Author's Note: I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe this month. Please enjoy this chapter as we follow our heroes and antiheroes into the worsening mess they find themselves in. Please comment and share what you think, and as always enjoy!


Location: The Renegade

Soundwave

Panic shot through Soundwave's chassis, like a heat seeking missile had exploded in his core and sent shrapnel through every circuit. The very thought of Arachnid even being on the same planet as Rhea made his mind reel.

"A Spacebridge to Earth in exchange for her leaving Kaon? What a great deal!" Demolisher noted in a rare chipper attitude. "That's all she wants? How soon can-"

"What do you want with the Earth?" Soundwave demanded of Arachnid over the com. He ignored the smoldering feeling caused by every pair of confounded optics on the Bridge gawking at him.

"Seriously?" Arachnid snarled. "What do you care about the Earth? You need Kaon."

"What do you plan to do with the Earth?" Soundwave repeated. He didn't intend to budge on the issue. For Rhea, he couldn't.

Arachnid released a vent. "If you must know. I want the Dark Energon in the Earth's core." She explained.

"Dark Energon?" Demolisher echoed with a laugh. "She really has lost her processor." He was missing context that only Soundwave and Arachnid held at the present moment.

"Follow my logic if you can!" Arachnid almost sang. "Unicron's essence is currently locked away in Iacon's vaults and controlled by the Council. But his physical form dwells in the Earth's core. Since the world destroyer is not using his body for the time being, I assume he would not mind if I borrowed some of his blood."

Her explanation was far from reassuring. Dark Energon was one of the components causing her affliction in the first place. He assumed her gaining control of Dark Energon's main source would not bring about anything good. "Here, let me sweeten the deal!" She added, dancing away from Soundwave's questioning. "I hear word you are looking for Shockwave. I know where the good scientist is being held. His prison is the third lab under Iacon. That little tidbit is to prove I'm not messing around with this trade."

"Master… What's wrong?" Sharpshot asked Soundwave.

Soundwave failed to respond. He could assume Arachnid was lying about Shockwave or had somehow set up a trap for them to fall into. But the virus may have deranged her even beyond her 'normal' state. She wouldn't be in her right mind. She may just be handing out important pieces of intel with little thought of the consequences. For that very reason, he couldn't Bridge her to Earth. She was far too unstable. Arachnid ever running into Rhea may have been long odds, but Soundwave didn't intend to take any chances.

"I will deliberate the matter, when I have determined if you are being truthful." He said. He intended to stall until he could come up with a plan of destroying her and her Insecticon army. With the limited resources he had at his disposal, that would be a challenge.

Arachnid's irritation was obvious, even over the com. "Really, Soundwave! What is one organic world compared to the Decepticon cause?" There was a beat of silence which left Soundwave feeling even more uneasy. Then Arachnid snickered. "Unless, you have something, or someone on Earth you left there for safe keeping?"

Soundwave was almost certain his Spark skipped a pulse. He also felt Laserbeak squirm against him. Her tone had been far to knowing to be some off servoed comment. How had she known? His fear for Rhea multiplied one hundred-fold. Arachnid knew of her existence. The only way to remedy this, was to destroy Arachnid down to the last atoms before she could leave Cybertron. "No! Soundwave, I was only half teasing, but is your silence confirmation that the rumor is true? You of all bots have caught the Autobot affliction for those organic pests!" Her tone was almost dripping with sarcastic pity. "If you're curious how I know about the little fleshling, you can blame the Autobots. Ultra Magnus didn't mean to betray your secret. I read it in his "confidential" report meant only for the optics of the Council. But you know better than anyone how those old bots like to gossip.

I thought you would have been the most level helmed bot to rely on, despite our past disagreements. While you think it over, I'll call a few friends out in space, cash in a few favors if our little talk here fails to produce results. But consider this, dear Soundwave. Do you want to be the Con leader, and make poor lost Megatron proud? Or do you want to be an organic loving Autobot. You can't be both."

The transmission ended with a 'click.'

Soundwave wanted to locate the darkest crevice the Renegade had and crawl into it. His crew was still staring at him though, and that put a damper on that plan. Their silence demanded answers. He knew what they were all thinking. Why hadn't he taken the deal to trade Earth for Kaon? It was the obvious thing to do. But he didn't.

Sharpshot thankfully broke the silence, as if they sensed he was in desperate need of help. "My unit can go confirm Shockwave's location, my Lord." They offered.

