48- Inside Job.

When Smokescreen came back online, the first thing he saw was Knock Out standing right next to him.

"Wakey-wakey." Knock Out greeted sinisterly.

"What?!" Smokey expressed as he tried to get up, but he found himself trapped by chains on an operating table.

"If you're looking for your phase shifter, finders keepers." Knock Out revealed showing that he was now the one wearing it.

"Enough prattling, Knock Out." Galvatron said entering the room. "Hand me the final Iacon relic, now."

"Yeah. I can't really help you. That's the only one I was packing." Smokescreen answered.

"Soundblaster."

The silent Decepticon showed on his screen the codes morphing together.

"You got the wrong guy, chief. Optimus Prime's the one who can decode the Iacon database." Smokey defended.

"Ah, but you misunderstand. The final entry has been decoded by us. And according to our filings, it would appear I do indeed have the right guy." Galvatron revealed as Soundblaster showed Smokescreen's image.

"The question is what is it that you are still packing?" Knock Out said before he placed an x-ray scanner above Smokescreen, and it revealed that there was an Omega Key inside. "Why! Hidden treasure, of course."

Meanwhile, in the Autobot base…

"Smokescreen must have been taken aboard the Decepticon warship. Tracing his signal through its shielding will be impossible." Ratchet started.

"Continue monitoring all frequencies, Ratchet. Far more than Smokescreen's fate may be at stake." Elita instructed.

"I don't get it. How could Smoke be an Omega Key?" Sideswipe asked.

"Perhaps he isn't the key, but its container." Ratchet theorized.

"The other Iacon relics were sent to Earth in pods. Why not this one?" Arcee asked.

"When the Decepticons stormed Iacon, it may have been too late for Alpha Trion to launch the final Omega Key into space. At least by standard means." Optimus deduced.

"So Smokescreen assumed everything went black because he was hit by Decepticons." Hot Rod started.

"But Alpha Trion is the one who actually turned out the kid's lights." Warpath ended.

"It stands to reason that our mentor did not want Smokescreen to know what he was carrying, in the event of capture." Elita added.

"And with a mobile relic, Alpha Trion couldn't possibly supply fixed coordinates." Hot Rod realized.

"So the big A slipped us a clue instead. Smoke's mugshot." Wheeljack said.

"The Decepticons got to Smokescreen first. I fear they have decoded the same clue." Ratchet expressed.

"Huh, it's rather ironic, but this could have not happened if you didn't say those things to him, Arcee. Now thanks to your attitude, we have lost more than the last Omega Key." Moon pointed.

"Okay, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have opened my mouth!" She said before she sighed. "I couldn't help but doing it."

"It's not me the one you need to apologize, but Smokescreen. That…in the event we may see him again." Moon expressed worried.

Back to the Nemesis, the Decepticons saw the image of the Omega Key inside Smokescreen on the screen. But they were not aware that something was observing them from the shadows of the room.

"Yet another of these identical relics? Remove it swiftly." Galvatron demanded.

"With pleasure." Knock Out said, pulling out his buzz saw. "I do so resent a finish flashier than my own."

Knock Out approached his buzz saw closer and closer to Smokescreen, who constantly flinched. But at the last second, Knock Out retrieved it.

"Ha, made you squirm." He mocked before activating the phase shifter and prove it passing his hand through his other arm. "Trippy." He stomped on the floor, but didn't fall through. "And intuitive. Proper grounding ensures that its user won't phase through the floor."

"I said swiftly." Galvatron repeated.

Knock Out inserted his hand inside Smokey's chest.

"Get your stinking hand out of my gears." Smokescreen protested.

"And…gotcha." Knock Out announced pulling out the key.

"Tell me the function of these relics." Galvatron demanded.

"Door stops, shavers, bling. Beats me." Smokescreen replied.

"Hmm, a pity this little gadget won't allow me to just reach into his brainpan and pluck out the info." Knock Out said looking the shifter.

"Fortunately, we possess a device that can." Galvatron reassured.

At the same time, inside the Harbinger…

"Individually, each of these so-called Omega Keys is useless. Yet, possessing even a single one grants me tremendous negotiating power with either Autobots or Decepticons." Starscream explained as his Genesect listened and nodded in agreement. "Still, imagine if I managed to acquire the other three."

