32- Loose Cannons.
It was a peaceful night in the Autobot base, until someone very mad called.
"Prime! What in the world are your people doing out here?! We had an agreement: no collateral damage."
"I am sorry, Ranger Kellyn, but all Autobots are present and accounted for." Optimus answered, showing everyone with him.
"Then explain me why I'm receiving reports of two giant robots fighting near the Kalos Power Plant."
"Decepticons probably." Elita suggested.
"What did you expect? There has been plenty of infighting lately." Sideswipe deduced.
"Yeah. Galvatron managed to upgrade himself but he can't keep his ranks in line." Arcee added.
"Well, I'm just arriving to the scene. Have a look." Ranger Kellyn said before showing them a visual.
On the screen appeared a cybertronian ship crash-landed, and a big blue with yellow details big robot next to it holding a big gun with both hands.
"I don't know. Paint job aside, it can't be Skyquake. You, Elita and Optimus pounded him into the ground." Warpath said to Bumblebee.
"Before Darkscream yanked him back out as some kind of undead Terrorcon. One currently wandering on Giratina's domains." Moonracer added.
"The question still stands: who's the dance partner?" Hot Rod asked.
The camera rotated to a familiar landed ship and zoomed until it spotted a very familiar figure.
"By the Allspark, it is one of ours." Ratchet recognized.
"Isn't that…Seaspray?" Moonracer recognized.
"Haha, Seaspray is back!" Wheeljack cheered as he hit the others in the back with joy, causing them to almost fall over.
"Whoa, take it easy, Con Crusher." Sideswipe asked.
"I don't care if is some kind of president! We have to contain the situation before we all wind up on the 11 o'clock news!" Ranger Kellyn declared.
On the crash site, Seaspray peered behind his ship before the new Decepticon fired a huge laser shot. Next, he came out and fired him back.
"You got nowhere let to run, Con!"
The Decepticon continued firing until he was forced to fall back since Seaspray advanced at him, still firing.
"This is pokémon ranger Kellyn, from…" He called riding an Altaria.
Thinking it was an enemy, Seaspray fired at where them, almost hitting Kellyn's pokémon. Fortunately, they dodged.
"Whoa. Stand down, we're on your side!"
"Ups, sorry."
The Decepticon saw Seaspray distracted and took the chance to fire at him. The Wrecker jumped and dodged the first shot, but the second hit him on the shoulder. Fortunately, the Altaria launched a Dragon Pulse at him, forcing him to cover. In that moment, Seaspray saw a ground bridge portal appearing a few meters from him.
"I knew they would come."
Team Prime came out from the portal with guns ready. Immediately, the team divided: Elita, Moonracer, Bumblebee, Warpath and Hot Rod went after the Decepticon as Sideswipe, Wheeljack, Arcee and Optimus went with Seaspray. The Decepticon tried to shot Optimus's group, but he missed them and Wheeljack fired back, forcing him to cover and allowing them to reach their friend.
"Seaspray!" Wheeljack said helping him.
The other Autobots fired at the Decepticon, forcing him to keep his weapon and put some distance between him and them. In that moment, he spotted a plane flying at the distance: the same jet that Skyquake scanned.
"That will do." He said before launching two beams of light from his eyes and scanned the plane as his new alt form.
The pokémon ranger spotted it.
"Oh no, they are doing it again. Let's go, Altaria."
They went to help the falling jet. Once the scan was done, the Decepticon started to run away.
"Oh no, you don't!"
"Seaspray!" Elita called.
"Wait, no!" Wheeljack added.
But too late: Seaspray already fired at the Decepticon one of his harpoons, but missed and instead hit a fuel station, which started to explode. The explosion was so big that the Autobots had to cover their eyes. From the smoke, a jet with the same colors as the Decepticon appeared and took flight, leaving the area. Seaspray continued firing at him, but it was no use.
"Dreadwing readied the place to blow." Seaspray snarled stopping firing.
"Dreadwing?" Warpath repeated.
"Actually, that was your handiwork, Sparky." Arcee corrected.
"That was a fuel station, the equal here to an energon depot. Doesn't mix well with blaster fire." Hot Rod explained.
"Oh. Well sorry for that, but our Con's getting away." Seaspray apologized as he was about to go after Dreadwing, but Optimus stopped him.
"Seaspray, there are other considerations. While upon this world, you would do well to follow my lead."
Time later, everyone was back at base, including Seaspray, who was letting Ratchet fix the injure he received on his shoulder.
"Ow! Watch it, doctor. I need that arm."
