Chapter 33
A/N: I just own this story! Nothing else! The OC is my friend's.
/comm/
Telepathy
Modulated voices
November 15
"OH!" Wally and Bulkhead cheered as they and the rest of the team were watching a monster truck rally.
"He was so munched!" the speedster said high-fiving the wrecker.
"Would you mind lowering the volume?" Ratchet asked entering the rec room, "I can hear it from the monitor station."
"Ratch, you need to check out this Monster Truck rally Wally went to last week," Bulkhead said.
"I got the best parts on my phone!"
"Innocent vehicles battling for the pleasure of human specators," the medic scoffed with a shiver. "Blood sport!"
"Yea!"
"Wait, I thought Cybertron had gladiators? What's the difference?" Artemis asked.
"Nothing, I find each to be equally repulsive."
"Wasn't Prime's wife a gladiator?" Superboy asked.
"Yes, she was, and she's an extremely violent person because of it," Ratchet grumbled.
"…oh."
"You know Bulkhead, instead of hiding out here, you could be helping Optimus in the field."
The wrecker snorted. "He doesn't need my help to search for some ancient educational thing-a-ma-bob."
"That thing-a-ma-bob is a Cybertronian data cylinder," he stated waving his hand and turning off the tv, much to the team's displeasure.
"Not cool Doc!"
Ratchet inogred their groaning. "There's no telling what vast intelligence it might hold. During the Golden Age dozens of these cylinders were created, each containing the sum of Cybertronian knowledge on any given subject. Medicine, culture, mythology to name a few; when the war broke out the cylinders were launched off-world to keep them as far as possible from Decepticon reach. Detecting one here on Earth is the opportunity of a lifetime!"
"So, do you think we could learn from it?" Erica asked.
"Depends on the subject," Ratchet answered glad at least one—even is she was the most annoying—was listening.
"Why?" Robin asked.
"Cybertronians are a secretive race, even what they gave to the Guardians is limited, and that was only history," Erica stated.
"But perhaps I might be able to convince Optimus to allow me to teach you, depending on how relevant the subject is to your species," the medic shrugged. "Speaking of opportunities, how did your interview with LexCorp go?"
Erica groaned. "Did 'Bee tell you?"
"Optimus."
"Ah."
"What, what interview?" Wally asked.
"A couple weeks ago Luthor stopped by our school and wanted me to write an essay to see if I was qualified for an internship at his company. I just finished it and sent it in, and he offered me the internship," she stated. "However, apparently, Orion Pax sent a copy to Bruce Wayne and I was offered an internship at Wayne Enterprises."
"Who did you pick?" Robin asked.
"Wayne of course. He has a lot more opportunities for me than Luthor, and he's not a supervillain."
"Yea, just a playboy," Artemis said as Robin, Erica, and Wally snickered.
/Ratchet! Deception ambush, send back-up!/
"Why is it all the cool stuff happens when I don't have my gear?" Artemis groaned.
"Always bring your gear to the base, that's my rule," Emerald said putting on her ring.
"Bulkhead, Emerald, Superboy, Miss Martain go!" Ratchet said.
"What about us?"
"You don't have your uniforms," he stated.
"Tup no ruo smrofinu!" Zatanna spoke and all were then in their suits. "How about now?"
"Fine, just don't get yourselves killed," he said opening the bridge.
Running through, Bulkhead slammed into a vehicon, knocking him into the cliff-wall. Superboy leapt over and punched the unfortunate Con unconscious, before turning to see that the wrecker had moved onto another Con.
Bumblebee did a back-hand spring a punched a vehicon in the face. "Need a hand?" Emerald asked lifting the Con up in the air.
Behind his mask, he grinned. Pulling out his sword he crouched under the squirming Decepticon. "Drop him." Releasing the Con in her grasp, Emerald watched as 'Bee leapt up and sliced through the Con with little issue.