Starscream imagined a restored Cybertron as his pokémon joined his side.

"I could revive Cybertron, and seize the throne as Starscream the First: supreme overlord, and emperor of destruction." Starscream proclaimed laughing, also his Genesect seemed to join their master in his joy laughing how they did, until Starscream stopped laughing. "Oh, but unlike Galvatron, I lack the necessary infrastructure to enforce such a reign: no warship, no army…Only my meager laboratory finds, a ground bridge remote control, five singulars but extremely powerful pokémon, a single remaining dose of red energon, and you, old friend." Starscream said looking to his dead clone. "But, I would all too gladly trade this, simply to be restored to my former glory."

Meanwhile…

"While none of us are familiar with the lore of these Omega Keys, Alpha Trion knew many secrets, and the ancients possessed technology that has long been lost to what we consider modern science." Elita started.

"Whatever their function, this much is certain. We cannot restore Cybertron without all four Omega Keys in our possession. The future of our home world depends on it." Optimus told to the other Autobots, but Galvatron was also there listening, so it was not real, only a memory that he was seeing inside Smokescreen's mind.

Knock Out was also seeing it through a video feed before he went to disconnect Smokey's cable first.

"That's a wrap." He said disconnecting it, waking him up.

Next, he disconnected Galvatron's, waking him up too.

"The power to remake Cybertron, as I see fit." Galvatron said impressed as he got off the operating table. "I will pry the other two keys from Optimus Prime's lifeless fingers. We must find the exact location of the Autobot base. Patch in and tear apart Smokescreen's mind if you must."

"Me?" Knock Out asked confused.

"Who else? Do you think I would entrust you to take this key safely to the vault containing the other one?" Galvatron asked before he left the lab with the key.

Knock Out sighed. "Once more, into the brainpan."

"No, not again! Stay out of my head!" Smokescreen begged.

Knock Out chuckled. "No, no, you'll only make things worse for yourself."

"Are you sure of that?" Suddenly a new voice called from below them.

Both Knock Out and Smokescreen looked down and spotted both Iris and Axew coming out of the room's shadows. Smokescreen couldn't help but smile.

"Axew, now!" Iris allowed.

"Eh, what are you doing…AAAHHH!" Knock Out started until Axew jumped to his head, making the Decepticon medic to start trying to shake the little pokémon off, and Iris too since she jumped onto the Con's back.

All that fuss made Knock Out approach Smokescreen, who took the chance grabbing and activating the phase shifter.

"Worse how?" He smirked.

Smokescreen managed to phase through his chains trying to recover the phase shifter. Iris and Axew continued trying to hinder Knock Out, but he wanted the phase shifter too, so they were locked in a game of tug-n-war. They continued struggling until they passed through the wall, and Smokescreen tripped, making Iris and Axew fall from Knock Out, but he caught them both. They ended at the other side of the wall. Smokescreen had both Axew and Iris on one hand, and the phase shifter on the other.

"Whoa, did we actually pass through the wall like a ghost?" Iris asked in disbelief.

"Indeed, that's what the shifter allows." Smokescreen explained, before he put a more serious face. "How did you reach here?"

"We saw you being attacked by a flying Decepticon, and figured you may be in trouble. So when that Con dragged you into the portal, Axew and I sneaked in with almost careful. He hardly detected us since he was too busy with you as we hid and followed you in silence. And we decided to wait until the right moment to give you a hand."

"You should not be here Iris, but I'm glad you did."

"Of course, we're partners. And partners help each other in their hours of need."

"Axew ew ew." Axew expressed laughing a lot.

"What is it, Axew?" Iris asked until she and Smokescreen saw what the little pokémon was laughing about: Knock Out stuck in the wall. They started to laugh as well. "Hahahahaha, that is some curious decoration."

"Well, aren't you the clever ones." Knock Out said trying to break free, but without use. "This ship is miles in the sky and swarming with Decepticons. Do you really think you can escape?"

"Who says we're looking to escape?" Smokescreen answered as he put on the phase shifter, allowed Iris to climb on his shoulders and left, leaving Knock Out stuck, who shouted in frustration.

"Eh, Smokescreen, exactly where are we going?" Iris asked confused.

