Chapter 4
Megatron was the last to enter the Decepticon base, but stopped short of exiting the elevator of the entrance tower. "What is this? Soundwave, why have there not been shipments made to Cybertron?"
"Shockwave reports spacebridge nonfunctional." Soundwave intoned.
"WHAT?" He shoved his way through the stacks of energon and other Decepticons. He neared the monitor where Soundwave was stationed. "What has happened now?"
"Dinobots and female Autobots destroyed it."
"Dinobots?" He gazed around the room that was very nearly filled with energon. "I wondered why Prime had not used them. Soundwave, is there any room that is not filled?"
"War room."
"All right, summon everyone in there we will discuss this there."
Soundwave opened the intercom and relayed the information, and then he followed Megatron. As space permitted he called all his cassettes to him, all could patch directly in to his own systems and be present at the meeting while saving space.
Once in the war room, Megatron sat at the head of the table, and only waited a few moments while the last of his army squeezed in to hear the debriefing. "Shockwave has reported that the spacebridge is nonfunctional. The Dinobots have been on Cybertron, I can expect that Prime will repair Omega Supreme, and then sent him to obtain them. Our headquarters is over loaded with energon. At this point I am forced to relinquish this over load to you. I assure you that you have earned every bit of it. I want the command center cleared out in twenty-four hours. All must report back for duty in one week. Dismissed." Megatron sat in his chair as the others bustled out. After everyone else had gone he walked through a labyrinth on his way back through the command room to his office, even there he moved four stacks before he could reach his desk. The energon that was in is office was the highest grade, he knew that Soundwave had put it there. The energon was the last thing on his mind; he now concentrated on the new predicament that the returning Dinobots would create.
Most of the other Decepticons took Megatron's announcement at face value; they made three or four trips from their quarters to the command room until their quarters were full. They knew that Megatron's message was basically the ok to get totally crocked. Many of them did just that. Starscream organized a line, after all energon will detonate; and he knew that his quarters were full of energon per Soundwave as well. When there was no more rushing to take a share he went to his quarters. He thought about what to do about the dino problem, as he slowly drank three whole cubes. He had an idea, but did not make it to Soundwave's quarters. He fell down passed out in his door way. As we all know seekers are lightweight drinkers.
Thundercracker was the first to fall after two cubes; Skywarp had four, but tried to take Thundercracker to his quarters when he passed out on top of him in the main hallway.
Soundwave indulged in two cubes that gave him a nice buzz then just lay down to recharge. His cassettes being so small, could only handle half a cube apiece. All stayed out in the room, the two condors on their perch, Ravage on his pillow in the corner and Rumble and Frenzy had small pull out recharge beds.
Everyone else seemed to be locked in their quarters as if hording the energon from thieves. Four hours had passed since Megatron had entered his office; he had consumed thirty-seven energon cubes and had planned on more once he reached his quarters. He exited in to the command room, which was now empty. Slowly he walked in to the hall, nearly falling head first on to the two seekers. He made a mental note to reprimand them later, but forgot as soon as they were out of sight. When he passed Starscream's quarters he pushed the seeker in so that the door would stop trying to close on him. Finally he got to his quarters, which was quite full of energon, however a path to the recharge bed had been left. He sat on the bed knowing that he had forgot something but could not think of what. He laid straight back and promptly passed out.
Prime hovered in the repair bay, Ratchet, Perceptor, Wheeljack and Sparkplug, were doing their best to keep Silverbolt and Omega Supreme from deactivating completely.
"Prime there is nothing that you can do here. It's just going to take sometime." Ratchet was the only one that ever stood up to Prime about health issues. "Go to your quarters and get some rest if anything changes I will inform you."
Prime walked out still furious this wasn't supposed to happen. He had hoped that Omega would come out roughly uninjured, so that he could pick up the Dinobots from Cybertron. He insisted that it was his mistake, by calling Omega back before the Dinobots finished their assignment. He desperately did not want to give Megatron the upper hand any more than he already had. He had underestimated Megatron's force, he hoped that by damaging the spacebridge that Megatron would have a storage problem and not want to take more until he had the injured repaired and the Dinobots back.