Optimus and Knockout exchanged rapid punches, lifting the vain man into the air, the Prime hurled him back. Where Aqualad used his water ropes to electrocute him. "Stand your ground, we cannot let the artifact fall into enemy hands," Optimus cautioned.
"That must be it," Zatanna said spotting a large cylandar. Arcee ran at the artifact when Arachnid tackled her out of the way. "Girb siht redips ot eht dnuorg!"
Arachnid cried out as her legs and arms bound to her sides, and she fell to the ground. Smirking Arcee lifted her arch-rivial and tossed her face-first into the cliff. "Hope that broke her nose," she muttered before getting tackled by another Vehicon.
Zatanna ran out to help her, casting more spells, some which worked, others which put the Cons in unfortunate situations. One was doing the disco, another was bashing his head on the cliff, one was in the cliff, two were hugging each other staring creepily into each other's eyes, a poor vehicon lied on the ground tied up, there was one guy yodeling, about five more were riverdancing, and then there was one other running around singing random Disney songs at the top of his lungs.
"Wonder if that was intentional?" Emerald muttered videoing the event.
"Come to papa!" Knockout exclaimed charging at the relic.
Bulkhead ran over and tossed Knockout to Emerald, who held a baseball bat and shot him to Superboy, who then punched him to the ground where Kid Flash graffitied all over his finish before running off. "Run to mommy," Wally quipped before Breakdown lifted him by his hair.
"Say uncle!" he said before Miss Martian used her telikenesis to send him into Bulkhead's wrecking ball.
Artemis and Robin ran over to the cylinder while everyone else fought. "Any idea how to move this thing? Its width is almost to my waist!" Artemis snapped.
"I'm working on it!" Robin replied. "Hey Doc!"
/What is it?/
"We have your stupid data-thing, can you send a bridge so we can get it outta here?" A bridge opened at the arrival spot. "Can you get it any closer?"
/Supply coordinates/
"Working on it!" Robin said typing away on his holo-glove.
"About fifty yards!"
/Precise coordinates/
"Hurry up!"
"No time! We'll have to try rolling it!" Robin said getting up. Pushing it the deviced clicked and started glowing as some metal spikes came off the top.
"WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" they exclaimed.
Breakdown charged at them, but Bulkhead tackled him out of the way. "Not on my watch!" he growled.
The ex-bot knocked him back, before M'gann shot him into Superboy's fist.
Bulkhead landed in front of the red orb on the relic, getting up a red beam shot out of hit, making contact with his head. Groaning the man fainted.
"You really took one for the team?" Knockout said lifting the cylinder and he and Breakdown ran into the groundbridge before it disappeared.
"Bulkhead, are you—?" Optimus began.
"Fine," Bulkhead reassured.
-.-
Autobot Base
"I helped lose that thing! I wanna help find it," Bulkhead declared trying to get up off the medical berth. "I need to get back into the field with Prime."
"Pit no, you're under my watch now. Optimus' orders," Ratchet said pushing him back down. "And running a full scan of your neural net would be a better use of your time."
Bulkhead removed the electrode attached to his head. "C'mon Doc, there's nothing up there to scan," he chuckled.
"He seems fine to me," Wally stated.
"Fine, if you insist on making use of yourselves," the medic said going into a closet and pulling out cleaning tools, "you can all tidy-up."
"He's mad with power!" Kid groaned.
Bulkhead laughed taking the mop. "That's ol' Hatchet. No vector squared alright."
"Huh?"
"Hey, we have any paint around here?" Bulkhead asked and Erica perked up.
"What kind? Wall paint is in the storage room, if you need painting supplies, 'Bee has a bunch in his room," she said.
-.-
Nemesis
"What do you mean it's empty?" Megatron growled.
"Lord Megatron, these cylinders are not unlike batteries, the data stored within is a form of energy," Knockout explained, "it scanned fully charged—that's how we found it in the first place—but now…"
"Dead battery," Breakdown supplied.
"Did you drop it you one-eyed oaf?!"