"See that it's done." was all Soundwave managed to say.

He caught Jetfire staring at him from the corner of the room. The Autobot was supposed to be downloading important intel into their servers. It was one of the conditions for him and his team being allowed to remain on the ship and help. Instead, Jetfire was whispering amongst his team. Soundwave was almost positive they were discussing ways of using what Arachnid had said against him when the time was right.


Location: Edge of the Sea of Rust

Bumblebee

Bumblebee scanned the barren corner of the Sea of Rust they stood in. His struts and peds caked with powdered rust, chafing his joints.

The sun was rising over the empty expanse, casting long ominous shadows behind them. There was no movement. He checked their location again. It matched what the secret message had said. Either it was a trap, or they arrived far too early.

Before they left, they created alibis, so the Council didn't get suspicious. It wasn't like they were in Decimus's good graces to start with. But Ultra Magnus was still back in Iacon to draw the Council's focus. Ratchet involved himself in the debates as well, having saved up plenty of rage to spew at the Council. He was one of the few overwhelmed doctors left to treat an influx of wounded due to the unnecessary execution. Ratchet would have a lot to say, so Bumblebee assumed they had plenty of time.

"It wouldn't be the first time this type of info was a trap." Bulkhead growled, though maintained a low volume regardless.

"Would be suicide on their part if that were true," Wheeljack pointed out. "Wide open space like the Sea of Rust where we can spot a trap? Not likely."

"We're here! Come out!" Bumblebee announced to the wasteland, hands cupping his mouth plate to throw his voice farther.

"What if this wasn't what we thought it was?" Arcee said. Bumblebee saw her expression had darkened. "If it's a trap, it may be Arachnid and her swarm."

That comment made everyone scan the sky. It was a clear day. Not even a hint of acid rain threatened to dampen their mission.

"The spider bot hasn't made a move in a while." Smokescreen agreed. "Silence from her is never a good sign."

A silver blur smashed through Bumblebee's train of thought and into his chassis. The blur was a bot. In their haste they rushed out from a turned over pillar and crashed into him, both thrown back into a pile of rust.

Bumblebee managed to still his spinning processor long enough to register the culprit. The bot on top of him had a sleek aerial chassis and fearful red optics.

"Starscream?" Bumblebee said when the realization finally hit him harder than Starscream had.

"What took you Autobots so long?!" The Seeker snapped, though was far too scared to have his usual venom backing the comment.

Wheeljack yanked Starscream off Bumblebee. "So, it was you who sent the message." Bumblebee said as Bulkhead helped him off the ground.

Starscream didn't even glance at him to acknowledge the comment. He was far too preoccupied staring at the sky and flinching at every shadow. "You got my message? Then you should know we don't have time to talk!" Starscream hissed. "We need to get out of here, now! And you need to take me with you! But not to that murderous New Council! Get me off world!"

Arcee crossed her servos, glaring at Megatron's ex second in command. "That's a lot of demands. What exactly is our motive to help you, Screamer?"

Starscream rolled his optics. He seemed not at all in the mood to stall. "Information of course! But that is time limited! Get me out of here and I'll tell you everything I know. AND get this scrap off my wings!" He pointed a sharp digit over his shoulder. Bumblebee saw what he was referring to. Someone or something strong enough to bend metal had wrapped thick beams around the wings on his back. It was a primitive but very effective means of keeping the Seeker grounded.

"No, talk first!" Bumblebee snapped. He had to snatch Starscream by the shoulders to keep him focused. "What are you doing out here?"

Starscream smacked his servos away. "What does it look like I'm here for? I'm BAIT."

The roar from the sky extinguished Starscream's bitter attitude instantly. He let out a pitiful "Eep!" and rushed to hide behind Bumblebee.

Their blasters activated when two speeding shadows passed overhead. Bumblebee had hoped Starscream's message had been a lie. Unfortunately, this was one of the rare times he had been telling the truth. Two massive forms landed before them, shaking the ground and throwing rust into the sky. The New Council's Con Hunting Task Force had arrived.

Two Predacons snarled at the Autobots who stood in the way of their pray. Their yellow optics unblinking and locked onto Starscream.

"Get me out of here!" Starscream pleaded, sharp fingers digging into Bumblebee's shoulder plating.

The two Predacons charged.

