn't ask for your lifestory you slag-brained defect!" a neighboring vehicle shouted.
"Gah! I thought I was talking under my ventilation!"
Transmutate made a hard left as everyone else went to the right, heading to the slums at the edge of the city.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Torox! Would you get the door?!" Razorclaw shouted.
"Oh sure, send me to see who it is," the horned Predacon grumbled as he walked over to the entryway, and opened the door.
"Hi, is Rampage here?" a green and tan Autobot with red optics asked.
Torox slammed the door in their face.
"Torox, who was that?" a winged Predacon asked.
"Some annoying half-height Cybertronian was at the door," Torox replied.
"A Mini-Con?" an armor-hided Predacon asked.
"No Headstrong, they were a tad bit too big," Torox replied.
"Wait, what did they look like?" a striped Predacon asked as he poked his head out of one of the doors down the hall.
"Green and tan, probably some kinda motorcycle if I had to guess from the kibble," Torox replied, "I don't see what the big deal is, Rampage, they were probably just trying to sel-"
"THAT WAS TRANSMUTATE YOU IDIOT!" Rampage shouted, before shifting into his feline alt-mode, tackling Torox to the ground, shifting back into robot mode, and opening the door for Transmutate, "My sincerest apologies, Torox is an idiot."
"... That's not a very nice way to talk about your friend," Transmutate observed.
"This is me being 'nice'," Rampage deadpanned, "Did you bring the ingredients?"
"Yep!" Transmutate answered as they held up one of the crates, "We should still have plenty of time to brew up that new Energon formula Geomotus recommended! Just…" Transmutate flashed an awkward smile, "I'm gonna need help carrying these inside while I'm in robot mode. Unless you'd rather have me drive around your apartment."
"Don't worry, I can help," Rampage replied, "HEADSTRONG! Come pick up these other two crates for us!"
"Don't you have two arms?"
"Yes, but I'd rather not waste my strength on heavy lifting while you and Torox are around!" Rampage replied, "Besides, I know when and where you sleep!"
"Alright! Alright! I'm coming!"
.
"So, these are your friends?" Transmutate questioned as they opened a crate of ingredients.
"'Friends' might be a little too kind a word," Rampage replied as he removed some vials from the crate, "We simply have no way of getting back to our home of Eukaris, and our odds of survival are much higher if we stick together."
"Ah…" Transmutate remarked as they took out the Energon mixer, "So, I'll be honest, I have never tried this formula before, but apparently Geomotus learned it on Eukaris before the Space Bridge network closed, so I think you'll like it at least."
"And why wouldn't you like it?" Rampage asked as he poured a glowing liquid into the mixer.
"I'm worried about the texture," Transmutate answered as they emptied a mossy goo into the Energon mixer, "The taste'll probably be fine, but I'm worried about how it'll feel going down."
"So you must be that Cybertronian Rampage spoke so highly of," Razorclaw remarked as he stepped into the room, "I'll be honest, I'd thought you would transform into some kind of animal, but I suppose I shouldn't look a gift beast mode in the mouth."
"... Come again?" Transmutate replied.
"Didn't you come here to offer your support for my campaign?" Razorclaw asked.
He got his answer when Transmutate nearly dropped one of their vials and erupted into laughter. They only stopped when they noticed that Razorclaw wasn't laughing with them.
"... Wait, you're actually running?" Transmutate questioned.
"Of course!" Razorclaw replied, "And I don't see why I'd come here if you weren't intending to vote for me."
"... So you're seriously running a campaign on 'Elect me to the High Council so I can open the Space Bridge and abandon my duties to run away to Eukaris?'" Transmutate replied.
"... I didn't word it like that," Razorclaw defended.
"... Yeah… I'll be honest, I'm 90% sure that you're only gonna get pity votes from bots who also intend to leave Cybertron and never come back," Transmutate replied, "Plus, I kinda want to keep the Functionists from passing a bill that'll let them cut open and rewire my processor against my will, so…"
"Then why did you come here?!"
"Because they wanted to spend some time with a fellow outcast," Rampage answered as he poured a couple more ingredients into the mixer.
"Pretty much," Transmutate replied while fiddling with the mixer's controls, "I like Geomotus just fine, but the Functionists find him too 'useful' for him to really get me the same way Rampage does."
"I see…"
"That and I think he'll have a very colorful commentary during the debate," Transmutate added, "Even if I already know who I'm voting for, mocking a Functionist with a bloodthirsty friend is its own reward."
