Transformers Fall of Cybertron: Joining the Exodus

by bigvic150

Corvowing and his army of Autobots are preparing to use his foreknowledge of the Fall of Cybertron video game to make sure that some things are changed. With Shockwave and the Insecticons as Autobots in this timeline, it's only a matter of time before the Ark leaves Cybertron. Will Corvowing's efforts ensure the arrival to Earth? Rated T. Autobot Starscream and Shockwave AU.

3. Eye of the Storm

Transformers Fall of Cybertron: Joining the Exodus.

Chapter 3: Eye of the Storm.

(Author's notes: In addition to some of Corvowing's clones, the Autobots accompanying Cliffjumper will be more of Corvowing's assortment of colorful and multi-colored Aerialbots, Grounders, and Multi-Changers: Buzzstalker, Grimcircuit, Rumblestreak, Autoburst, Grindjaw, Breakclaw, Deftlane, Groundpunch, Junkframe, Cannonworks, Bonespot, Widehorn, Tigertop, Cinderblades, Apewing, Leowhip, Roughbite, Landhammer, Dinowise, Heliwire, Sparkhorn, Dreadtop, Smokebuster, Megasiren, Galvasiren, Gunbeam, Wolfboom, Brushdive, Grizzstuff, Hammershot, Brakeload, Vicedash, Chromebutton, Chaincrush, Landpoint, Freezecase, Dirtblight, Jawdive, Grandpounder, Meltcast, Cloudhammer, Blowwar, Ionmine, Novamine, Fangtracks, Vicecase, Swiftblades, Broadswitch, Motorblitz, Hydrascraps, Gearcloud, Swiftthing, Topmaster, Cinderburst, Blitzwise, Avianheap, Fangside, Cracktron, Hydrauburn, Rumblewar, Lighttracks, Bullbolt, Shadehammer, Landlock, Smokewheels, Rapidblitz, Hyperblaze, Sparkbite, Lockload, Cliffdash, Stoneblade, Landsplitter, Razorblaze, Sidesteel, Kickstalker, Grimclutch, Magmasweep, Solarlane, Bullbutton, Bulkwave, Neutrofist, and Crackstuff among others.

Enjoy chapter 3.)

(Sea of Rust, third person POV...)

Sideswipe says to Jazz, Cliffjumper and the various Autobots accompanying them, "Autobots, this is as close as I can get to Grimlock's last known location until the rust storm clears up!"

Jazz replies, "That's good enough for us, Sideswipe!" Jazz turns to Cliffjumper and asks, "Are you ready, Cliffjumper?"

Cliffjumper replies, "Always!" Cliffjumper turns to Bullbolt and inquires, "Are you and the others ready, Bullbolt?"

The Aerialbot squad commander answers, "You bet we are."

Sideswipe circles around the drop-off point and calls out, "Try not to have too much fun without me!"

Jazz replies, "All right, just keep your channels open in case the rescu-ERS need some rescu-ING! Haha! Let's do it!"

Cliffjumper and Jazz bump fists and jump out, with their squadron following suit in either jet mode, beast mode or in the vehicle modes required for surviving a rough landing.

Everyone managed to survive the landing with little to no damage.

As the assortment of Autobots switched back to robot mode, everyone slightly covered their optics to block out any dust forming from the rust storm.

Cliffjumper calls out, "My sensors are jammed! My optics are barely working!"

Jazz calls out from the front, "Keep it moving! We gotta find cover! Through here!"

The Autobot away team make it to a wrecked door and Jazz calls out, "Look out!"

Jazz uses his grappling hook to rip the door off its hinges.

Jazz contacts Sideswipe and says, "Sideswipe, this is Jazz. We're in, but stay close, okay?"

Sideswipe replies, "Will do. Sideswipe out."

The assortment of ten thousand Autobots encounter a downed Autobot transport ship.

Bullbolt points out, "Jazz, that ship's markings match the one that was stolen from the base!"

Jazz replies, "Then it's a good bet Grimlock used it."

Jazz grapples into the ship to access the ship's data logs.

Cliffjumper calls out, "That doesn't look very stable!"

Jazz replies, "It's fine!"

