61- Minus One.
The Decepticons were still observing the cybertronian metal created by the previous explosion.
"Simply put, this combination of elements could allow us to cyberform entire worlds." Shockblast analyzed.
Starscream groaned. "Why do I feel a Shockblast's plan coming on?"
But Starscream made a huge mistake saying that, because at the moment, Shockblast grabbed him by the arm.
"Do not think for a moment, Starscream, that it has gone unnoticed that you left me at the mercy of the Autobots!" Shockblast exclaimed to him mad, face to face.
Starscream gashed surprised. "Master, are you going to allow one lieutenant to harm another?" But he received no answer. "Master?!"
"I'm thinking." Galvatron simply said.
Shockblast approached Starscream against one of the cybertronian pieces, a spike.
"I am tempted to force you to share my perception of things." Shockblast menaced as he approached Starscream's face against the spike.
"No! I only did what I thought was best for the mission, but I do feel compelled to add that it was my very error in judgment that made this happy accident possible! If I recollect, you were seeking to purge your laboratory of sensitive materials before the Autobots arrived, were you not?" Starscream answered highly nervous.
"Your argument…is logical."
With that answer, Shockblast released Starscream, who pushed his arm aside a little annoyed.
"Exemplary teamwork. Now tell me, Shockblast, why does this cyber-matter resemble chaos?" Galvatron asked.
"The basic elements are apparently unstable. I will turn my attention to correcting that."
"Ah, nevertheless, should we use this cyber-matter to restore Cybertron, or cyberform Earth, we would require a launch mechanism, would we not?" Galvatron asked, earning a nodding of Shockblast. "Then we will focus all our remaining resources upon the successful reconstruction of the Omega Lock."
Meanwhile, inside the Autobot base, everyone saw Ratchet's efforts in fixing Ultra Magnus's hand, even the gang, which was worried.
"I've done everything I can, considering the limitations of my equipment and less than ideal spare parts." Ratchet said as he showed the fruit of his work: now Ultra Magnus had some kind of claw-like hand where it was his previous one. "It remains uncertain if Ultra Magnus's new appendage will be fit for battle, though it should prove functional, after the requisite amount of therapy."
"That is all we can hope for, old friend." Optimus reassured.
"You doing okay?" Arcee asked to Wheeljack.
"I'm still two-fisted."
"So's Magnus." Sideswipe added.
"Wait and see. The claw's gonna become his signature. You know, like the way you own that voice box Ratchet slapped in your throat." Smokescreen said to Bumblebee, trying to cheer up everyone.
"You shouldn't have said that, Smokey." Hot Rod replied.
"(What? Do you think I like to sound like a computer?!)"
"I mean, you know, everyone understands you fine! Why would you even consider getting it fixed now, am I right?" Smokescreen clarified.
"(Cut it off! You better not pick where you should not. I don't want to forget how I spoke when I was complete.)" Bee said as he walked away irritated.
"What'd he says?" May asked.
"Bee's kind of still attached to the sound of his own voice, his original one." Max translated.
"There are some things that despite what happen we don't wanna forget them." Serena added.
"Hey, look at the bright shiny side, commander Magnus and Jackie singled-handedly put the kibosh on Project Predacon." Sideswipe reminded.
"Though at least one beast that we know of remains: the one who has demonstrated the ability to transform." Elita pointed.
Speaking of Predaking, he was in the Nemesis's bridge, by request of Galvatron.
"Predaking, we will soon plot our strike against the Autobots, to punish them for the massacre of your kind." Galvatron informed.
"While I fully intend to exact my revenge, Project Predacon was merely a squadron, not an army."
"I see."
"My liege, if you truly aspire to restore our home world, then I have every faith that you will resurrect the entirety of the Predacon race from the remains which lie there, so that I may lead them against any and all of our shared enemies."
Galvatron seemed a little upset with that revelation. Moments later, he was with Shockblast in his lab.