"Galvatron said he was going to put my key with the other one storaged in the vault. So this can be our only chance to snatch them from his possession before finding a way out."

"Oh, that's pretty ingenious."

"Okay, I want you from now on do not get off of me. I assume the effect the phase shifter on you will only work as long as you remain in physical contact with me."

"Point taken."

After a while passing through the walls, they finally spotted Galvatron, with the key on hand. Smokescreen deduced that inside the room in front there was the other key, so he deactivated the shifter and ran at him.

"Think fast." He said grabbing the key and disappearing through the wall.

"Bye, Galvatron!" Iris saluted.

"What?!" Galvatron exclaimed in disbelief before opening the door and saw the other key gone too, which made him hit the table hard and roar in anger.

The trio continued their escape, until the path was blocked by three Decepticon heavy soldiers, and other three came from behind.

"Oh, this isn't the way out?"

"Eh, Smokescreen?" Iris said nervous.

The Cons opened fire, making Iris close her eyes expecting the worst, but the lasers went through them, so Smokescreen simply observed as the Cons simply killed themselves.

"Whoa, we're untouchable." Iris noticed in amazement.

"Told ya." Smokey answered before he continued their way out.

On their path, ever passed through an Insecticon, leaving it confused. Finally, they reached the ship's roof, but they saw Galvatron and some Decepticon soldiers in front of them.

"The keys." Galvatron demanded as the troops aimed at them.

"Iris, do you have any pokémon big enough to carry you?" He whispered to his partner after looking that the ship was in the air.

"Indeed, but why?"

"Because we are leaving this ship, the fastest way."

Iris looked at the edge of the ship and understood what he was referring to. "Got it." And pulled out one of her poke balls. "Dragonite, I need your help."

Dragonite came out and allowed Iris and Axew to ride on his back.

"A pity you're incapable of flight like your friend." Galvatron pointed.

"Yeah, like I'm gonna let that stop me." Smokescreen said before he jumped off the ship, falling in the sky.

Iris's Dragonite flew right behind him. Of course, being out of the ship allowed him being detected in the Autobot base.

"Smokescreen's signal is back online." Ratchet announced.

"The kid escaped the warship." Wheeljack deduced.

"Smokescreen to base, we can really use a ground bridge!" He called by com-link.

"Retrieve the Omega Keys! Quickly!" Galvatron demanded as he grabbed and threw one of the Decepticons overboard. And next another one.

The first one was an air trooper, so he changed to vehicle form and went after Smokescreen, but the other had a terrain alt mode so he could only scream.

"Flyers! I need flyers!" Galvatron shouted.

Two more air soldiers jumped off and joined the chase. At the same time in the Autobot base…

"Setting coordinates. Strange." Ratchet said analyzing the signal.

"What's the problem?" Hot Rod asked.

"Smokescreen's telemetry data doesn't make sense. I can't lock onto his location."

Iris noticed blaster fire coming from above her Autobot pal.

"Smokey, they're after us!" She shouted.

Seeing what she meant, Smokescreen attached the keys to his back and positioned himself to go faster. Next, he activated the phase shifter before he spread all his limbs to slow down and passed through his chaser, so then he blasted the Con in pieces. Other flyer was about to fire a missile, but he was so focused on Smokescreen that he didn't saw Dragonite coming at him, until he hit him with Thunder Punch, causing him to be stunned by the electricity of the hit and fall out of control.

"If you mess with him, you mess with us." Iris declared.

"Axew." Axew nodded.

Back in the base…

"I've isolated the problem: Smokescreen is in free fall." Ratchet reported. "Smokescreen, I'm opening the ground bridge directly below you."

After receiving the warning and seeing the portal appear, Smokescreen deactivated the shifter. "Brace yourselves: we're gonna make an entrance."

"Smokescreen, watch out!" Iris yelled.

Following Iris's warning, Smokescreen heard an engine noise above him. He looked up and saw Galvatron coming in vehicle mode before he tackled him, pushing him away from the portal.

Ratchet saw it on his monitor. "He's…off course!"

"You missed?!" Moonracer asked in disbelief.

"Open another one! Fast!" Warpath yelled.

But there was another problem: Smokescreen saw the floor very close. So, he decided to take a crucial decision.

"Iris, come here and hook on me!"