Jazz comes out of the ship and continues, "I've got the ship logs; Grimlock DID use it. He and his team were tracking an Energon spike here in the Sea of Rust and to rendezvous with Shockwave."

Suddenly, the ship collapses and Jazz manages to escape to a high ledge using his grappling hook.

Jazz remarks, "See? All under control, baby."

Cliffjumper grumbles loudly, "I can't believe you outrank me."

Jazz lifts a piece of rubble with his grappling hook, revealing an entrance.

Jazz states, "Looks like Grimlock made his way through here. After you guys..."

Cliffjumper and the majority of the Autobot team make it into the entrance.

Upon looking at Grimlock's trail of destruction, Cliffjumper remarks, "Grimlock leaves quite the trail. He just tore through this metal like it was nothing."

As the rest of the Autobot team hides in different areas where they won't be seen, Cliffjumper proceeds to a spot that hides him well enough just in time for Jazz to contact his comrade.

Jazz advises over the commlink, "Cliff, we got company. Time to play hide-and-seek."

Cliffjumper whispers, "Let me guess: Decepticons."

Cliffjumper activates his cloaking shield.

Jazz continues, "Your cloaking shield works best if you keep quiet."

Suddenly, some Decepticon Soldiers come up and converge on the door.

The Soldier in charge of the others advises, "Sweep the area. We don't want any visitors like before."

One of the other Soldiers replies, "Yes sir."

Three of the Soldiers, including the one in charge, pass through the open door while the last Soldier is left behind to check on the weapon canisters.

Cliffjumper's cloaking shield deactivates to recharge.

Jazz continues again, "Keep it down until we find out why they're here. And since they are among the 'Cons that are naturally immune to Firefest's harpoons, start by taking out this guy, all quiet like."

Cliffjumper sneaks over to the Decepticon Soldier and snaps his neck armor, taking the Soldier unit offline.

As the Autobot team comes out of hiding, Cliffjumper contacts Jazz and says, "The new cloaker's working great! The door's sealed shut!"

Jazz replies, "I see an access tunnel underneath all of that junk."

Cliffjumper looks at the junk pile and replies back, "I'll take care of that."

Cliffjumper places a Nucleon Detpack on the pile of junk and everyone stands back as the thing blows up.

Cliffjumper sees the access tunnel and remarks, "There! An access tunnel!"

Jazz replies, "We'll find Grimlock faster if we split up."

Cliffjumper transforms to vehicle mode and replies back, "Keep your channel open – see you inside."

The remaining Grounders in the Autobot squadron transform to their vehicle modes and found that they can easily fit through the access tunnels. The same goes for the Multi-Changers who have ground vehicle modes, but not tanks.

Meanwhile, the Fliers, the animalistic Autobots and the Multi-Changers with tank modes find another way around, thanks to Corvowing's clones having the ability to teleport themselves and others.

After reaching the other side to find a Decepticon Soldier working a piece of machinery, Cliffjumper quietly switches back to robot mode and executes this stealth execution: He simply knocked the Soldier onto his back plate and stomped onto his head hard enough to cause his brain module to crash and go offline permanently.

Buzzstalker activates the lever that opens the exit door.

The away team sees across the cavern a Decepticon Guardian patrolling the area for hostiles.

Cliffjumper asks Jazz over the commlink, "Jazz, are you reading this?"

Jazz replies, "Keep your distance."

One of Corvowing's Seeker clones by the name of Quarreltalon explains, "That's a Decepticon Guardian. Their sentry modes have a beam of light that can see right through cloaking shields. And when they enter their battle modes, they're tough to beat unless you use stealth executions, Scrapmakers, or Rocket Launchers."

Jazz replies, "Thanks for the update, Quarreltalon."

Grindjaw states, "Jazz, it looks like a dead end. We see a crane, but the majority of us Grounders can't reach it, and our Fliers can't carry the rest of us across. Any ideas?"

Jazz answers, "There's a control room on your left, Grindjaw. Try over there."

The away team heads into the next room to see a Decepticon Soldier working on a Teletraan terminal.

Cliffjumper advises Jazz, "Decepticons are crawling all over this place."

Jazz replies, "I get the sense that they've been here for a while."