"We salvaged much of the wreckage of the Omega Lock, but the damage was quite severe. I would urge the selective use of Earth technology, retro-fitting its operating systems will be more efficient than rebuilding from scratch." Shockblast decided.
"Then do provide Starscream with your wish list." Galvatron told him before he turned at Starscream. "Since Shockblast must turn his attention to the stabilization of our cyber-matter, you will be in charge of acquisitions."
Of course, Starscream was not pleased to be Shockblast's shop boy, again. Sometime later, in the Autobot base…
"Prime! We have trouble brewing. The Cons assaulted a high-security vault of LaRousse City two hours ago, and made off with 20 tons of control rods of the city's power generators." Ranger Kellyn reported.
"What are the Decepticons looking to build?" Blaster asked as he and Optimus looked each other concerned.
Meanwhile, inside the Decepticons' lab…
"Lord Galvatron, I have determined that the synthetic energon formula provided by Knock Out is the source of the instability, simply because it is incomplete." Shockblast reported.
"Then make haste and complete it. We will not only require enough cyber-matter to rebuild one planet, but to remake a second."
But before Galvatron left the lab, Shockblast stopped him. "Master, excuse my imprudence, but what is the logic behind ruling two worlds?"
"It has taken me quite some time to fully comprehend that Earth and Cybertron have always been linked, two halves of one whole, Primus and Unicron. And that to rule only one, would be to never truly rule either."
Back to the Autobot base…
"Prime! It's Cons again. But in progress this time." Ranger Solana contacted.
"Coordinates received, Ranger Solana." Blaster said before opening the ground bridge.
"Let's roll." Ultra Magnus said heading to the portal.
"Yip, yip! Your ability to roll remains predicated upon further exploration of your new dexterity." Ratchet stopped him, making him to look his hand.
"I'm afraid that Ratchet's authority supersedes my own in medical matters." Optimus told.
Magnus sighed. "Understood."
Before everyone departed, Wheeljack felt sorrow for Magnus. The Decepticon engineers were leaving the Kalos Power Plant, transporting important materials while a couple of guardians and three of the Genesect squad covered them. Then they saw the Autobots coming through the ground bridge in vehicle form. Unfortunately, Soundblaster was above them and behind them, so he summoned his ground bridge next to the Decepticon engineers. The Decepticon guardians and Genesect shot at the Autobots while they continued their approach, so Soundblaster sent Buzzsaw to intercept Optimus. But in the last moment Blaster stopped and turned around, so the Minicon followed him and shot. Optimus also changed to robot form, activated his jet-pack and took flight, going to assist the Autobot communications chief, punching Buzzsaw hard, sending the Minicon back to the ground. Warpath tried to hit the Decepticons with his cannon as he and the team continued at them, but the guardians received all the shots and allowed the engineers and Genesect to escape with the supplies in their ground bridge. Soundblaster started to turn around, but Blaster saw him and followed him as Optimus pulled out his gatling gun and fired. Soundblaster evaded all the laser shots, but he didn't notice that Blaster launched two energetic missiles at him, hitting him hard, sending him to crash-land above two electric towers.
"Whoa." Smokescreen said when everyone returned to robot form.
"He managed to catch him. Not many of us had managed to do that." Sideswipe said.
"Blaster's the only one which Soundblaster can't surpass." Moonracer reminded.
Soundblaster tried to get up, but a lot of electricity flowed through his body, knocking him out. But Buzzsaw was still in the air, so it retreated while the Autobots gathered around the Decepticon.
"Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge. But ensure that the humans and pokémon are kept at a safe distance, for we will be returning with a Decepticon prisoner." Optimus instructed by com-link.
Back inside the base, Soundblaster woke up chained on an operating table; he tried to set free, but with no exit.
"Don't even bother, Soundy. Not even you can sneak through those chains." Sideswipe warned.
"It doesn't concern you the fact this certain Decepticon could alert his pals of where he is currently?" Tracey asked.