Bumblebee unleashed a hail of blaster fire at the massive targets with his team following suit. The single-minded hunters absorbed the damage to inch closer to their pray.

"T-the back of the neck! Aim there!" Starscream yelled over the fray.

"How in the Pits do you know?" Wheeljack snapped after hurling a grenade into the Predacon's path. The explosion knocked them both back. As the smoke and rust cleared, the Predacons snarled. They looked more angry then they did hurt.

Logic seeming to escape him, Starscream turned on his heels and fled. His intended target was a large fissure in the ground to hide in.

Both Predacons spread their wings and took flight after him, the Autobots forgotten.

"Starscream! Come back!" Bumblebee yelled. Without his wings, he would not make it to the safety of the fissure before the two hunters were upon him.

The larger of the two Predacons spread their talons and swooped down to snatch Starscream from the ground.

Before Bumblebee could transform and attempt to catch up, more shadows flew overhead. The two Predacons were tackled out of the sky.

Bumblebee and his team stumbled to a stop before they wound up in the fray. Five other Predacons had appeared from the sky and attacked the two chasing Starscream. Three of the newcomers were familiar faces.

"Predaking?" Bumblebee realized with a sharp intake.

Predaking's mighty wings flapped downward. The massive gust this created knocked both Predacons into the ground. His familiars, Skylinx and Darksteel, along with two others Bumblebee didn't recognize, helped in the assault. It was five against two, but the original two continued to fight despite the bleak odds. It became a brawl of indistinguishable fangs, wings and claws. Ripping and biting and drawing fresh Energon. The blue blood pooled around the fighting beasts, mixing with rust and making a dark blueish mud.

Predaking's pack gained the advantage. The two Predacons were soon pinned into the Energon stained ground by the others. Even immobilized they continued to snarl and attempted to claw their way out. Predaking landed hard on their backs, fangs open wide to unleash a victorious snarl. He strained his long neck down, and bit hard into the back of one of the immobilized Predacon's necks. Like Starscream had instructed Bumblebee and the others to do. With his jaw clamped tight, he ripped something from his target's neck. The move rained Energon down onto the stunned Autobot audience.

Predaking's victim ceased fighting at once, it's yellow optics wide and flashing. Predaking soon did the same to the other, and it too fell still, but not offline. Whatever he rendered from their necks stopped their blind madness and ended the fight. Predaking's pack calmed and released their hold on the others.

The sharp sound of a massive body transforming rang out. Predaking folded into himself and stood on two feet in bot mode. He knelt to his two victims and placed almost reassuring clawed hands on their helms.

"Focus brothers! You have your minds back." He explained to them.

Both Predacons who once hunted Starscream now sat dazed and disoriented. Both tried to focus on Predaking's voice as their optics adjusted. Predaking pointed to Darksteel. "Destroy the mind plagues." He ordered.

Darksteel's beast form huffed, but nodded with no further complaint. He stomped over to the two devices his leader had ripped from the others. He smashed them under his massive claws, rendering the Energon stained devices destroyed.

"Predaking, what's going on?" Bumblebee demanded.

The massive bot stood, glaring down at the small group of Autobots. "I was hoping, you could enlighten me." He said in his booming voice and motioned to the destroyed devices that once adorned the other Predacons. "Your leaders have been cloning my people to be used as weapons for their ridiculous political war against the Decepticons. Each new clone is fitted with these tools that control their minds. I have been taking back my people from this insulting fate, one fake attack at a time!"

So Predaking was using Starscream to lure Predacons under the Council's control. The scenario had been a trap, but not one intended for the Autobots.

"The New Council is using Shockwave to clone an endless army of Predacons?" Arcee vented. "I don't remember reading about this in the morning reports." She added dryly.

"Then you are just as ignorant to this affront against us?" Predaking snarled.

"We didn't even know the New Council knew about Shockwave's Project Predacon." Bumblebee said. He shifted away his blasters and put his hands up in a show of assurance. We got a message from Starscream telling us to come here."

Predaking's face plates darkened. With slow, deliberate movements, he turned around. Starscream's helm was poking up from the fissure in the ground. He sank lower when Predaking growled. "Starscream!"

It brought Starscream out of hiding very quickly. A patronizing smile covered his fear as he sulked closer to the group. "Of course, oh mighty King… I knew that these Autobots would be of use to you in your mission! They have access to Shockwave's lab!"