Buzzstalker fires a powerful silenced shot from his Energon Burst Pistol and the shot takes the Decepticon Soldier's head clean off his shoulder plates.

Shadehammer advises, "Jazz, some of this Cybertronian technology looks like it's recent."

Jazz explains, "Based on what Corvowing told me, the Decepticons are using this place as some sort of waste management facility – the kind of waste you get from when you're milling Energon."

Bullbolt asks, "Here in the Sea of Rust?"

Jazz answers, "It's coming from somewhere. Grimlock knew something that we didn't. Find a way upstairs, comrades."

Cliffjumper and the away team follows the path upstairs and find themselves in a ventilation shaft overlooking a Decepticon patrol and a trash compactor.

Jazz then states quietly, "Cliffjumper, everybody, I'm picking up a lot of Decepticons just ahead."

Apewing replies, "We'll deal with them. See if you can find us a way to reach the control room."

After progressing to the window in the vent overlooking the trash compactor, Jazz states, "Found you a way, Apewing. Hitch a ride on that trash compactor."

The squadron of Autobots make it to the other side of the ventilation shaft.

While keeping hidden, the Autobots overhear a discussion between two Decepticon Soldiers.

One of the Soldiers states, "I don't like it. Just like that, Roughstuff takes control? Nah. He's no Megatron."

His companion replies, "Better than Shockwave. That guy gives me the creeps. And his pets?"

The first Soldier replies back, "Don't get me started on the Insecticons. I saw what they did to those Autobots that came here."

Junkframe whispers over the commlink, "They all don't know about Shockwave's true dealings with us, do they?"

Jazz replies, "They truly don't, and any Decepticon that finds out is captured to be reprogrammed into an Autobot."

Soon, the away team manages to deal with all the Decepticons in the room without raising an alarm.

Gunbeam activates the lever necessary to activate the trash compactor.

The Grounders and animalistic Autobots use the trash compactor like a lift and the Fliers use their ability to fly in robot mode to get themselves onto the upper walkways leading to the control room.

Along the way, Corvowing's clones also managed to repair and revive the dead Autobots while teleporting them to Autobot Headquarters.

Chromebutton states, "We think we can position that crane to get across. And hopefully deal with any Decepticon Guardians along the way as quickly as possible."

Jazz advises, "That thing looks pretty rusty, Chrome. Don't make a scene."

Chromebutton replies, "That might not be avoidable. But under the circumstances, we don't really have much of a choice."

Jazz replies back, "I see. Just be on the lookout for any Decepticons that come pouring into the room afterwards."

Cliffjumper activates the lever.

The crane moves itself to the away team's position... while making a lot of scraping noises due to how old and rusty it really is.

The away team boards the crane while the Aerialbots take the remaining troops to the other side the old-fashioned way.

Suddenly, as Decepticons come pouring in, Jazz calls out over the commlink, "Cliffjumper, you've got company! Wonder what tipped them off?"

Cliffjumper replies, "You're not helping, Jazz!"

The away team fired on the Decepticon troops while reprogramming the other ones and teleporting them to base.

Interesting side-note: ever since the battle for the Ark, Corvowing has observed that the color differences on the Decepticons was what made the ones immune to Firefest's harpoons stand out like a sore thumb. Corvowing explained to his siblings and to their fellow Autobots that the normal Decepticon Soldiers, the Decepticon Rocket Troopers, the Decepticon Shotgunners, the Decepticon Seekers, the Decepticon Destroyers, the Decepticon Brutes, the Decepticon Titans, the Decepticon Marauders, the Decepticon Leapers, the Decepticon Cloakers, the Decepticon Snipers, the Decepticon Heavy Soldiers, the Decepticon Protectors, the Decepticon Melee Specialists, the Decepticon Artillery Specialists, the Decepticon Defenders, the Decepticon Captains, the Decepticon Medics, the Decepticon Guardians, and the Decepticon Sharpshooters who weren't immune to Firefest's harpoons had their normal paint jobs intact and unchanged while the batches that were immune had their colors somewhat reversed and had opposite colors as well.