"Because we had the foresight to shield our new base, our captive will be unable to transmit his coordinates to the Decepticon warship." Ratchet reassured.
"Nor will they in turn, be able to pinpoint his location." Elita added.
"Guess we have all the time in the world to make Mr. Personality tell us everything he knows." Seaspray said crushing his fists together.
"I will be more than happy to perform the honor." Blaster said threateningly.
"What post does have him among their ranks?" Iris asked confused.
"From what they told us, Soundblaster is the Cons' surveillance chief." Ritchie answered.
"So he must know a lot." Ash added.
"But Soundblaster doesn't speak. Does he?" Misty asked.
"I'm not sure he even has a face." Dawn added.
"He used to have one, when he was still Soundwave. Right now, I'm not sure." Blaster answered.
Soundblaster's capture was noticed in the Nemesis too.
"With Buzzsaw unable to triangulate Soundblaster's current location, are you not concerned about what our comrade might spill?" Starscream asked.
"Of one thing I'm certain. Soundblaster knows when to impart information, and when to withhold it." Galvatron reassured.
Back with Soundblaster…
"Why is Galvatron stealing human technology? What is he attempting to build?" Elita asked, started to interrogate him.
Soundblaster simply repeated some parts of Elita's questions, a little modified with electronic sounds.
"Whoa, Elita One: the remix." Max simply said.
Next, Soundblaster showed a smiling face on his screen.
Hot Rod groaned. "I hate when he does those annoying tricks."
Warpath pulled out his hammer. "Oh yeah? Why don't I wipe that smile right off his face?"
"Soundblaster, we have treated you fairly. For the sake of the natives of this planet, tell us what Galvatron is attempting to build, before we are forced to rely upon less civil methods of interrogation." Optimus warned.
As response, Soundblaster increased his own sound waves, causing hurt to everyone. Until Blaster pulled out the Resonance Blaster and turned it on, counteract the ones Soundblaster was using, even hurting him.
"Nice trick, Blaster." Arcee congratulated.
"Now don't even think about using that trick again. Because next time I will make sure you can't by frying your sonic emitters." Blaster menaced.
"Scrap this. Soundblaster is no ordinary cybertronian, inside or out, like Blaster. So I would strongly suggest opening him up so we can have a first-hand look at the information recorded on his drives." Ratchet suggested, despite some of the Autobots saw it very extreme.
"Maybe a simple zap of our pokémon would be enough to drop his defenses?" Clemont suggested.
"With a guy like him, better to overshoot than to fall short." Moonracer discussed.
"Allow me. I'm gonna enjoy this." Blaster said pulling out his tentacles and charging them up with electricity.
Next, Soundblaster's screen showed a lot of words.
"Uh oh." Hot Rod said.
"All right, he's downloading data." Warpath said.
"No. He's getting rid of all his data." Blaster corrected.
It only took him a couple of seconds to erase all his data.
"Soundblaster superior, Autobots inferior." Soundblaster surprisingly said, with his own voice, leaving everyone without words.
Blaster was about to use his electrified tentacles, but before he could his rival's screen turned off and he looked like if he was dead.
"Wow, I didn't expect that." Bonnie expressed.
"Ragh! Curse you, Soundblaster!" Blaster cursed hitting his rival's immobile body.
"Easy, pal." Hot Rod said putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Is he…?" Sideswipe asked.
Ratchet scanned Soundblaster. "His vital signs remain functional. It seems he has simply severed all communications by crashing his own drives."
Meanwhile, aboard the Nemesis…
"Lord Galvatron, I have located the one item upon this world which possesses enough raw tonnage to power the reconstructed Omega Lock: a particle collider's synchrotron." Shockblast reported.
"Excellent, Shockblast."
"However, the successful completion of the synthetic energon formula is proving to be far more difficult than anticipated."
Starscream smirked at hearing that Shockblast was having trouble with something.
"Knock Out first procured this…unfinished shamble from the Autobot medic, did he not?" Galvatron asked.
"That is my understanding." Shockblast nodded.
