Here's another chapter. Happy Fall everyone.
I don't own Transformers Prime as the show is owned by Hasbro.
Ch. 25: Damage Control
The predacon charged at Wheeljack and Bulkhead only to get hit by a ship flown by Ultra Magnus.
"Who's ship is that?" Elisa asked.
"I'm not sure." Megatron said staring at the monitor.
"Carrier, can I help defend against the autobots?" Elisa asked.
"Absolutely not." Megatron said calmly. "You're still recovering from surgery. I can't have you take that risk." He said sternly. Elisa remained silent, but Megatron gave her arm a gentle squeeze showing he meant no harm.
I understand Carrier. Elisa said sincerely through the bond. "Stay here and don't leave the ship until I contact you." Megatron stated before leaving. He left just before they saw the predacon disappear through a ground bridge. Elisa's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Oh well." Starscream said unsympathetic. "Yes that's right go off and sulk why don't you." Once Shockwave left the room Elisa gave him a good smack to the head making him yelp. "What was that for?"
"Stop gloating." She snapped. "It's rude and it will get you in trouble sooner or later." Starscream grumbled and his wings drooped as he gave in. Thankfully it wasn't long before Megatron called them up. Elisa stared curiously as Megatron dragged in another new autobot and threw him to the ground.
"All invaders have been taken captive Master. There was no sign of Optimus Prime." Starscream said.
"So tell me Commander where might your leader be?" Megatron sneered. Elisa blinked and stumbled back as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Starscream caught it, but Elisa waved him off as Megatron started to interrogate the autobot. She hurried behind the chair as she realized her eyes were starting to glow.
Optimus no!
She heard a voice off in the distance, but she couldn't register whose voice it was. It sounded like someone she knew…another autobot maybe…Smokescreen! Why was she hearing Smokescreen's voice in her head? Something was wrong…very wrong and she feared Optimus was the cause of it. She knew she shouldn't be thinking of not wanting her Carrier's greatest enemy dead, but something about Optimus just made her think like that. She didn't understand why…at least not yet.
"I will not ask again." Megatron snapped.
"If I knew I wouldn't tell you." Ultra Magnus gasped.
"Very well." Megatron said before getting out his blade. "Execute our prisoners and fire each cannon at the nearest metropolis within it's sight. It is time to show the known universe that this planet belongs to Megatron."
"Master something's coming." Starscream said quickly. Elisa looked and saw something was indeed coming towards them.
"The predacon?" Megatron asked.
"Hmmmm, not beasty enough." Starscream answered. Megatron walked right past Ultra Magnus to look at the growing figure, but Elisa saw it first and gasped. Megatron pushed Elisa out of the was as Optimus Prime landed right in front of him. He punched Megatron twice with both fist as he spun around before another punch lifted him off his pedes. Elisa flinch when the fourth punch sent Megatron crashing into and destroying the throne. Elisa squeaked and covered her head as troops started firing at the much larger Prime. He didn't hesitate to pull out a machine gun and killed off the troops one by one. Starscream could only stare in shock as he turned around and…
BAM!
Ultra Magnus knocked him out cold.
"Commander." Optimus finally spoke.
"Sir you're looking…robust. It is paramount that we disable the fusion cannons below." Magnus stated.
"Understood." Optimus turned to leave when he saw Elisa.
"I know I'm not supposed to be saying this, but I'm glad you're ok." She said gently. His spark sank when he saw that she was still wearing the brace.
"What happened to you?" Optimus asked in frustration.
"I'll tell you later." Elisa said as she turned to the rubble of the throne. Optimus took his cue and hurried off.
"All units Optimus Prime has returned. I repeat Prime is alive and quiet well." Ultra Magnus announced. Elisa started digging for her Carrier, but when she heard the metal cracking she jumped off it quickly just as Megatron burst from the wreckage. She turned and saw Starscream getting up as Ultra Magnus jumped off and landed on his ship. Elisa didn't dare speak to her Carrier as she saw him look down at Prime. One look was all it took and he let out a roar of pure rage before he leaped off the platform and dove after Prime.
"OPTIMUS!"
Elisa shivered at the angry shout Megatron let out as she watched the flight chase with Starscream.
"Commander a cluster of enemy signals incoming." A troop said.
"Humans, activate the fusion cannons." Starscream ordered.
"Megatron be gone!" Elisa looked in the direction of Prime's shout just in time to see Megatron smash through the wall and land right into the power core. Megatron shouted in pain as he was electrocuted and thrown to the ground.