In the present day, after a few minutes of reprogramming the Decepticon troops that weren't immune to the harpoons from Firefest and his clones while simultaneously killing the ones that were immune, more and more immunized Decepticons poured into the room.

After gunning down ten more Decepticons in the room, Jazz calls the Autobot team and says, "Guys, it's no use! Get out of there now!"

Cliffjumper exclaims, "I hate it when you're right!"

Cliffjumper and the Autobot team make it to the exit door and seal it shut.

Cliffjumper contacts Jazz and explains, "Jazz, we're entering what looks to be some kind of ancient tomb."

Jazz replies, "You're all out of my signal range. 'static' The signal's weak from the storm. 'static' Keep me posted until I can catch up."

Cliffjumper and the entire Autobot team infiltrate the adjoining corridors until they come to a stop because a Decepticon Guardian was using their stealth-cracker beam to monitor the wall blocking the Autobots and the Guardian from view of each other.

Cliffjumper and his comrades carefully and quietly navigate to the other side of the wall, only for the Guardian to disappear as it sensed nothing out of the ordinary.

The Autobot team progresses into the next room, and upon spotting the same Decepticon Guardian, they immediately hide either by teleporting, hiding on the ceiling, using hologram projectors to make themselves blend in with the room, or by camouflaging with the colors of every object in the room.

Cliffjumper hides himself behind the base of a sphere-like statue, thankful that he was small enough to not stick out like a sore thumb.

Jazz starts to say over the commlink, "Cliff, you there? I'm just around the—"

But he doesn't finish as Cliffjumper stays still when he hears the Guardian entering battle mode.

The Guardian charges up its blasters and shoots the statue, albeit without Cliffjumper being revealed, much to his relief.

The Guardian transforms back to Investigate Mode and starts searching for any Autobots in the area.

Jazz contacts Cliffjumper again and says, "Cliff, if you read me, that 'Con is using a stealth cracker beam. That beam will see right through your cloaking shield."

Cliffjumper carefully sneaks behind the Decepticon Guardian and slices the Guardian's head off.

Jazz contacts Cliffjumper again and exclaims, "Cliff, the Rust Storm is picking up! Brace yourself!"

The Rust Storm slightly shakes up the place, but thankfully, it didn't do too much damage.

Cliffjumper asks, "Jazz, you alright?"

Jazz replies, "Be glad you're inside. This rust storm isn't doing my gears any favors."

Suddenly, the exit door starts to unlock.

Cliffjumper states, "I hear more Decepticons. Time to go dark."

Cliffjumper hides himself along the walls next to the door as another Guardian and two Decepticon Soldiers enter the room.

As the three Decepticons enter the room, they're immediately reprogrammed and teleported to Autobot Headquarters.

Cliffjumper and the Autobot team emerge from their hiding places and exit the room.

After following the adjoining corridor, the Autobot team encounter a security gate that can jam cloaking shields and raise an alarm if Autobots pass through the non-violent laser beams.

Thankfully, the Beast Mode Autobots, the Fliers and Corvowing clones were able to teleport to the other side and the Grounders got through the security gate via an access tunnel.

Once the Grounders made it to the exit of the access tunnel, Jazz commented over the commlink, "That wasn't so tough."

Cliffjumper observes the next part of the ancient tombs and states, "Whoever these tombs belonged to, they sure got around."

Jazz explains, "The ancients prided themselves as star explorers. These tombs must be where they kept any and all of their cosmic souvenirs from across the galaxies. The rust hasn't been kind."

Corvowing's clones go all across the ancient tombs, reviving and repairing any and all Autobot troops they could find while simultaneously teleporting their new allies to Autobot Headquarters while avoiding detection.

Cliffjumper and the Autobot team pass through the corridors.

Upon jumping down a ledge, the Autobot team finds another access tunnel.

The Grounders switch to vehicle mode and pass through the access tunnel to the map room while the others teleport inside thanks to Corvowing's clones possessing the same memories of his foreknowledge as the real Corvowing.

As Cliffjumper looks around the map chamber, he switches back to robot mode and asks, "Ancient explorers, huh?"

Breakclaw activates the lever and the map chamber turns on.

Cliffjumper and Cinderblades ask in unison and in awe, "Primus, would you look at that?" "Primus, would you look at that?"