"No way! I didn't want to touch it after it zapped Bulkhead!"
"Hey…you don't think…"
"I know," Megatron sneered, "and I must find out what that vessel contained. When it comes to the secrets of the Ancients, knowledge is power."
-.-
Base
"Doc, you need to see this," Conner said running up to the medic.
"Yes, I'm sure one hasn't truly lived until one has seen Bulkhead's take on still life with lugnuts," he muttered fallowing the clone.
"He's been acting weird, and that's coming from me," Wally said.
"The differential of one-third R is RDRR…" Bulkhead recited as he painted away on one of Bumblebee's sketchpads.
"That is not art, it's science."
"You lost me," Emerald said.
"I need to contact Optimus."
-.-
"See this hotspot?" Ratchet asked showing a scan of Bulkhead's brain. "It's information, data, living energy."
"So wait? This is alive and it's in Bulkhead's brain?" Zatanna asked.
"Chill kids, the data's only inhabiting a fraction of my brain, infinitesimal by standard neural net densities," the wrecker replied. "Wait…how do I know that?"
"Based on what we witnessed during our skirmish, the living data must've been programmed to eject when it sensed unauthorized access," Optimus stated.
"A security measure," Robin stated.
"It would've jettisoned heavenward, lost the the stars."
"Except my fat-head got in the way!"
I wouldn't be proud of that comment Bulk," Artemis stated.
"Every 'Con there made a grab for it, but the cylinder doesn't do anything till Artemis and Robin touch it?" Emerald asked.
"The cylinders originated from the Golden Age, predating the Autobot/Decpticon division," Ratchet replied.
"So basically only non-Cybertronian life forms would be considered a threat," Batman said.
"Great, so what the pit is he doing in my sketchbook? I know science, and I have no clue what this is," 'Bee said passing the pad to Ratchet.
"I'm not sure if this is genius or gibberish, and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but—if I'm correct—these equations appear to be the formula for a synthetic energon."
"You mean we wouldn't need to mine for deposits anymore?!"
"Talk about the motherload!" Erica said as they high-fived.
"I'm confused," Zatanna said. "What's energon?"
"Energon is our feul, ammo, and life source," Arcee stated. "And the natural stuff is in short supply on your world, having a synthetic form would solve a lot of problems."
"Such as providing us with the edge we need to turn the tide of this war," Prime mused.
"Or handing us the key for revitalizing Cybertron," Ratchet smiled.
"How often does my noggin save the day?" Bulkhead smiled before taking the pad and continuing his notes. "Intersection of atomic coordinates indicate convergent tertiary structures…"
"You done yet?" Wally groaned as they watched Bulkhead work.
"…resulting in an asymmetric…"
"I've gotta admit, it's weird seeing Bulk in Brainiac mode," Arcee said.
"I'm not sure this is a sight I could get used to," Black Canary agreed.
"…vector L1 norm squared. Energon temperatures and volume proportion…"
"Hey Bulk, how 'bout a round of Super Smash Bros?" Conner asked.
"…angle trisector construction…"
Bumblebee walked over and took the book, ripping out the finished page, he handed it back and walked into the medbay. "Got more," he said.
Ratchet and Optimus nodded from where they stood at one of the monitors examining the brain scan. "This is Bulkhead's neural net as you saw it earlier," he said before switching slides, showing a new scan. One where the red had spread out more. "This one was taken mere minutes ago. It is as I feared; the data is actively and aggressively rewriting Bulkhead's neural net. I had hoped he was purging the data, but he seems to be merely transcribing it as it…"
"Consumes his mind," Optimus filled in with a dark look.
"From all indications, by the time Bulkhead completes the formula, his own thoughts and memories will have been wiped clean."
"But if we stop him there's no synth-en."
"You assume we have means of stopping him, we don't exactly have access to the wisdom of the Ancients," Ratchet scoffed snatching the paper out of the teen's hand.