"Hold still and maybe you'll keep it." Ratchet retorted as he continued his job.
"Look Prime, apologies for what happened, won't happen again. But I tracked Dreadwing across a hundred light-years of space."
"We thought you were roaming the galaxy. You know, looking for Autobot refugees." Moonracer reminded.
"I was. Until I found one: a Wrecker."
"Who?" Wheeljack asked excited.
"Pyro."
"Ha! How is our old buddy?"
"Not so good, Jackie. Blown to bits actually." Seaspray answered.
"What?" That made Wheeljack's expression to change from happy to shocked one and clench his fist. "No."
"Dreadwing." Hot Rod realized.
"My ship picked up Pyro's signal a couple of light years from Madarin. We made contact and arranged to rendezvous in the Dromedon system. But Dreadwing must have intercepted the transmission, cause he got to Pyro first. He planted on his ship a proximity bomb, supposed to take us both out. Guess I should be glad my Wrecker ship can take a punch. I picked up Dreadwing's ion trail and tracked to a dozen solar systems before catching up with him."
In his memories, Seaspray's ship located a ship similar to him, another Wrecker starfighter, but it exploded before he could reach it. Next, he followed a Decepticon ship, Dreadwing's, and managed to damage it with his ship's laser cannons, making it to fall to Earth.
"And he led me right back to this planet. Some coincidence, huh?"
"I know of this Dreadwing: he was captain of the Seeker armada, and as such, like his twin Skyquake, fiercely loyal to the Decepticon cause." Elita shared.
"Which means this cannot be a coincidence. Dreadwing has no doubt traveled to Earth to pay allegiance to his one true master." Optimus told.
"Hope he's enjoying the visit, because it's gonna be his last."
"Seaspray, this planet is heavily inhabited. Any strike we make against the Decepticons must be carefully measured, as a team. Lest we risk endangering the human and pokémon population."
"So are you saying we simply sit back and do nothing?"
"You, loose cannon!" Ranger Kellyn called out as he walked at the new Autobot. "Your cowboy antics almost blew our cover."
"Cover?"
"We're robots in disguise. You need an Earth-based vehicle mode outside of here." Warpath explained.
"And that spaceship you shot down is not Earth-based! We had to use many of our resources and our strongest pokémon to get it hauled out of plain sight, not to mention the excuse we had to explain to the energy plant's owner about what caused that explosion, fortunately everyone believes it was an earthquake. You need to keep a tighter leash on your people, Prime."
"A tighter leash? Let me explain clearly, little man." Seaspray said annoyed as he walked toward him.
"Seaspray." Wheeljack warned.
"I'm not one of Optimus Prime's people." Seaspray corrected to the pokémon ranger, face-to-face before leaving.
"I'll talk to him. Uh, with your permission." Wheeljack said to Optimus.
"Of course."
And Wheeljack went after his fellow Wrecker.
"It seems like the new guy has a little problem with authority." Ranger Kellyn observed.
"Wheeljack and Seaspray served together in the Wreckers: a combat unit that operated outside the normal chain of command." Optimus explained.
"Hum, some kind of special Spec Ops."
"They accepted missions no one else would." Elita continued.
"And many of them did not come back." Optimus concluded.
Meanwhile, Dreadwing stood at top of the highest mountain he found and sent a beam of light to the sky. It was a beacon, and it worked, because moments later the Nemesis appeared near to him. He changed to vehicle form and flew to the ship. Moments later, he was on the ship's bridge, bowing before his leader.
"Lord Megatron, I live to serve. You look different, but I'm sure you're still the same. Did something happen to you?"
"Indeed, Dreadwing. Some interesting events occurred on this planet before your arrival, and in one of them I managed not only to escape death, but also to obtain certain…upgrades. Now, the Decepticons would know me as their new improved leader, Galvatron."
"I understand."
"Rise, Dreadwing. Loyalty such as yours is a rare commodity."
"Mine runs deep and true. Yet, it is not loyalty alone that brought me here."
"Oh?"
"I seek confirmation of the demise of one whom I considered a brother."
"How did you learn of his passing?"
"My twin and I share a split spark. A metal but two halves of the same lifeforce. Even across the galaxy I sensed when he emerged from stasis on this planet. And when his spark was no more."
Galvatron looked at Soundblaster, who showed on his screen images of the raid the Autobots had with Skyquake, with some images of Darkscream.
"It is true. Skyquake perished at the hands of the Autobots, though not in fact under my watch."
"Then by the pit, every last Autobot on this accursed world will pay."