The Autobot team climbs up the stairs, one Autobot at a time.

Motorblitz contacts Jazz and advises, "Jazz, we've stumbled into some kind of ancient map room depicting a gigantic map of the known universe spanning its twenty-eight galaxies."

Jazz asks sarcastically, "Does the map point to something big and ugly named Grimlock?"

Motorblitz replies while looking at the map of the Milky Way, "No, but it does point to a galaxy known as the Milky Way. And if Corvowing Prime and the Covenant of Primus are to be believed, the Great War will eventually lead us to a small-sized one moon carbon-based planet known as Earth."

Soon as the Autobot team makes it to the top of the staircase, Cliffjumper asks Jazz, "Do you suppose the ancients visited all these places, including this planet known as Earth?"

Cliffjumper's response was static.

Cliffjumper tries again, "Jazz? Huh. The signal cut out again."

The Autobot team exits the map chamber via an exit door at the top of the staircase.

After making it to a metal gate overlooking a room surrounded by Decepticons, the Autobot team stays quiet as they hear two Decepticon Soldiers talking.

One of the Soldiers says, "Those Autobots must be found."

His companion replies, "Really? Because I thought it might be a good idea to just let them wander wherever. In fact, I'll just draw them a map of the whole facility with all of our secret plans."

The first Soldier replies back, "I don't know how to respond to that."

The Autobot team continues down the corridor they came from.

Jazz calls the team and says, "We've stepped into it now. One Guardian was tough enough!"

Cliffjumper replies, "Shift it down a gear, Jazz. We'll handle this."

While progressing and staying hidden, the Autobot team hears two more Decepticon Soldiers talking.

The first Soldier states, "Roughstuff and Shockwave are at it again. I thought we were on the same side?"

The second Soldier replies, "Roughstuff is always on his side. Period."

While sneaking into the next room, Cliffjumper and the Autobot team carefully and quietly looks at the Decepticon sentries in the room.

Seeing the Decepticons' paint jobs unchanged, the Corvowing clones reprogram the Decepticon troops in rapid succession without so much as making a noise and without being seen.

Once the new Autobots came to be, they were instantly teleported back to Autobot Headquarters.

Tigertop opens the next exit door and the Autobot team manages to get past another security gate without alerting the Guardians.

All the while, Jazz calls out over the commlink, "The 'Cons must be getting paranoid. Find a way around them and find a way to reprogram them if you don't wanna get fried."

After hiding from the Decepticon Guardians, the Autobot team observes that these Guardians are immunized Guardians.

Therefore, with Cliffjumper's stealth cloaking shield combined with the superior numbers, the three Guardians didn't stand a chance.

After progressing towards the exit door, Cannonworks opens the door this time and the Autobot team hides from another Guardian accompanying two Decepticon Soldiers.

The Guardian says to his troops, "Secure this room."

One of the Soldiers replies, "Yes sir."

After getting past the Guardian, the Autobot team eavesdrops on another group of two Decepticon Soldiers talking.

One of the Soldiers says, "Yeah, well, if anyone can find a way to make it work, it's Shockwave. That guy is scary smart."

His companion replies, "You think everyone is scary smart. Probably because of the fact that everyone is smarter than you."

The first Soldier replies back, "I don't get it."

His companion remarks in response, "I didn't think you would."

The Autobot team gets past the next security gate and reprogram the normal Decepticon troops while eliminating the immunized ones.

After taking out the only remaining Guardian, Cliffjumper remarks, "Didn't see THAT one coming, did ya?"

Jazz replies matter-of-factly, "No one can see it coming when you're invisible."

Cliffjumper asks in reply, "Jealous?"

Jazz replies back, "I don't NEED invisibility. I'm that good."

The Autobots make it to another exit door.

The door opens, and the Autobot team observes Grimlock's trail of destruction.

Cliffjumper muses, "Massive sword scrapes, a trail of destruction. Yep, Grimlock went through here. Wow. He leaves quite the trail. Grimlock doesn't leave much to chance, does he, Jazz?"

Jazz replies over the commlink, "You're giving Grimlock too much credit. The big guy's a hothead."