"I will not allow one of our own to be sacrificed, no matter the cost," Optimus resolved.
"Maybe since the data transmitted itself from the cylinder, maybe we could transmit it out of his head?" 'Bee suggested.
"Or, perhaps, back into the cylinder," Ratchet said.
"Doc, in case you forgot we don't exactly have the cylinder. Last I checked it was the with the 'Cons. So how are we going to get it back?"
"Simple, Megatron will bring it to us," Optimus stated.
-.-
"Coefficient quotient of the subset amplified…"
"I'll give you amplified," Wally muttered putting in Guitar Hero.
"…proving Preceptor's Paradox is nothing of the kind."
"Two. Three. Four!" Erica said as they started jamming out to the loudest song there was.
"What is that?!"
"Guitar Hero, you love this game."
"I'm trying to concentrate!" he snapped.
"You know, you're starting to sound exactly like Ratchet," Artemis snapped.
"Who?"
They looked at each other before running to the medic. "Ratchet, Bulkhead's losing his mind, he said he didn't remember you," Conner said.
"You already know, don't you?" Zatanna asked seeing the worried look on the medic's face.
"We didn't want to frighten you, but we are working on a solution," he stated.
"But when Bulk's done spitting out that formula, he'll go back to being himself right?" M'gann asked.
Ratchet looked down, giving them their answer.
-.-
Nemesis
"Lord Megatron, we've detected a familiar energy profile," Knockout said.
"The data?"
"Bulkhead must've left the shielded radius of their base. Breakdown and I will—"
"Fail me again?" Megatron interrupted. "I shall do it myself."
-.-
Unknown location
Megatron and several vehicons transformed, landing on the ground. Standing up he saw the Autobots in their own vehicular armor. "Optimus, you're certainly not the Autobot I expected to find here," Megatron said, "but let me guess; you rigged a transponder to mimic the frequency of the data I seek."
"Megatron, I have a proposal."
The Decepticons brought out their weapons, but the Warlord raised a hand and they lowered them. "I'm listening."
"Surrender the cylinder, and I will return it to you fully restored."
"This trinket right here?" Megatron asked holding it. "And pray tell, what trifiles did it hold that you are so anxious to give away?"
"Accept my terms and you will find out."
-.-
Base
"Remember the time we watched Wheeljack lob that grenade into the Decepticon heat-exchanger?" Conner asked trying to get a response from the wrecker.
"Who?"
"Wheeljack! You're best friend! Besides us of course!" Emerald said holding out a picture that they printed off for her.
"Do you even know who we are?" Artemis asked.
"Of course…you're…equivalent to the flattening of the oblate spheroid to the nth power, internal energy of the isolated E remains constant," he said starting to write again.
"I'll take that," Ratchet said taking another page from the sketchpad.
"I have an idea, you guys wanna try?" Wally asked.
"Sure, why not?" Robin said. Whispering something into his ear, the Boy Wonder grinned and ran off dragging Zatanna with him.
Wally grabbed the stetchpad and ran towards the bridge. "C'mon! You wanna finish that formula, don't you?"
-.-
Unknown Location
"Do you accept my proposal?" Optimus asked.
/Lord Megatron/ Knockout called.
"Give me a moment," he said turning away.
/Did you find what you were looking for?/
"It's complicated."
/Well, Breakdown and I may have located the bogey, fully charged/
"Proceed."
/Just one problem, we don't have the cylinder/
"Then bring me the head of Bulkhead."
-.-
Monster Truck Arena
"Remember this Bulkhead? We went to the show here last week," Erica asked.
"…Mass times the diffusion rate squared is constant."
"Is any of this ringing a bell?" Conner asked.
"Bell curve? No, no, no, that wouldn't factor in," Bulkhead replied and the clone smacked his forehead.
"How about our Sunday-morning dune bashing?" Kid Flash asked.
"Rocking out to Guitar Hero?" M'gann tried.
"Sparring during our freetime?" Superboy suggested.