"Let's go, Dragonite." Iris affirmed, making the dragon pokémon to speed up until reach the Autobot. "What is it?"

"I have an idea, but it's a risky one."

"Which one?"

"This one." He said activating the phase shifter. "I hope proper grounding on this thing doesn't apply to actual ground."

"What do you mean with… AH!" Iris exclaimed once she, looking at the incoming ground, understood what he was referring to. "Don't tell me…you aren't serious. It's a complete madness! Please no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO, SMOKESCREEEEENNNNN!"

Just a few seconds before reaching the ground, Iris and Dragonite, because Axew decided to hide again in his trainer's hair, closed their eyes expecting the end while Smokescreen also closed his but with determination. Surprisingly, they passed through the ground, while the Cons simply crashed and exploded, including the Decepticon soldier who was falling behind them, except Galvatron, who dodged it. That was registered in the base too.

"No." Ratchet lamented.

Galvatron transformed and landed near the crash site, and two air troops joined him.

"Scourer the wreckage! I want those keys!" He ordered.

While they searched for him and the keys, Smokescreen passed through a rock wall of a ledge below them with his companions, who still didn't believe they managed to get out unharmed.

Iris sighed in relief. "We are fine. I can't believe it worked. How did you know it will?"

"I didn't. I just trusted my instincts." Smokescreen answered.

"You know, Smokey? Sometimes I believe you are a kid, but when it comes to improvise, you know what you do. I can't think of a more interesting guardian to be assigned."

"Thank you, Iris. It really means a lot for me." Smokescreen appreciated before he called back to base. "Hey Ratchet, we could still really use that ground bridge."

Everyone was relieved to hear him. Moments later, Smokescreen and Iris were back at base with the souvenirs they brought with next to them.

"Did I tell you? Destiny. Alpha Trion knew I'll keep it safe." Smokey said proud. "But I couldn't do all the work without my partners."

"You are full of surprises. Both of you." Sideswipe complimented.

Iris chuckled in embarrassment. "That's why we make a good team."

"We are glad to have you back, Smoke. And I think someone here owns you an apology, no Arcee?" Moonracer teased.

Arcee sighed, and then, she smiled. "Nice work, kid. And…sorry for what I said before."

"Nah, it's okay. At least it encouraged me to act right this time with Iris."

"(Hold on. One, two…You only found two.)" Bee counted with his fingers.

"It was the only key in Galvatron's vault." Smokescreen replied.

"Then three keys are accounted for." Elita said taking the keys.

"Then the fourth is still somewhere around the Cons' warship." Wheeljack deduced.

"Unless…Galvatron never had it to begin with?" Iris suggested.

Then the computer showed something, with an image of Starscream.

"A high-frequency signal, with an embedded message." Ratchet reported.

"Starscream." Warpath recognized.

"Him again?" Iris asked in disbelief.

"You know? At this point it doesn't surprise me anymore." Sideswipe shared.

"I have obtained something of interest to you which seems to be of no practical use to me." Ratchet read.

"It's gotta be the Omega Key." Warpath deduced.

"He's the one who blindsided me." Smokescreen realized.

"What else could Scream be referring to?" Moon said.

"Yep, yep, there's more." Ratchet announced. "Bring medical kit: I only ask for the surgical replacement of my T-Cog in return."

Wheeljack laughed. "Like we're gonna give Screamy back his wings."

"Without the missing key, Cybertron will remain devoid of life."

"Broken record, I know. But…it could be a trick." Arcee reminded.

"It is possible that Starscream does not yet realize the significance of what he holds." Elita suggested.

"And we do know that he has been incapable of flight for some time." Hot Rod added.

"The stakes are too great for us not to consider Starscream's proposal. However, we will take precautions." Optimus decided.

The Autobots opened a ground bridge in a sandy beach inside of Bomba Island: the destined place for meeting Starscream. Optimus, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Hot Rod and Warpath came out with weapons ready while Elita, Arcee, Moonracer, Sideswipe, Bumblebee and Smokescreen waited in the base.

"There." Hot Rod said, spotting Starscream lying next to a boulder.

"Starscream, show us the Omega Key." Optimus asked.

But the Decepticon didn't answer, so the Autobots came closer.