"Then the most efficient means to an end may very well be to recruit that medic."
"Attempting to abduct the one Autobot who rarely leaves their base. A base we have yet to locate may prove to be a challenge." Starscream added.
"You forget that we currently have an agent within the Autobot base."
"Buzzsaw could reconnect with Soundblaster and upload his directive to him." Shockblast suggested.
"Which would still require knowing the location of their base." Starscream repeated.
"It is my understanding that Soundblaster kept surveillance records of more than just the human children."
Shockblast was referring to others like the pokémon rangers. In that moment, Ranger Jack was currently driving in his car talking through com-link.
"Prime. These recent Con attacks are starting to shake our bosses' atmosphere. So I have to go to meet with them at Professor Hastings' lab at once."
"Understood, Ranger Jack. And rest assured, should our prisoner return online, we will resume our interrogation." Optimus informed as he looked at Soundblaster, still offline.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll get back to base as soon as possible."
Jack continued his Jack, not knowing that Buzzsaw was following him. Back in the Nemesis, Galvatron was waiting for someone.
"You summoned me, lord Galvatron?" Predaking asked.
"I require your services. Since we anticipate an Autobot presence at our next event."
"I welcome any opportunity to face the Prime again, warrior to warrior." Predaking declared, making Galvatron mad.
"You pride yourself on your evolution, yet you have learned nothing! I may have lost my surveillance chief today. The Autobots have expanded their forces, while ours continue to dwindle." He said loud, and very serious and irritated.
"Then I shall simply battle, twice as fiercely."
"As a beast."
Time later, Jack was still driving.
"I'm on my way to the base, but I just got word. The Cons busted into the Solaris Particle Collider Project at the South Pole." Jack reported.
"Autobots." Optimus started.
Ultra Magnus checked his claw, which now he managed to move better.
"Eh, yep, yep." Ratchet stopped him.
"Doc, the commander's ready." Wheeljack surprisingly said, supporting Magnus.
Ratchet didn't opine the same, but he simply mumbled as he moved Wheeljack aside. "Fine, fine."
"Warpath, Smokescreen, Moonracer, Sideswipe, Seaspray, remain here with Ratchet to guard our prisoner." Elita instructed.
"Everyone else, transform and roll out." Optimus proclaimed.
Blaster activated the ground bridge and part of Team Prime transformed and went through the portal.
"Can't we throw a tarp over him? He's creeping me out." Sideswipe suggested looking at Soundblaster.
"Yeah. It's like he's watching, no matter where you go." Smokescreen supported.
"How about that now that he's out we take a look to see how he looks under that visor?" Moonracer suggested.
"Would you stop focusing on what Soundblaster can or cannot see and help me figure out what he did not tell? Like why Galvatron would be interested in something believed to generate enough power to create a black hole." Ratchet said.
Ranger Jack already arrived to the base, but Buzzsaw followed him all the way there. Meanwhile, inside the base…
"Black holes? So Galvatron's looking to swallow up the known universe." Seaspray suggested.
"And everything in it." Warpath added.
"No, no! He would merely want to harness the power of something capable of swallowing worlds, in order to…create one. Oh my." Ratchet said, realizing what Galvatron's intention was.
In the South Pole, the other Autobots already found the research facility, with a big hole, revealing that the Decepticons were already in there.
"Optimus, I know this hardly seems the time but it may aid you in your task." Ratchet told by com-link, so Optimus signaled everyone to stop and removed his battle mask.
"Go ahead." He authorized.
"I believe that Galvatron may be attempting to rebuild the Omega Lock. Do we let him?"
"No. For you know as well as I that Galvatron will use a reconstructed lock to cyberform both Cybertron and Earth. And that is one abuse of power that we cannot allow."
Ratchet sighed in defeat. "Understood."
The Autobots continued their way to the facility. But the light of the moon showed a flying figure coming at them: it was Predaking in dragon form. He roared, alerting the Autobots of his presence, before he charged and fired a huge fireball at them.