"We're not getting anywhere with this," Aqualad sighed.
"The cube root of the exothermis energon yield of delta E violates Clank's Law of Energon Conservation."
"Aw, how cute, I'm shedding lubricant," Breakdown sneered from where he and Knockout stood in their giant armor.
"Come with us right now or these guys are going to…steal the formula!" Artemis exclaimed.
"My equations!" Bulkhead exclaimed fallowing Artemis as she and Aqualad ran out.
"KF you got the graffiti ready?" Emerald asked.
"Yep!"
"Lord Megatron we're good," Knockout said, like kids could be a problem.
-.-
"Optimus, upon careful consideration, if you want the cylinder, you'll have to take it," Megatron grinned.
The vehicons began firing and the Autobots pulled out their own weapons. Ducking behind a rock, Bumblebee sniper-shot two vehicons as Arcee and Optimus held their attention.
Shooting down the last of his troops, Megatron growled. "Well, in that case, no one gets it," he snarled crushing the cylinder. Transforming he flew off before the Autobots could retaliate.
/Optimus, Bulkhead and the team have abandoned base. I have their groundbridge coordinates/
"Bridge us back immediately!"
-.-
"I've always wanted to do this!" Emerald exclaimed making a giant construct of a transformer. "BANZAI!"
Breakdown grunted as the construct slammed into him, pushing back against it, his fell back as Superboy knocked his feet out from under him. "Hold still please!" Wally grinned before painting on the ex-Autobot.
Knockout charged at Emerald before he was lifted-up into the air telekinetically, and tossed through one of the arena walls. "Oops," Miss M said wincing.
"Souvenir!" Kid said taking a selfie with Breakdown who now had a poorly painted smiley face on his face.
Getting to his feet Knockout chased after the two teens and Bulkhead, slamming him to the ground, he was shoved off when paint ended up on his finish. "I just fixed this!"
"Too bad!" Artemis growled firing an arrow. It exploded, covering his face in dense foam, making him drop Bulkhead as he attempted to rip it off.
Kaldur ran over, rolling out of the way as Knockout's pede almost crushed him, his hand accidentally smacking Bulkhead's head.
Eyes glowing red, the data shot out into space as it detected the alien touch.
"HAVE A NICE FLIGHT!" Emerald shrieked as Breakdown flew through the air, landing on his partner.
"Megatron's going to have our heads for losing that data," Knockout grumbled as they got to their feet.
"So we're just going to have to take yours," Breakdown finished as the groundbridge opened and the rest of the Autobots stormed out.
"Or perhaps tear outta here," Knockout said transforming and driving away, fallowed quickly by his still dazed partner.
-.-
Base
The team, the Autobots, and a few members of the League sat anxiously in the rec-room waiting for news on Bulkhead's condition. Walking in Ratchet raised his hand to stop the potential barrage of questions no doubt about to start flying. "The data has been completely expunged, however, Bulkhead remains completely unresponsive…"
"And it's all our fault," Artemis said. "We knocked into his head again, sending the data, and his mind up to the stars."
"It is because of our mistake that you will not get the rest of the formula," Kaldur concurred.
"It is your quick thinking that kept the formula from falling into Decepticon hands," Optimus said.
"If anyone would've backed that play, it's Bulk," Arcee stated.
"It is simply too early to know the extent of his condition, something as simple as a familiar sight or smell, perhaps even a sound could trigger his awakening," Ratchet explained.
Hearing that Wally shot to his feet and put on Guitar Hero. "Wally, now's not the time…" Robin began.
"Dude, just trust me," he replied putting on a song.
In the medbay, Bulkhead groaned. "Wally! You're off-key again!"
"Bulkhead!" the team exclaimed hugging him.
"Geez guys, what did I miss?" he asked with a laugh.
"Nothing much, just don't go sticking your head into laserbeams anytime soon," Artemis snickered.
A/N: alright, I know, not my best chapter, but hey! I made it work!