"Carrier!" Elisa called out as she scrambled towards him. She paid no mind as something hit the citadel and it started shaking in imminent collapse. "Carrier get up." Elisa pleaded as she tried to help him to his pedes.
"Transport Lord Megatron to the warship." Starscream ordered the remaining drones.
"What are you doing? No! We will not retreat!" Megatron shouted.
"Carrier, you're hurt." Elisa pleaded as she kept guiding him towards the Nemesis.
"This battle is lost my liege. We must retreat if we have any hope of winning the war." Starscream stated. By the time they got to the Nemesis the citadel collapsed and was nothing more than a pile of black, burnt metal.
Xxxxxxxxx
"Where were you?" Elisa demanded.
"I was on the Nemesis so what?" Phoenix snapped.
"Didn't you see the autobots attacking?"
"So what? I don't care." Phoenix spat.
"Carrier got hurt. The citadel is gone." Elisa cried out.
"I. Don't. Care." Phoenix growled back. "I told you he thinks about nothing but him and rule." Phoenix stated.
"That's not true." Elisa protested. "That's all you ever think about." She argued right back.
"You can say whatever you want." Phoenix said unimpressed.
"I know what you did you traitor!" Elisa shouted.
"What me?" Phoenix said innocently.
"I saw you leave Darkmount and the not a few minutes late Magma shows up." Elisa argued.
"Anyone within a hundred miles could have seen the citadel." Phoenix argued back.
"But you don't know where Magma's base is. The only way he could have known is if someone told him!"
"And you think that's me?"
"I know it's you." Elisa growled.
"What about SeekGazer? He's the watcher dragon of the group. He's supposed to find out what's happening and when." Phoenix said back with sassy tone. "Besides you don't have any proof."
"I'll get proof. I promise you."
Xxxxxxxx
"On earth?" Starscream said confused. "I mean isn't just a little preposterous?" Starscrean said still confused. Elisa watched in fascination as Shockwave worked.
"They are not the remains of predacons Starscream, but rather the remains of predacon clones. For you see our recent autobot hunter wasn't the first beast super solider Shockwave attempted to breed from prehistory matter. During the war for Cybertron I sanctioned the dispatch of a small army of these predaclones to earth. To unleash the bests on unwitting autobot forces stationed here. Once they accomplished their mission the surviving predacons held sentinel on this very world for ages to come, guarding the energon reserves they had managed to secure, while awaiting my arrival. Of course our reunion here was much delayed and it would seem we lost the beasts to the ravages of time."
"But not their endow matter from which I am logically able to extract their very CNA." Shockwave concluded.
"Another scavenger hunt?" Starscream laughed. "How logical would it really be to locate all the dusty remains of your former pets?"
"Starscream what did I tell you?" Elisa called out earning a curious glance from Megatron.
"You are not suggesting that I would send my creations on a distant planet without first having them micro chipped?" Shockwave said plainly.
"Ahh..aahh…well I was but…seriously you did that?" Starscream asked curiously making Elisa burst into laughter.
"I told you no gloating." She laughed earning a huff from the seeker.
Xxxxxxx
"Elisa would you like to see a trick?" Megatron called out from the bridge.
"Sure." Elisa said curiously. A groundbridge opened above him and Megatron held out his servo. A predacon bone appeared from the bridge and he caught it in his servo easily and held it up high as the bridge closed above.
"Tadaa." He said with a grin holding out the small bone.
"That was funny." Elisa said with a smile.
"Give this to Shockwave will you when he comes in." Megatron said handing her the bone. She nodded and then left to greet Shockwave with the prize in hand.
"So you're doing the same thing with the bone you're making me as what you're doing with the predacons bones." Elisa said fascinated after a few moments.
"Yes, it is a slow and steady process. The bone that I will be placing inside you will be sturdier and stronger in handling stress."
"Why is that?"
"Your sample mixed with CNA will make it stronger."
"So it won't be a bone, but like a metal piece almost?" Elisa guessed.
"That is a logical conclusion."
"Shockwave." Megatron called out. "I understand that you engaged Optimus Prime in the field."
"Only in order to secure the specimen Lord Megatron." Shockwave answered.
"I believed that you had perished once my most prized engineer and I highly doubt that Project Predacon can be completed without you."
"I shall leave the fetching of bones to Starscream and confine myself to my laberatory in order to accelerate results."