"The Autobots will be punished for their crime, and many others. How and when I see fit."
"But master…"
"Conflicting agendas will only result in chaos and failure. You'll be wise to remember that, Dreadwing. You are under my command now, and as such you must follow my lead."
Moments later, inside a small cave on the base's top, where Seaspray's ship was parked, Wheeljack was having a conversation with him.
"Look Seaspray, I know how you feel, but even if it weren't for the humans and pokémon we couldn't take on the Cons right now. We're outnumbered."
"That was never a valid excuse for you, Jackie. If you were me, you would have jumped at the Cons immediately. We already lost Rotorstorm, Impactor, and now Pyro. They all are dust. Those Cons need to be stopped so no more have to share their fates."
"That's what I'm talking about: we are all Autobots. There just aren't that many of us left, but if we act with Optimus, we will be able to stop the Cons once and for all."
"You seem to praise Prime a lot. Didn't you use to say generals talk a good game, but when you're in the scrap they don't want to get their hands dirty?"
"Ha, that's what I thought. Until I met him."
That made Seaspray stop on what he was working and turned to his pal. "You really have changed, Jackie. Has Optimus had to do something with it or this planet?"
"Both, a little. But I'm still loyal to who I was: being a Wrecker meant everything to me…"
Without warning, a beeping sound came from inside the ship, from the main terminal.
"Seaspray, I know you're out there, listening. I have a proposition for you."
"Is that…?" Wheeljack started.
"Dreadwing." Seaspray confirmed.
"Meet me at these coordinates, if you have the spark."
"I'll see you there, Con. To make you pay." Seaspray answered before the com-link turned off and his ship received the coordinates.
"Seaspray, it's a trap." Jackie warned.
"I know, but when does that ever stop me, or you?" He said as he prepared the ship for take-off. "You wanna come with?"
Wheeljack's answer was a rogue smile as he sat on the copilot seat. He decided to joke a little. "You want me to call for backup?"
Seaspray laughed. "Good one, Jackie. You know better than anyone that Wreckers don't call for backup."
"They call for cleanup!" They both proclaimed in union as they hi-five each other.
And the ship took off and left the base. Dreadwing was waiting in a clearing of the Lostlorn Forest, in Unova, until Seaspray appeared.
"I wasn't certain you'd come." Dreadwing admitted.
"We Wreckers don't like unfinished business." Seaspray answered.
Both opponents got ready as they looked each other, waiting for the first move. Until Dreadwing threw a proximity bomb at Seaspray, who fired one harpoon. Both items hit each other, making a huge explosion between the robots. While Dreadwing covered himself from the explosion, Seaspray took advantage and ran toward him through the smoke, with his harpoons for close combat instead of his hands. He jumped above Dreadwing with a battle cry and tried to strike him with his harpoons, but the Seeker dodged and simply ran away.
"I don't usually fight in environments like this, but I can still battle like any Wrecker." Seaspray declared running after him.
Dreadwing jumped into a trench with Seaspray following him close. But that was what he wanted, because he pulled out a detonator and pressed a button, activating a proximity bomb near to Seaspray that exploded, but the Autobot dodged it with a jump.
"That's all you got?" Seaspray teased.
Another bomb exploded, but Seaspray dodged it too. Finally, Dreadwing ended in a dead end, with Seaspray approaching from behind.
"If you're thinking about flying out of here…" Seaspray started.
"Think again." Wheeljack answered, appearing suddenly above them with swords at hand.
Dreadwing seemed trapped, but instead he smirked. Then Seaspray spotted another bomb, placed right beneath where Wheeljack was standing.
"Wheeljack!"
The bomb exploded, making the rocks collapse, and making Wheeljack fall in, while the rocks buried Seaspray completely. The explosion also scared the nearby pokémon, while the only thing that exited was Dreadwing in vehicle form, who transformed and landed at top of the rubble. Fortunately, Wheeljack's absence was detected in the base.
"Wheeljack's signal, right at the center of the Unova region. And I would have to imagine that Seaspray is with him." Ratchet saw.
"Have you attempted contact?" Optimus asked.
"No response."
Elita approached Optimus. "Then we better go to see what happened."
Back to Unova, moments later, some rocks from the rubble started to move: it was Seaspray, starting to make his way out. Then, someone else was helping him removing the rocks above him.
"What took you so long, Jackie? Don't tell me riding with Prime has made you…" Seaspray started, until he saw that was Optimus and Elita who were helping him. "Forget how you were?"