"We really don't." Smokescreen specified.

"They can liberate the rest of your people!" Starscream insisted, talking over Smokescreen's correction.

Predaking considered Starscream, his optics hard and unreadable beyond his resting expression of anger. "It is a shame; such usefulness continues to grace such a treacherous creature." He told Starscream honestly. He looked back to Bumblebee and the others. "Where do you stand? Will you remain loyal to your Council and that Insecticon Queen?"

"Is that a serious question?" Bulkhead snapped. "They've lost their minds! We aren't with them."

"Wait." Arcee stammered. "What did you mean by the Council AND the Insecticon Queen? You mean Arachnid?"

Starscream snickered and gave Predaking a playful nudge. "They truly are in the dark. How very sad…"

Predaking gave his gesture a warning in the form of a snarl. Starscream shrank away, his laughter cut short. "Indeed. The Council sent ships to one of Cybertron's moons. We smelled the fowl plague they had brought back to Cybertron. We witnessed when the ships landed, and the Insecticon Queen and her swarm of infected subjects clawed their way out of the cargo bay. This, Arachnid, had only made the mistake of attacking us once, and has since remained on her side of Kaon."

"This just keeps getting better." Wheeljack grumbled.

"They brought her back on purpose?" Arcee demanded. Bumblebee saw her whole frame shaking with rage. He placed a hand on her back, trying to calm her. She jumped from the contact; though didn't shake him off.

"I think it's obvious what we need to do." Bumblebee said to both parties. "We need Shockwave to cure the Dark Energon virus. Plus, if we get Shockwave away from the New Council's control, they won't be able to clone more Predacons and use them as weapons."

"We're breaking into the Iacon labs?" Wheeljack asked with a raised optic ridge. He looked more amused then horrified.

"We can provide a very compelling distraction." Predaking said. "But in exchange for our help, we will leave with the clones still held hostage in that lab. You may take our creator and do whatever you wish regarding the Insecticon Queen."

"Sounds like a deal. You can break buildings and make noise, but just don't hurt anyone." Bumblebee said. With a reluctant growl, Predaking offered a clawed hand to shake. Bumblebee accepted the gesture and tried not to wince when his servo was yanked almost out of joint as they shook hands. It wasn't exactly the peaceful option, but it would be the best way of disarming the Council without casualties.

"Brilliant as ever, my King!" Starscream praised. Predaking glared at him as he continued to bluster. "I knew these Autobots would be of use to you… It is the reason I summoned them." He tried to laugh, fidgeting from ped to ped.

Predaking ignored him. He turned instead to face the six Predacons at his back. "Back to the Keep to tend to the wounded. Then we make our plan of attack!" He ordered to his pack, then added over his shoulder to address Bumblebee and the others. "To prepare for the assault to free our comrades, you may follow us to the Keep. If you can keep up with us." He stomped over to help the two new members of his party off the ground.

With Predaking's focus preoccupied, Starscream's bound wings slumped. Bumblebee took in his hopeless state, then snickered. "Predaking scanned your Energon, didn't he? He can track you even if you could fly away."

Starscream gave him a hateful glare. "I assumed that was obvious! I have barely been able to keep my helm in the presence of these brutes! Then they started prancing me around to act as bait!" he hissed in a whisper. "Now help me! Get me off this planet where they can't track me down!"

Bumblebee shrugged. "I don't know, Starscream. This new arrangement kind of fits you."

"You can't be serious?" Starscream demanded. "Aren't you Autobots supposed to be the morally righteous ones? I'm in need of help!"

"I'll tell you what." Bumblebee began with an innocent smile. "After this is all over, we'll negotiate with Predaking for your release. Then we'll make sure to move your case to the top of the priority list for Decepticon convicts. With a few hundred orbital cycles in prison and then a few more on parole I'm sure you'll be on the road to a new life." He gave one of Starscream's slumped shoulders a reassuring pat and then walked by him, getting ready to transform and follow Predaking.

"If we bother to remember." Arcee added, though her casual air turned venomous as she continued. "Watch yourself, because I'll be watching you." She warned him.

Starscream growled, though shrank a step backwards away from Arcee. "Autobot scum! After I risked Spark and limb to send that message. This is the thanks I-GAH!" He was cut off as Predaking, in beast form once again, snatched Starscream like a ragdoll from the ground and flew off with his pack into the sky.