Transformers Prime: The Final War.
Chapter 69: Chain of Command.
(Author's notes: In this chapter, Predatitan will keep his cover when he returns to the Nemesis. But he won't be able to resist getting to torment Roughstuff for rudely giving orders.
Also, like I previously stated, let's see how Ravenimus Prime tries to get Wheeljack in line and we shall see how annoyed Ravenimus can get at Bulkhead for attempting to play peacemaker between his buddy and Ultra Magnus instead of staying out of the whole thing.
Enjoy chapter 69: Chain of Command.)
In the South Pole, the hangar to the Arctic Base opens up and Thunderboltus says to Predatitan, "Off you go, Predatitan. Sorry you have to return to the Nemesis, but it's necessary to keep your cover. But do be careful, because Roughstuff is able to spy on the Decepticon troops for any sign of traitors."
Predatitan nods before taking flight to the Nemesis.
(The intro plays: The Predacon known as Predatitan screeches as he flies over a highway and spits a huge fireball at the highway. Out of the flames comes the entire Autobot army, with the new Vehicons, Shockwave, the new Autobots born in Autobot Outpost Omega 2, and the Autobot Predacon clones that were originally Decepticon Predacon clones in the original timeline coming out of the flames in vehicle/dragon mode. Optimus Prime is once again last. And as the camera pans around him, Optimus quickly transforms to his taller robot mode, and the view shows the entire Autobot army deploying their various robot mode weapons for battle. In Autobot Outpost Omega One, Bumblebee transforms to vehicle mode and drives through the Ground Bridge, followed by Stakebeak and his two clones known as Dreadstreaker and Swingslice. Bulkhead transforms to vehicle mode and he drives through the Ground Bridge, followed by Bombspeed and her two clones known as Crashout and Mazenter. And finally, Arcee transforms to vehicle mode and she drives through the Ground Bridge, followed by Jakestreet and his own two clones known as Jetace and Shortmark. In a Cybertronian battleground, Megatron fires his Fusion Cannon while Highstalker fires his own AstroMag Cannon, Roughstuff fires all of his missiles, and Devastator, Menasor, Bruticus, Preyerking, Abominus, Monstructor, Constructicon Maximus, Bruticus Maximus, Dominus Trannis, Dinoking, Liokaiser, Piranacon, Tripredacus, Devastator Maximus, Predacus, Infernocus, Volcanicon, Battle Gaia, King Poseidon, God Neptune, Megatronia, Grand Galvatron, and Thunder Mayhem fire their guns. Predatitan screeches as he flies towards Optimus Prime and Corvowing Prime, spitting fireballs at them. But the two Autobot leaders are unaffected as Optimus activates his jetpack and Corvowing transforms to his own dragon mode and they fly towards the Predaking lookalike. They respectively punch Predatitan before the title card appears. It reads, Transformers Prime: The Final War: Beast Hunters. The last thing the viewers hear is an unknown Predacon roaring.)
In the medical bay of the Nemesis, Roughstuff asks, "Is it really necessary for Highstalker to clone his army of Predacons here in this laboratory, or within any part of the Nemesis? I mean, not even the lone beast we had was able to stride these corridors without tearing them apart by accident. Which reminds me, I'm so very sorry for your loss."
Highstalker reveals, "I was talking about my off-site laboratory, which we have erected for the cloning of Project Predacon."
Roughstuff remarks, "Ah, I see. You think of everything because you are smart, don't you?"
Highstalker replies, "Affirmative."
Suddenly, a rumbling sound is heard, and the Nemesis slightly shakes.
Megatron raises an optic ridge in confusion and curiosity.
Roughstuff asks, "Are we under attack? Any Autobots?"
Highstalker replies while checking the computer, "Illogical. The Autobots haven't made a move against us since Darkmount fell. Though there does appear to be a ginormous mass upon the upper hull."
Megatron, Highstalker, Roughstuff, and a group of Vehicon Troopers approach the flight deck.
And when the door opens up, they see Predatitan standing there.
Roughstuff inquires bewilderedly, "How did it find us?"
Highstalker answers, "All Predacons possess the same precise homing instincts."
Megatron adds before ordering, "And astonishing resistance to freezing cold temperatures and an enhanced durability to physical damage. Roughstuff, assume command of my returned beast."
As Megatron and the Vehicons go back inside, Roughstuff replies, "Me, master? I mean, I wouldn't dream of stealing an honor from its creator."
Highstalker replies back for Megatron, "Military command of the Predacon is most logical, since my services are required elsewhere."
The door closes on Roughstuff, and the Predacon bears down on him menacingly.
Meanwhile, in the Liberty's Bluffs in Scotland, the Iron Will and the Flash Arrow touch down.
Ultra Magnus declares, "All right, Beast Hunters, according to our intel and Ravenimus Prime's foreknowledge, the Decepticons should be searching for an intact Predacon optic sensor directly below us."
Wheeljack immediately states, "On it, chief."
Wheeljack starts to advance without proper cover, but Ravenimus holds him back while saying, "Hold on a nano, robot cowboy. We don't have proper cover for just in case we get spotted. Also, I'm NOT going to put up with your insubordination of Ultra Magnus' orders or my orders. And I'm NOT gonna put up with Bulkhead playing peacemaker instead of staying out of it all like a sensible bot should."
Bulkhead gapes while Ultra Magnus nods in approval of Ravenimus putting her foot down.
Ultra Magnus asks, "Where did you learn to be as loving of protocol as me, Lieutenant?"