Elita offered him her hand, which he took and allowed her to pull him out of the rubble.
"If you will not take orders from me or Optimus that is one thing. But when you place one of our Autobots in danger…"
"That cannot be disregarded." Optimus ended.
"That wasn't my intention, Prime, Wheeljack volunteered. Besides, he knew the risks, as every Wrecker does. I'm sure he's just somewhere in this rubble."
"Optimus, Elita, Wheeljack's signal has moved from your current position." Ratchet reported through the com-link.
Seaspray also heard that, because he headed for his ship. "Then we better go get him."
Seaspray set course for the position Ratchet located Wheeljack with his ship. For Optimus, the trip was not pleasant, because the space was not exactly proper for a robot for his size, he was a little squishy. Elita couldn't help but laugh a little, until Optimus looked at her with a surprised face. Instead of focusing on that, he decided to talk with Seaspray.
"You and Wheeljack share quite a history, and yet you prefer to work alone."
"The Wreckers scattered a long time ago, and alone is usually a lot less complicated."
They finally reached their destination: an ocean dock in Castelia City. After landing the ship in a safe place, the three Autobots started to look for Wheeljack between the labyrinth of containers, Seaspray with the tracker device and the Autobot leaders with their weapons ready.
"We are close to population. Remember." Optimus started.
"Blasters and fuel pumps don't mix, got it." Seaspray answered as he looked at the tracker. "It seems he is just up ahead."
"Let's move with caution, we do not know if this may be an ambush." Elita advised.
When they may a left turn they froze in shock: Wheeljack was chained against a wall of containers, with his hands hooked by electrified cuffs, but the worse was that he had a proximity bomb strapped on his chest, and with a countdown.
"Hey guys." He saluted.
"Scrap." Seaspray cursed. "You really got yourself in a head of scrap this time, partner."
"Guys, stay back."
"Better get to work."
"Have you defused one of these before?" Elita asked.
"Jackie taught me a few things about explosives."
"But never one as complicated as this." Wheeljack argued looking at the bomb of his chest as Seaspray opened it to reveal multiple wires within it. "Fail safes, dummy leads, booby traps, it's a work of art."
"You're not helping me here with that."
They didn't notice that Dreadwing was seeing them from the top of a crate operator.
Then, someone called him through the com-link. "Dreadwing, where are you?"
"Merely pursuing my destiny, lord Galvatron."
"Did I not order you to stand down?"
"Forgive me, one true master. But it is my hope that vanquishing Optimus Prime will earn your respect."
"Optimus is not so easily disposed of, as I keep trying to explain to all of those who foolish attempt it."
Meanwhile, Seaspray continued trying to disable the bomb.
"Buddy, if you don't abort, we're both gonna need cleanup."
"I'm trying to focus here, Jackie."
Then Wheeljack saw someone was missing. "Where are Optimus and Elita?"
Seaspray took a quick look around, but he also didn't spot them. "Whoa, looks like it is like you said: when the scrap hits the fan blades, the generals are the first to bail."
"No, not them."
Back with Dreadwing…
"I assure you, master, in but a few moments Optimus and three others will be blown to atoms."
"I will allow it, Dreadwing, in memory of your departed twin. But only this once." Galvatron said before turning off the com-link and looking at Soundblaster. "I will be quite surprised if we ever set eyes upon Dreadwing again."
When Dreadwing continued observing the Autobots' situation, he realized there were only two.
"Where is the Prime and the female one?"
"Dreadwing, if you are anything like Skyquake, I know that you value loyalty and honor." Optimus's voice sounded all around the area.
"Is there a point to your bluster, Prime?"
"Only that Galvatron knows nothing of those principles. He lives only for destruction and conquest." Elita continued.
"But there is another path: deactivate the bomb." Optimus said.
Dreadwing pulled out his big weapon and as he jumped to the floor he fired at where he though Prime was hidden, but when he went to check it out, there was no one there. Meanwhile, the Wreckers…
"You better get out of here at once." Wheeljack begged.
"You didn't leave the rest of us on Sandokan, so I'm not leaving you here." Seaspray answered as they started hearing more blaster fire.
"I hate to admit this, but there's only one bot who can defuse this mess and his name is Dreadwing."
"Blaster fire is getting closer. Is if Prime and the female commander…"
But before Seaspray could continue, Wheeljack hit him suddenly on the head with his now free hand and free his other hand.
"Sorry buddy, but I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you." Wheeljack lamented as he started running.