Cliffjumper replies back, "I just admire the direct approach, that's all."

The Autobot team comes across a passage blocked by a cave-in.

Deftlane states, "Scrap. Looks like it caved in."

Jazz remarks coolly, "Wonder if there's another access tunnel."

The Grounders go through the access tunnel while the others teleported to the next room.

The Grounders switch back to robot mode and the entire Autobot team bears witness through an empty window a patrol of immunized Decepticon Guardians.

Jazz contacts the team as he exclaims, "Autobots, we gotta move! That rust storm is picking up again!"

The rust storm causes collateral damage to the statues surrounding the Decepticon patrol.

Cliffjumper calls out, "Jazz, look out!"

The rust storm throws Jazz about and pins him underneath some rubble.

Dinowise contacts Jazz and asks, "Jazz! Jazz! Do you read me?"

Dinowise's response is total static.

Cliffjumper growls, "Scrap! He fell right into a Decepticon patrol!"

The Autobot team makes out into the open despite the rust storm limiting their sight.

The Autobot team manages to navigate through the rust storm to a hole in the floor.

Bulkwave contacts Jazz and asks, "Jazz, are you there?"

Bulkwave gets static buzzing as his response.

The Autobot team drops down another hole in the floor as Cliffjumper states over the commlink, "Don't worry, buddy; we're coming."

After disposing of the immunized Guardians, Jazz contacts the team and he asks, "Hey... (coughing fit) Autobots, you there?"

Cliffjumper replies, "Glad to hear you're still functioning."

Jazz continues, "I'm pinned down. Gonna need some help."

After disposing of more immunized Guardians, Jazz says over the commlink, "Shooting over my coordinates... now."

Bonespot replies, "Got them. We're on our way."

The Autobot team teleports to Jazz's location and manage to reprogram the single unimmunized Decepticon Guardian and teleport him back to base.

Jazz remarks, "Whew, man, that was a close one. Ugh. You guys think you can lift this thing off me?"

Cliffjumper helps out as he replies, "Urrgghh. Neither of us are as strong as Ironhide, but we do get the job done."

Jazz grapples onto a wall to provide an entrance as he says, "The storm's clearing. We're gonna have Decepticons converging on our skidplates in no time. Quick, follow me."

Jazz grapples ahead to another room.

Cliffjumper and the other Autobots converge on the next room surrounded by immunized and unimmunized Decepticon Soldiers.

Jazz grapples down to one of the immunized Soldiers and guns him down before grappling to another ledge and disappearing as he leaves to another room.

The Autobot team destroy the immunized Decepticons while reprogramming the unimmunized ones with replicas of Firefest in his harpoon cannon mode.

The Autobot team converges to an outside area and they are witness to several new Decepticon Snipers called Sharpshooters entering the area.

Cliffjumper exclaims, "What the frak are those?!"

One of Corvowing's clones answers, "Decepticon Sharpshooters. They're a new type of Decepticon Sniper. GET THEM!"

The Autobot team takes out the immunized Sharpshooters while reprogramming the unimmunized ones and teleporting them back to base.

The Autobot team enters the next corridor, where there's an even bigger army of unimmunized Decepticons.

They were immediately reprogrammed and teleported to Autobot Headquarters.

Jazz returned and commented, "Nice job, Autobots!"

Cliffjumper observes the pile of rubble blocking the way inside the entrance and said, "Scrap. It looks like it caved in right there."

Jazz replies, "I got this one!"

Jazz pulls the rubble aside with his Energon Grappling Hook.

Groundpunch remarked, "Show-off!"

Jazz ignores Groundpunch.

Upon finding a second cave-in, Chaincrush asks, "Do you think you can lift that thing, Jazz?"

Jazz tries to pull onto the cave-in with his grappling hook, but it doesn't work.

Jazz answers, "Uh, no."

Cliffjumper states, "Let me give it a try."

Cliffjumper plants a Nucleon Detpack onto the cave-in, and the Autobot team stands back as the bomb counts down.

The Detpack reaches zero and explodes, taking out part of the cave-in and making good enough hole for the entire team of Autobots to fit through.