Ravenimus answers while slightly letting go of Wheeljack, "I was raised this way alongside my siblings by Corvowing when our creators were gunned down in a bank robbery gone wrong."
Impactor whistles and points out, "We just found some cover over here."
Everyone advances to Impactor's cover, thoroughly hidden from prying human eyes and from Decepticon optic sensors.
Impactor points to a Vehicon Trooper below while asking Ultra Magnus, "Do you know what's the best part about being above and behind guards, sir?"
Ultra Magnus takes a stern guess, "Guards never look up."
Impactor nods.
Ravenimus takes out her harpoon cannon and asks, "Permission to reprogram the Vehicons in the mine, sir?"
Ultra Magnus replies, "Granted."
Ravenimus fires a harpoon at the Vehicon and proceeds to fly into the mine where she reprograms the other Vehicon Troopers.
After transporting the new Autobot Vehicons to base, Ravenimus returns to the others and provides a metallic staircase for all of them, capable of supporting their combined weight.
Bombspeed remarks, "Never took Ravenimus to be the kind of stern lieutenant the equivalent of Corvowing."
Ravenimus replies, "Well, when you've been disciplining insubordinate troops for as long as Optimus, Corvowing, Ironhide, Ultra Magnus and I have been doing, you'd be hearing the same thing from an experienced veteran Wrecker."
Bombspeed keeps silent, not wanting to say anything further.
On the flight deck of the Nemesis, Roughstuff snarls, "You miserable beast! I am your commanding officer, and I order you to crawl into your kennel at once!"
Predatitan refuses to do so, clearly not happy with Roughstuff's tone despite having to keep his cover.
Roughstuff shocks Predatitan with an Energon prod as he shouts, "I said go already!"
Predatitan angrily shoots a stream of fire at Roughstuff, but he ducks.
Unfortunately, Roughstuff's forehead crest was singed despite the flames melting the metal being extinguished by Roughstuff quickly tapping the metal.
Meanwhile, back at the bluffs, Ultra Magnus asks Bombspeed, "And you're absolutely sure that the martial arts your kind invented over the course of the past two thousand and thirteen stellar cycles will prove to be invaluable when facing Decepticons in combat?"
Bombspeed answers, "Definitely sure, Commander. Besides, in particular, Japanese Ninjitsu allows the practitioners to engage the enemy in close quarters combat and to pull off all different kinds of stealth attacks while remaining hidden from sentries and guards."
Ultra Magnus nods.
Suddenly, the Wreckers that combine into Ruination came out with the Predacon optic.
Ravenimus immediately duplicates it and pockets it in her subspace compartment.
Ravenimus states, "Corvowing Prime's first rule of foreknowledge-based combat: always leave the enemy with part of the original spoils while being sure to take the replica of it with you."
The Wreckers leave the area.
On the flight deck of the Nemesis, Roughstuff dons a new replica of the Apex Armor unknowingly left by Corvowing Prime that was as indestructible as the real deal and approaches Predatitan as he sleeps.
As Predatitan wakes up, Roughstuff snarls, "Okay. Now, in you go!"
Predatitan roars challengingly.
Roughstuff scoffs, "Do your worst. This replica of the Apex Armor is virtually –"
Predatitan grabs Roughstuff's right arm in his jaws and flings him around like a ragdoll.
Roughstuff exclaims, "Aah! Aah! No! Aah! Release me! Aah! Aah! Aah!"
Roughstuff is thrown into the door frame leading into the Nemesis and he lands on the floor.
Megatron contacts Roughstuff and asks, "Roughstuff, come in. Are you with the beast?"
Roughstuff answers truthfully, "Yes. I've been trying to get him into his kennel, but he refuses to listen."
Megatron replies, "Never mind that for now. One of the excavation teams in Scotland has failed to report in."
Roughstuff states, "Not to worry, I shall deploy my Seeker Armada immediately and – "
But Megatron interrupts, "I would prefer that you lead our newly returned asset on this mission, so that way we shall see if our Predacon is as adept at fetching Predacon fossils as well as hunting Autobots."
Later, at the cave system, Roughstuff, four of his Seekers, and Predatitan showed up.
Roughstuff remarks, "Well, it's obvious that the Autobots either terminated the excavation team or they reprogrammed the team. Either way, they're long gone."
Predatitan spots the optic – the original one – and hands it to Roughstuff.
The Seeker commander remarks, "It would appear that the Autobots and the excavation team have done all of the dirty work for us."
The five Decepticons returned via the Ground Bridge while Predatitan takes off the long way.
Meanwhile, two miles away from the bluffs, Bombspeed and Ravenimus were training all of the Wreckers in Ninjitsu.
In particular, Bombspeed quoted the Dark Knight Trilogy iteration of Ra's al Ghul from both the films and the Batman Begins video game by reminding Ultra Magnus, "The human ninja understands that they might be believed to be invisible, but invisibility is merely a matter of patience, distraction, and agility."
After an hour, Ultra Magnus and the rest of the Wreckers, Bulkhead included, were all taught the basics and the advanced basics of Ninjitsu.
The End.
(Author's notes: I know I made this chapter short, but there was no need for the fight between the Wreckers and Predatitan because he was on the Autobots side in secret. And also, I f****** hated how Bulkhead played peacemaker between Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus. In my opinion, Bulkhead should've minded his own beeswax. But that's just me.
Anyway, in the next chapter, Corvowing himself will be handling the acquisition of the Predacon talon from the same museum that originally housed the Energon Harvester.
See you all in chapter 70: Plus One.)