At other part of the labyrinth, Dreadwing finally found Optimus, but before he could fire his gun, he received a few shots from Elita One, who was firing from the other side. Now they were shooting each other and hiding from the other's shots. Elita let Optimus draw Dreadwing's attention so he could chase him instead while she went to another place. Optimus continued firing at Dreadwing from top of the containers, forcing him to roll out of the shots' way before chasing him. At the end, Dreadwing lost sight of his enemy, but he continued to search for them by his own. As for Wheeljack, he also was looking for the labyrinth's exit, and finally spotted the sea. So he ran for it, with intention of jumping into the water.
"Sorry water pokémon."
Then, Seaspray jumped in front of him.
"Wheeljack, wait!"
"Out of my way!"
Wheeljack tried to continue his way to the water, even with Seaspray pushing him, trying to stop him.
"Will you listen to me, Jackie?"
At the end, Wheeljack stopped when Seaspray anchored himself right at the edge by nailing his scuba fins.
"You were right. Dreadwing is the only one who can defuse it, and Optimus and Elita know it too." He said looking at Elita, who was climbing on top of a crane while Optimus stood next to them with guns ready.
Optimus fired at Dreadwing, making him to fire back as he charged at him, right toward under the crane. And when he was at the current position, Optimus jumped out of the way as Elita jumped on the claw, making it trap the Decepticon against the ground. The Autobots gathered around him.
"Dreadwing, defuse the bomb or fall victim to your own device." Elita advised.
"I will gladly sacrifice myself to avenge my brother."
"Then we will in turn gladly join the Allspark with our brother." Optimus declared.
"And with you." Seaspray followed.
"You'll never shake us." Wheeljack added, despite the fact that the bomb was reaching the end of the countdown.
There was a long unpleasant silent, until…
"Very well."
Optimus and Elita lifted the claw so Dreadwing could get up. Next, the Decepticon walked over to Wheeljack, and pulled a blue wire, stopping the countdown, making Wheeljack to sigh in relief.
"Oh, so that was the one." Seaspray observed.
"I had it narrowed down to the blue or the yellow. Or the red." Wheeljack shrugged.
But without them to know, Dreadwing pressed the detonator. A lot of explosions began to set off, blowing lots of containers all across the port. That distracted the Autobots so he changed to vehicle form and took flight, despite they tried to shot him down.
"So, who do we call for cleanup?" Seaspray asked looking the mess.
Moments later, Dreadwing returned to the Nemesis, and reported to his master.
"Optimus Prime still lives, as do you, Dreadwing. And that is a victory, however small. As Skyquake so tragically discovered."
"Speak to me not of my twin, lord Galvatron. For I am here, on Earth, to obey your will, and yours alone."
Dreadwing's answer made Galvatron smirk. Everyone also returned to the Autobot base.
"Listen sir…uh, Optimus. I just want to say it was an honor watching you work, you and the commander. Now I see why Wheeljack respect you so much, the reason why he looks so changed." Seaspray apologized.
"Looks like you also learned something." Elita accepted.
"And it would seem that you place a greater value on community than you otherwise let on." Optimus answered, offering his hand.
"Whoa whoa, let's not jump into hasty conclusions just yet. That Wheeljack has adapted to work with a team doesn't mean I'm gonna do the same right now." Seaspray said surprised before Wheeljack put a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, Seaspray. If you leave, you probably just wind up coming right back again. After all, is what I would have done in your place."
"All that wasted fuel." Hot Rod added.
"And energon is in short supply." Arcee followed.
"(You could help us so much with your abilities if you stay.)"
"Bee has a point. An Autobot with your abilities could be of a great help when it comes…that kind of situations you know." Sideswipe added.
"Then again, we do have limited space." Ratchet simply said before getting back to his terminal.
"Besides, where are you going to find some pleasant company than ours?" Moon pointed.
"Not sure if I'm ready for a chance like that just yet. Maybe I could do some exploring, see if this planet suits me. I saw plenty of blue liquid surface from space." Seaspray admitted.
"No offense to your ship, but you'll need an Earth-based vehicle mode." Wheeljack reminded.
"And we might have some ideas for you, if you want them." Sideswipe added.
"Show me." Seaspray accepted.
Moments later, Seaspray was on a beach, ready to test his recently new acquired vehicle mode. He took a run, jumped high and transformed. His new vehicle form was some kind of amphibious vehicle, one moved by two big propellers in the back and with a surface which allowed him not only to move above the water, by also on land. Now he was equipped to start exploring the Earth's aquatic environments by his own.
"Now this is what it suits me!"