"Down!" Elita shouted.
All the Autobots jumped out of the way, except Optimus, who turned his hand into a cannon and fired at Predaking, but he managed to dodge all the shots and passed above them. Once the other Autobots got up they aimed their weapons at the Predacon, but Optimus signaled them to don't.
"The Decepticons must not be allowed to secure their target." He ordered while Predaking started to turn around back toward them. "I will engage the Predacon."
Despite his orders, Hot Rod and Wheeljack looked each still not sure.
"You heard your leader. Forge ahead." Ultra Magnus ordered.
The Autobots ran toward the entrance, with Elita in last place since she was a little worried, but she joined at the end. Predaking flew towards Optimus, so he activated his battle mask, pulled out his gatling gun, and fired. Predaking evaded the shots with some acrobatics. Once he was close enough, he fired more fire into another fireball, but Optimus waited until the last moment, activated his jet-pack and took flight. That mode, alongside the continued shots made Predaking to crash landed, but he recovered fast and pursued Optimus in the air. Optimus continued firing at him while he continued his approach, and when he launched another fire ball Optimus circled in the air to evade the shot. In the moment he ended circling, Optimus tackled Predaking, pushing him back. Next, he threw him and fired repetitively his gatling gun and his other cannon, sending Predaking against an ice wall. He continued firing, causing more ice pieces to fall above Predaking, but he roared and charged against Optimus again, grabbing him. Besides pushing against the buildings, Predaking scratched his claws on Optimus's head before trying to bit him, but Optimus grabbed his jaws and hold it back. But when he saw that Predaking was charging to launch fire again, he swung the Predacon's head to another direction, making that the emerging fire disoriented him, allowing Optimus to set free and continue shooting his opponent suspended in the air with his jet-pack. But despite receiving a lot of shots, Predaking managed to hit Optimus with his tail, making him to crash land hard on the ice. Meanwhile, inside the facility, the Autobots walked inside the corridors. Then, at the end of the hall, there were a lot of Decepticon troops, waiting for them. One heavy soldier tried to shot at Ultra Magnus, but Wheeljack deflected the shot with his sword in time. Now the Autobots needed to make their way in by eliminating all the Decepticons.
"Somebody knew we were coming." Blaster deduced.
"You think?" Arcee answered.
Deep inside the facility, the Decepticon engineers were working on the structure, supervised by Shockblast, when they heard the shots sound coming from inside the tunnel. Meanwhile, in the Autobot base…
"Ratchet, it may not be with the forge or the Omega Lock, but we're gonna find a way to get our planet repaired." Smokescreen said, trying to cheer him up.
"We just need to know how. The only thing that comes to my mind is this one: use millions of seeds. Like if that would be easy." Sideswipe suggested.
Then they turned to see Ranger Jack entering the room. But then, Buzzsaw entered from the window and started flying around the place.
"Oh no." Ratchet said.
Buzzsaw fired at the Autobots, but only to distract them while it shot at Soundblaster's chains. Immediately, Smokescreen and Sideswipe fired at the Minicon, hitting Buzzsaw's wing, splicing at piece of it. But that didn't stop the Minicon, because next it tackled them and evaded more shots before joining with Soundblaster's chest. That allowed the Decepticon to recover all the information he erased. Warpath readied his hammer to strike, but Soundblaster pushed him back with his arm. Smokescreen was about to kick him alongside Sideswipe with his swords ready, but Soundblaster grabbed them by the chest with his tentacles and pushed them against another table before knocking them out with electricity, and next he threw them against Seaspray, knocking him out too. Next, Soundblaster did the same with Warpath before he could fire his chest cannon while Moonracer tried to hit him with her wrist swords, but he pushed her back so easily. Ranger Jack was about to activate the security system, but Soundblaster swung him before he could do it, pushing him against the wall, knocking him too. Ratchet only could see Soundblaster walking at him with his tentacles irradiating electricity.