"If Jhiaxus gives me a reason to tear out his laser core and shove it down his fuel-intake, I see no reason to be quiet about it in private," Rampage remarked as he activated the Energon mixer.
Razorclaw quietly excused himself.
Greenlight glanced down at the projected image as she waited backstage. It depicted herself, Arcee, and a recently activated Gauge all smiling at the camera.
"They'll be… Fine…" a gravelly voice assured her, "Arcee is… Pretty tough…"
"I know Grim, but…" Greenlight sighed and deactivated the projection, "The recent string of murders just has me nervous…"
"Greenlight…" her bodyguard, a large, gray and black beastformer with gold highlights turned her around to face him, his red optics illuminating his visor as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "Arcee and I… Fight many battles… Saved me more than I saved her…"
"I… You're right," Greenlight vented off some of the building heat and pressure.
"If anyone tries anything, me, Grimlock, will crush them," her bodyguard promised.
Greenlight snickered.
"Just try not to make too big a mess," she requested.
"Grimlock… Makes no promises…"
Greenlight snorted and looked up at the clock.
"I've gotta get going," she stated, "Let Slug and Snarl know to keep their optics on the entrance in case anyone tries anything."
.
Greenlight stepped out onto the stage and walked up to the podium with the Autobot insignia, trying to ignore the dirty looks Jhiaxus was shooting at her as Andromeda addressed both the audience and the viewers at home.
"... And here we have our candidates," Andromeda continued, "The Autobot, Greenlight of Inner Iacon." There was… Some quiet applause, but most of the audience spat curses and accusations of betrayal. "And the Functionist, Jhiaxus of Polyhex." Most of the audience erupted into cheers and applause.
"What was that about the Autobots speaking for the many?" Jhiaxus taunted.
That's only because we're in a predominately Functionist neighborhood, Greenlight thought as she tried to focus on Andromeda's voice.
"These two promising candidates are running for Zone Twelve's Council Seat," Andromeda continued, even as she shot Jhiaxus an annoyed glare, "Tonight, we'll be asking them a series of questions related to Cybertron's most pressing issues to see how they plan to address them!"
Greenlight kept her ventilation even as Jhiaxus clasped his friends in front of him.
I hope Arcee and Gauge are having a less stressful evening…
"Okay so, Gauge, what color is my Spark?" Arcee asked as she and Gauge sat at a table in their humble apartment.
"Red," Gauge answered.
"And how do you know this?"
"Your optics emit a red light," Gauge answered, "For Transformers and Mini-Cons, our Optics are illuminated by our Sparks.
"Good answer," Arcee replied, "And what else do our Sparks color?"
"Our Projected Spark Fields," Gauge answered, "Because they radiate from our Sparks!"
"Alright, and I think that's it for your biology studies," Arcee as she closed the documents, "Want to see Greenlight verbally dismantle my creator on planetary television?"
"YEAH!"
"Our first question for the night," Andromeda opened, "What do you intend to do regarding the Space Bridge network? Greenlight?"
"Cybertron's economy has suffered ever since we locked ourselves off from independent worlds," Greenlight replied, "We can hardly support the planet's own population, with many being forced to live either on the streets or take their chances in the wilderness for Energon. We cannot sustain ourselves thi-"
"Oh please!" Jhiaxus interrupted, "If people are suffering, it's only because they refused to know their place! It's not society's fault if they have made themselves useless!"
"As I was saying," Greenlight continued, "The state of Outer Iacon and the condition Kaon is in is evidence of how Cybertron is incapable of sustaining its own population without aid from the ten former Colonies. As a Councilor, I would push for reestablishing Galactic Trade, and strive for commerce with the greater universe!"
"And that's for your time," Andromeda replied, "Jhiaxus?"
"Isn't the answer obvious?" Jhiaxus questioned, "If the colonies refuse to submit, then they will not receive any of our resources! Just look at our shining capital! We're in the middle of a Golden Age! And if we're to keep it going strong, we need to go forth and bring the rest of the universe to heel!
"The colonies must learn their place! They can either submit peacefully, or we can take back what our ancestors granted them by force! It is our right as a species to expand and consume all the universe has offered to us! It is our forgeright!
"As a councilor, I would propose that we offer an ultimatum to the wayward colonies. Kneel before Cybertron, and share in our wealth! Or defy us, and be smelted to pave our streets!"
The audience erupted into applause.
"Okay, now next ques-"
"We should not suffer any defiance!" Jhiaxus continued, "Those who defy the natural order are holding Cybertron back!"
The audience applauded once more.