"Give it up, Scream." Wheeljack said, poking him with his sword, but the body fell down dead.

"We're too late. The T-Cog won't help him now." Ratchet observed.

But as they started to scan the body, something went through the ground bridge. With hyper speed, Starscream, entered the base; he saw that everything went slowly around him.

"It would seem I have the run of the place." Starscream observed before approaching to Elita One. "How easy it would be to gut you." He said pointing his finger close to her eye, but he pulled away before looking at the rest of the Autobots. "To gut all of you, but first things first. Where does Optimus keep his keyring?"

He started to inspect the storage areas.

"Not here. Nope. No." Then he stopped when he saw where Airachnid was trapped. "I was wondering what happened to that wretch." He continued looking, and groaned as his patience was running out. "Do they think I have all day?" But at the next one, he found them. "Ah, there you are."

Meanwhile, Ratchet was scanning the clone's lifeless body.

"Curious. Starscream has been deceased for quite some time." Ratchet saw.

"Well, how's that possible if he just sent us a message?" Warpath asked.

"Unless…" Hot Rod started.

"We have been deceived." Optimus realized.

Starscream fired one of his missiles and destroyed the door, seeing the pieces move slowly. The Autobots felt the impact force.

"Whoa." Arcee expressed.

"What was that?" Smokescreen asked.

"(What's going on?)"

Suddenly, the emergency fire-hose self-activated.

"What's wrong with that? There is no fire here." Sideswipe complained.

"Maybe not in here, but what about the other rooms?" Moon pointed.

"Elita, close the ground bridge, now!" Optimus ordered by com-link.

Elita pulled the lever up slowly while Starscream returned, carrying all the keys.

"Now that I have your trinkets, I'm free to enjoy slitting your…" Starscream started, but stopped when he saw Elita closing the portal. "But as I appear to be pressed for time."

The Seeker went through the portal before it closed, emerging in front of the other Autobots.

"Autobots, maintain positions." Optimus instructed, very slowly.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Starscream asked before making funny sounds imitating the way he listened Optimus as they passed through them normally. "You Autobots think you're so superior, but you know what you really are? Slow!"

Then, Optimus looked like he heard something behind him and aimed his cannon at Starscream.

That made Starscream laugh nervously. "The red energon wore off, didn't it?"

"Red energon? That's how he tricked us, with high-speed superiority." Wheeljack realized.

"He has the Omega Keys." Ratchet noticed.

"I can really use an assist here, boys!" Starscream called.

Suddenly, from under the shore's water, three of Starscream's Genesect emerged and attacked the Autobots with Techno Blast, forcing them to dodge. That allowed Starscream to put some distance.

"Cover me as I take us out of here!" Starscream commanded as he pulled out his ground bridge remote control.

The Autobots fired their weapons, trying to hit Starscream, but the Genesect responded with Signal Beam and Dark Pulse, making things harder. Then, a ground bridge appeared in front of them all.

"Retreat!" Starscream instructed as he entered the portal.

The Genesect changed to their alt form and went with their leader before the portal closed, right before any of the Autobots could reach it.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Optimus roared in anger.

"We'll get them back." Warpath said, trying to cheer him up.

"The keys can be of no use to Starscream and his pokémon while they scrounge in the wild like a swarm of scraplets." Ratchet said.

"There must be something that we can offer him in exchange." Hot Rod added.

"The fate of Cybertron now rests in Starscream's hands. Whatever his intentions." Optimus finished.

Meanwhile, in the Nemesis, everyone saw what happened to Knock Out.

"I beg you, my liege, release me from this absurd predicament." Knock Out begged.

"No. You shall serve as a constant reminder to those who dare fail me." Galvatron declared before he and Dreadwing left Knock Out and entered the bridge. "I cannot allow Optimus Prime to be the one to revive Cybertron. We will locate the Autobot base, invade it and retrieve the Omega Keys."

"Been there, done that." Starscream's voice called, making them see him and his Genesect standing like nothing in the bridge, which made Galvatron angry. Surprisingly, Starscream bowed to him. "Please, pardon our unannounced visit, lord Galvatron."

Dreadwing pulled out his cannon, but Galvatron put a hand on his shoulder as a sign to stop.

"But we have come bearing…peace offering." Starscream said as he showed him all the Omega Keys.