Primes hopes were answered. Shockwave had not been able to rebuild the spacebridge in one week, forcing Megatron to lie low until it was done. Ratchet took full advantage of the extra time to rework some of Omega's armor. It had been two months with not a peep from the Decepticons, this made everyone at the Ark every uneasy. He put much of his force on continuous surveillance, knowing that Megatron would eventually come out.
In the Decepticon base..
"Shockwave to Megatron."
"Yes, Shockwave."
"I have completed repairs on the spacebridge."
"Good. I shall contact you when we have a shipment prepared. Megatron out." Megatron opened the base internal communications. "Starscream, Soundwave proceed to the war room at once." He closed the channel heading there himself. When he entered the war room Soundwave had already been there, as he sat down Starscream came in.
"Good. Now we can advance with the next operation. I have decided to take a little detour; we will siphon the oil out of the Alaskan pipeline. From that distance it will take the grounded Autobots sometime to reach it. The Aerialbots Omega Supreme and the Dinobots are their only airborne units. We have conformation that the traitor Skyfire has become a neutral and left the planet. This will be the area." Megatron tapped the computer and the holomap blinked on. "I want to hold off the Aerialbots and Dinobots, and leave before Optimus Prime and the other ground forces can arrive." Megatron sat back and studied the map.
"What about Omega Supreme?" Starscream asked.
"We will need to concentrate on any Autobot that emerges from him. I want to engage them before they reach the site." Megatron sat still thinking.
"This is not an advisable plan." Soundwave finally said.
Starscream looked at Soundwave, thinking if he had said that he would be in the repair bay. He had thought it nonetheless. "The rocket base in California's desert would be a high energy out put." He suggested.
"No. I want to throw the Autobots off our trail. We are not hurting for energy; this will be more like a distraction. When you engage them we will stop the siphon and join you. I want to take out as many Autobots as possible, then while they are down we will strike the rocket base." Megatron's lieutenants both nodded. "Soundwave distribute this information. We depart at sun rise."
Out side the Ark.
"Autobots! The time has come; we need to defeat Megatron at his own game. Omega, you and the Aerialbots are to stay near. We will arrive together. Autobots roll out!" The ranks of the Autobot forces transformed and started north.
Nearing the area of the Alaskan pipeline the scene was the same as it had been for the last few confrontations. Two groups of jets were circling, but it just didn't seem right, something else was going on and Prime could feel it. He watched as the Decepticon jets sped up rapidly to engage the Aerialbots and Dinobots. Something was definitely different. He had prepared to his two air groups for just this and the 'Con jets were now getting a good beating.
The aerial battle was short. The Aerialbots had chased the seekers around until they had come back up on the Dinobots, which gave them a pounding as they flew by. Now it was time to assault Megatron and the ground forces, with the jets out of the way a window finally opened for Prime. He knew however that Megatron was not to be taken lightly. His sensors picked up four distinct Decepticon signatures, Devastator, Menasor, Bruticus, and Megatron. He radioed Omega Supreme to join them, and ordered the Protectobots, and Aerialbots to merge, the three on three battles would free the others to keep going on to the pipeline to stop Soundwave.
Devastator had not got the surprise on Omega this time, Omega's swift thinking forced Devastator to fall apart, and Hook had been badly damaged. Superion and Menasor struggled back and forth until Omega stepped in to help, sheering Dragstrip off and sending him to the ground smoking. By then Defensor had already sent Bruticus on the retreat.
Prime rolled his way directly to Megatron, after radioing for the others to go on. Megatron was waiting for him while surveying the battle.
"You have lost Megatron."
"No Prime, this is just a minor set back. I still can make it worth while by destroying you!" Megatron leapt at Prime, knocking him to the ground. Prime threw Megatron off by using the momentum.
"Give up Megatron. This battle is over." Prime said, pointing at the fleeing Decepticons. Megatron got to his feet.
"Rest assured Prime, that our next encounter I will be victorious!" Megatron yelled as he flew to meet his battered army.
Prime didn't move as he watched until he could not longer see then. "If only there was a way to end this with out death." He thought.