"... Next question," Andromeda repeated with a strained calmness, "Ever since the Quintesson Occupation ended, the Guardians haven't exactly had an easy time, how would you address it? Gree-"
"Core override programs," Jhiaxus answered, "Their power has been left unchecked for too long, and we need to bring them to heel before they shatter the peace we have barely been able to protect."
The audience cheered.
"... Greenlight," Andromeda repeated.
"The Guardians were forged in a moment of desperation, forcing Iaconus to create living weapons to fight off our occupiers and reclaim our home," Greenlight opened, "And we repaid them by basically exiling them to orbit."
"Our cities are not big enough for their kind," Jhiaxus interjected.
"Perhaps, but we owe it o them to make a place for them to live, so they don't have any reason to revolt," Greenlight replied, "They are just as sapient as any other Transformer, one even created beautiful murals while recovering from injuries sustained in battle with Quintessa. We are holding ourselves back by regarding them as nothing more than weapons, when they can do so much more!"
"Okay, next ques-"
"Why didn't you let Jhiaxus answer?!" a Functionist shouted.
"He already gave his answer," Andromeda deadpanned, "Next question: Any plans regarding the Underbase, Greenlight?"
"... We should try to map it out with Sparkless drones before sending in anything alive," Greenlight replied, "The data stored within is too useful to ignore, we did get the schematics for Vector Sigma from it, after all, but that pocket reality was quarantined for a reason!"
"Jhiaxus?"
"The sooner we can send an expedition in, the better," Jhiaxus replied, "Just use degenerates to test for danger first, so that the actual productive members of society can reap the rewards! No sacrifice, no victory!"
What is wrong with this planet? Greenlight wondered as the audience again erupted into applause.
Ultra Magnus drove down the road, a helicopter in the skies above catching his attention.
"How long has that guy been following me?" he muttered.
The helicopter opened fire on him, forcing Ultra Magnus to swerve off road and shift into robot mode to return fire.
BLANG!
The blast knocked the cyan helicopter out of the air, and it unfolded into a one-eyed, bipedal robot with digitigrade legs.
"You know, performing empurata isn't one of my duties," Ultra Magnus remarked.
"You're still complicit!" his assailant shouted as he snapped his pincer-like hands, "I won't rest until every one of you damned Functionists has been smelted down for ammunition!"
"That's what they all say," Ultra Magnus sighed as he brandished his hammer.
"Oh no, you're not the victim here!" the assailant shouted as he pointed his Null-Ray Module Cannon at Ultra Magnus, "I just wanted to make clocks, while your masters just wanted a cartographer! But we'll see who's laughing once I get my hands on your T-Cog!"
BAM!
Ultra Magnus rolled out of the way of the electromagnetic blast and ran straight at his faceless assailant.
His mysterious attacker simply pointed his cannon at Ultra Magnus and charged another blast.
Ultra Magnus roared and swatted the weapon with his hammer.
BAM!
The blast soared off into the distance as Ultra Magnus delivered a follow-up swing to the side of his attacker's head, causing his Projected Spark Field to flash yellow.
"Disengage your weapons, and I'll do what I can to ensure you receive a fair sentence," the security officer promised, as the sounds of motors grew louder.
"Gehahahahahaha!" the assailant cackled, "You wouldn't know 'fair' if it kicked you in the back of the head!"
"Wha-" Ultra Magnus whirled around just in time to see two approaching cars kick off the ground and transform into robot mode, each one delivering a kick to the chest.
"Too bad," one said as Ultra Magnus tripped over his initial assailant.
"You're no match for Polyhex's best!" the other taunted as his hammer clattered uselessly to the ground.
"I don't have time for this!" Ultra Magnus snarled, before deploying his in-built guns.
BLANG!
BLANG!
Both attackers were forced to jump out of the way, allowing Ultra Magnus to jump back to his feet. The first attacker picked up Ultra Magnus' hammer and swung it at his head. The Security Officer caught it and ripped it from his pincers before spinning it around him to knock all three of his assailants down, before activating his Comm.
"This is Ultra Magnus, to HQ, I-"
BAM!
An electro-magnetic blast fried his Comm.
"Sorry, but you're not siccing your lackeys on us," the Empurata victim gloated as he lowered his Nul-Ray Module Cannon.
Ultra Magnus snarled and struck his first assailant, causing his PSF to flare red as the other two assailants produced guns and pointed them at him.
"Dammit!" Ultra Magnus folded into truck mode and zig-zagged to avoid the gunfire, his front-right tire popping.