Upon observing a bigger trail of destruction, Cliffjumper remarks, "Wow. This was Grimlock's handiwork?"

Jazz replies, "Yep, this was Grimlock's handiwork."

Cliffjumper then inquires, "Why do you suppose Grimlock came out here anyway?"

Jazz answers, "He's probably after the same thing the Decepticons are after, whatever that is. No one at Iacon has heard from Grimlock or his team since."

Cliffjumper asks, "Grimlock has a team?"

Grimcircuit answers, "Yes. They call themselves the Lightning Strike Coalition Force."

Upon entering the Energon Refinement Facility, Cliffjumper states, "Guys, look!"

Jazz observes the computer and remarks, "Interesting. This facility is being used to collect the toxic byproduct of Energon refinement. There must be an Energon supply nearby."

Bullbutton asks, "Are you picking up any energy readings?"

Jazz replies, "The storm's still mucking my signal, but – GUYS! I'm picking up a faint distress signal! It's an Autobot distress signal!"

The Autobot team investigates, only to find a giant hole.

Cliffjumper calls Jazz and explains, "The distress signal's coming from that pit."

Jazz asks in reply, "You mean the one they're sealing up like a safe?"

Autoburst says, "We need to find a way to open it."

Jazz explains on his end, "These canisters are filled to the brim with toxic goo. I'm pretty sure I can rig up a good sized bomb to blow the lid. Meet me in the control room."

Widehorn replies, "These Snipers have other ideas!"

The Autobot team takes care of the Sharpshooters and the Soldiers sent to intercept them.

After dealing with the initial deployment of Decepticon troops, the Autobot team heads to the control room.

Jazz takes out another Decepticon Soldier and says, "Autobots, I've rigged the bomb. Ready the lift."

The Autobot team heads down to the machine being used to carry the bomb and they signal Jazz to load it up.

Jazz calls out, "The bomb's on its way. Once it's loaded, escort it to the hatch and I'll arm it remotely. Should be more than enough fireworks to crack that lid open."

Cliffjumper asks warily, "You ARE gonna wait until we get clear, right?"

Jazz replies, "Yep. Don't let the Decepticons destroy that bomb!"

The Autobot away team unload everything they have onto the deployment of unimmunized Decepticon Soldiers, Shotgunners and Rocket Troopers, including Neutron Assault Rifles, X18 Scrapmaker machine guns, Subsonic Repeaters, Thermo Mine Payloads, C.L.U.T.C.H helper drones, and Dimensional Black Holes.

Eventually, almost all of the Decepticons were destroyed as the Toxic Energon Bomb made it to the plug.

Jazz calls out over the commlink, "Autobots, I'm arming the bomb. Deal with the rest of those Decepticons."

The last two Decepticon Shotgunners were obliterated.

Jazz calls out, "Cliffjumper, the detonator ain't responding! You're going to have to set the timer off manually. You're gonna need to plant a Detpack on the bomb!"

Cliffjumper replies, "On it!"

Cliffjumper plants a Detpack on the Toxic Energon Bomb, and when the bomb detonates, Jazz comes over and remarks, "Nice job, Cliff!"

Jazz observes the long drop and comments, "Whew, that's a long way down. Cliffjumper, you stay here and keep an optic out."

Cliffjumper replies, "What? No. I'm not called Cliffjumper for nothing. You stay here. I'll take the plunge."

Jazz jumps down the hole as he replies back, "Later! Ha-ha!"

Cliffjumper calls out, "That's cheating!"

To be continued...

(Author's notes: There you have it, folks. The Eye of the Storm, so to speak.

Something to inform you: the Autobot discovered in Sludge's place is Freakshot. He's an Autobot Aerialbot inspired by a combination of the Revenge of the Fallen Breakaway and the Primeverse Skyquake.

Additionally, I came up with the idea for the Decepticon troops being immunized and being made impervious to Firefest's reprogramming harpoons because Megatron came somewhat prepared. But Corvowing Prime is smart enough to notice and to advise his fellow Autobots to be on the lookout for any Decepticon troops who have their paint jobs switched in either opposite colors and those who have parts of their paint jobs in reversed positions.

See you all in chapter 4: Cut and Run.)