"You're not getting away-"
"-until we get what we came for!" Ultra Magnus returned to robot mode and returned fire, just in time for a green and orange vehicle to speed down the road.
"Let's tag 'im and slag 'im!" the vehicle announced before unfolding into a robot wielding three guns, a pistol, a rifle, and a shoulder-mounted machine gun, "Taste my ammo!"
BANG!
CRACK!
BRATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!
Ultra Magnus shielded his face from the gunfire with his arms, as a tank sped down the road, an Energon blast charging in the nuzzle of the cannon.
"Wreck and Rule!"
BOOM!
The blast knocked Ultra Magnus onto his back as his Projected Spark Field flashed blue.
"Excellent work, everyone!" the tank announced as he unfolded into his robot mode, red optics shining proudly.
"Impactor…" Ultra Magnus snarled as a black-and-green vehicle drove up to the apartment complex and transformed into robot mode, ignoring the battle, "What are you doing here?"
"Without Nominus Prime's top enforcer, the Security Forces will implode," Impactor answered as he approached Ultra Magnus with a smirk, "Those pede polishers will be too busy trying to eliminate their rivals and get your job to oppress the masses, giving us all time to ventilate and tear down this broken system."
"And how are you so certain that I won't become a martyr?" Ultra Magnus asked.
"Because everyone hates you," Impactor answered, "Too soft for the Functionists, too much of a pede-polisher for the Autobots, it's like someone tried to create the ideal cop, and left behind a Sparkless husk in the process!"
Ultra Magnus snarled wordlessly.
.
Oh this exhaust pipe did not just…
…
Actually, maybe it would be better if I…
…
No! I cannot, WILL NOT let that happen!
.
Ultra Magnus forced himself to his feet and charged Impactor with a roar.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"... Did you invite any friends over?" Arcee asked.
"No…"
"..." Arcee deployed a hooked blade. "Do you remember the safe place to go to?"
Gauge nodded.
"Get to the Emergency Exit," Arcee ordered as she rose to her feet and walked to the door, "If I give the signal, run!"
Gauge obeyed her co-creator's order as Arcee power-walked to the front door, trying to check the security cam out front.
When that didn't work, she tried to check the peep-hole, only for the door to open itself, putting her face-level with the barrel of a fusion cannon.
BANG!
The blast knocked Arcee on her back, her head aching as her assailant quietly stepped into the apartment, the door closing behind him.
"Strange," the assailant remarked, "Your head should've been reduced to a splatter of molten metal." Arcee shifted into vehicle mode and rammed the intruder's legs, shifting back into robot mode to slash at his back as he fell.
"Gauge, run!" Arcee shouted, before the intruder kicked Arcee's legs out from under her and shifted into vehicle mode.
.
Gauge, meanwhile, heeded her creator's warning and dashed for the window, opening first the metal shutters,then cutting the power to the particle barrier that shielded the crystal pane, and shoulder-checked the transparent barrier, cracking the pane as the intruder returned to robot mode and pointed his fusion cannon at the protoform.
Arcee sped in and shifted into robot mode, throwing herself at the intruder in the process.
BANG!
The Energon blast struck the wall as Arcee hooked one of her blades into the intruder's collar and Gauge threw her body against the window, cracking the pane further. The intruder swapped his hook out for an Energon mass and jabbed it against Arcee's midsection, before pointing his fusion cannon past her.
BANG!
Gauge cried out as she was blasted through the glass pain, her body clattering onto the emergency exit as her Projected Spark Field flickered out.
BANG!
Impactor glanced over his shoulder as a green flash of light exploded one of the windows.
"Whirl, go check that out," he ordered.
"Do I have to?" the one-eyed copter whined.
"That blast was coming from the Autobot candidate's apartment," Impactor replied, "How much faith do you have in Starscream's or Razorclaw's ability to beat Jhiaxus at the polls?"
Whirl grumbled and folded into helicopter mode to fly up to the window.
Arcee froze for a few precious seconds as smoke rose from Gauge's unmoving form, allowing the intruder to throw her off and raised his mace-hand to swing at her.
She snapped out of her stupor and shrieked in rage and threw herself at him, slashing her blades at his face.
CLANG!
The intruder swatted Arcee to the ground, unaware of the helicopter training its guns on him.
BRATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!
The intruder shielded his face and pointed his Fusion Cannon at the helicopter.
BANG!
The helicopter dipped out of the way and transformed into a bipedal robot with a singular, red optic.
"I could use some help here!" he shouted, before unholstering his canon and firing and electromagnetic blast at the intruder.
.
Whirl was a simple bot. He wanted to make clocks. When they detached his hands and replaced them with pincers, and took away his depth perception by reformatting his head, he simply practiced his craft on those whom had mutilated him. Of course, he needed Dropkick there to ensure that said victims stayed alive, but making a clock out of a Functionist's faceplate was all kinds of fun!
But unfortunately, the Functionists controlled the government, and Starscream had no chance in the Pit of actually winning the election. So if Whirl wanted anything to change, he had to step in to keep this wannabe assassin from scrapping the Autobot candidate's loved ones.
And of course, even if he didn't even know Greenlight's Protoform, seeing the youngster's broken body did make each and every strike on the assailant's chassis more satisfying.
"And that's for taking me from the fight I was actually enjoying!" Whirl screamed as he pistol-whipped the green and black stranger with his Null Ray Cannon.
"You barely have any good parts I could upgrade myself with," the stranger growled, before switching his mace out for a hooked blade, "No matter, I can make it look like Arcee took your head off in self defence before she went down. It'll prob'ly even help with my cover story." He swung his hook at Whirl's neck.
CLANG!
Only for Arcee to hook it on her own blades and yank his arm away.
"Hit him with your Null Ray again!" she ordered, "I need to check up on Gauge!"
"Finally! An Autobot who speaks my language!" Whirl replied as he shot the stranger in the head, stunning him. Arcee transformed into Vehicle mode and sped over to Gauge's unmoving form as Whirl kept his optic on the downed attacker.
"You're gonna have to try a little harder than-"
The intruder lifted his Fusion Cannon.
BANG!
The blast knocked Whirl on his back as his and the intruder's PSF's both flashed. Whirl and the stranger both struggled, Whirl to stand and the stranger to aim his Fusion Cannon.
BOOM!
Arcee's front door was blasted out of the threshold, Impactor emerging from the smoke in tank mode, aiming his cannon at the downed stranger.
"Goodbye," Impactor snarled as he locked onto his target.
BOOM!
The blast knocked the stranger into the air, where he transformed back into vehicle mode and deployed several missile launchers, returning fire with a salvo of missiles.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The tank vanished behind the smoke and fire.
"Now to get back to-" two blue vehicles shot out of the smokescream and unfolded into robot mode interrupting his thought. Topspin and Twintwist opened fire on his sides, staying out of the way of his missile-launchers, forcing the stranger to return to robot mode.
At which point, Roadbuster erupted from the smoke and delivered a punch to the side of the stranger's head, causing him to lose his footing as Arcee charged straight at him and leapt onto his back, hooking his arms on her blades.
"Get off me you little-"
A blue and red truck emerged from the smoke and unfolded into Ultra Magnus, who swung his hammer at the stranger's back, just below Arcee's footing.
CLANG!
CREEEAUGHK!
The stranger screamed as his Projected Spark Field finally gave out, and his arms were torn from their sockets, sending him toppling to the floor as pink liquid spilled out of his now-empty sockets and his now limp arms.
.
"That… Is not what I meant to do," Ultra Magnus remarked as he slung the intruder over his shoulder, holding on to his arms in his free hand.
"Serves the bootleg right," Arcee growled as she kept the Energon Repair Ray aimed at Gauge's wound to stop the bleeding, "Why'd you let the Wreckers go?"
"Only had the means to restrain this one crook," Ultra Magnus replied, "Besides, can't call for back-up with my comms fried." He glanced over at Gauge. "Is she…"
"She's not bleeding anymore," Arcee replied as she placed down the first-aid tool, "But this can't repair internal damage, so until the medics get here…"
"In that case, I should get going," Ultra Magnus replied, "It's a long walk back to the Precinct, and I have a lot of questions for this bootleg when he reboots, and I'd rather have that happen in a controlled situation."
"Good luck with that," Arcee sighed as the sounds of the medic's siren grew louder and louder, Hang in there, Gauge. It's gonna be alright.
Torque walked down the street to his dingy apartment when he got a ding on his com. Ducking into a nearby alleyway, he checked his messages.
Lockdown was captured. Looks like you'll get your time to shine at Momus' next gala.
You know what to say, and create as many martyrs as possible.
Remember, Every Form has its Function.
Torque closed and deleted the message, before looking up the calendar for when Momus' next "charity tailgate" would be.
"Well, this'll be proto-play."
a/n: And that's it for Chapter 3. Tune in next time as we check in on some Party Crashers.