"Excellent for I am rather impatient to witness my army of beasts trample human kind under foot." Megatron said with a grin.
Xxxxxxx
Elisa and Phoenix were first on the scene when the ship started to shake again.
"Oh it's only the beast." Phoenix said with a roll of her eyes and paid no mind to Megatron or the others as they walked forward. The predacon stared at Elisa curiously for a few moments. She stood up on two feet and it lowered it's head in submission.
"How did it find us?" Starscream cried out in fear.
"Predacons possess precise homing instincts." Shockwave said right back him.
"And astonishing resilience." Megatron added. "Starscream assume command of my beast." Megatron ordered before walking away.
"Me master? I wouldn't dream of seizing such an honor from it's very creator." Starscreamn protested.
"Military command of the predacon is most logical since my services are required elsewhere." Shockwave added. The instant the door closed Starscream nearly shrieked when the beast approached him, but Elisa got in the way. She walked towards the predacon making him back away and kneel down. If he didn't have so many pinchers on his face he might have looked cute. Elisa walked towards him on all fours and cautiously nuzzled her head against the predacon purring in a gesture of good faith. Starscream's jaw nearly became unhinged and dropped to the floor when the predacon rolled on it's back, exposing it's belly and nuzzled right back at her.
"You want to try?" Elisa said looking at Starscream. The beast stood up again on all fours waving it's tail casually.
"You miserable beast, I am your commanding officer and I order to crawl into your kennel now." Starscream ordered, but the beast looked away from him in defiance. "I said go already!" Starscrea shouted before electrocuting the beast.
"Starscream!" Elisa protested and the beast responded by firing at him. Starscream yelped and as he smothered out his burning horn. "Stop that." Elisa said sternly to the predacon, which snarled in protest at the discipline. "You too Starscream." Elisa snapped. "Come on." She said gently to the predacon as she guided him under the roof of the deck. He followed Elisa's lead and laid down and instantly fell asleep. Starscream didn't reply as he hurried into the ship to get something. "Maybe you're not so bad." Elisa said as she settled in the corner.
"Ok now in you go." Starscream said wearing the apex armor.
"Starscream I said knock it off." Elisa protested as the beast roared in anger.
"Do your worst the apex armor is….AAAHHHHH!" Starscream started shrieking as the predacon tossed him from side to side before tossing him aside like a rag doll. The predacon finally spat him out and he hit the entrance wall hard before falling face down. Elisa was just rolling over with laughter.
"Starscream are you with the beast?" Megatron called out.
"Yes Master. We've been reviewing attack maneuvers. He's doing quite well." Starscream snapped. By the time Elisa was done with her laughing fit some of Starscream's seekers came out and started walking towards the deck.
"What's going on?" She gasped out of breath.
"We're going to get a bone." Starscream said with a frown before leaving through a bridge. The predacon looked at her as if to say, 'do I really have to go to?' Elisa nodded for him to follow and beast let out a huff before leaving. Elisa walked back to the bridge and Megatron looked at her curiously.
"Is the predacon growing on you?" He teased.
"A little, if it weren't for all those teeth it might actually be kinda cute." Elisa shrugged.
"Just be careful Elisa. While it may be cooperative with you it still has it's primal instincts." Megatron said with caution.
Xxxxxxx
"Ahhh you performed well my pet. This will be a splendid contribution to the spawning of your predacon brethren." Megatron said happily as he held the old optic in his fingers. He was surprised to see the Predacon nuzzle up to Elisa almost immediately upon her arrival. He laid down for her and let her give him all the attention he wanted as Knockout came up behind Megatron.
"My liege we've located another of Shockwave's energy signatures, weak but steady." Knockout announced.
"Excellent. Knockout do not return empty handed." Megatron said sternly.
"Moa!? Don't know the meaning of the word." Knockout said eagerly.
"Isn't empty handed two words?" Starscream teased earning Elisa's rolling eyes.
"You would know or did your missing armour turn up?" Knockout snapped back.
"Why you wheel-bound…"
"Hey boys! Shut it!" Elisa snapped.
"Starscream, you have failed me enough for one day. Assume the task of monitoring for predacon energy signatures at once!" Megatron snapped.
"Yes my liege." Starscream said calmly.
"I'm sure you'll find the gig as invigorating as I did Screamer." Knockout teased.
"I'll be back." Elisa said to the predacon before going up behind Knockout and whacking his head.
"Ouch what was that for?" He protested.
"Be nice." She ordered.
"The predacon currently among us will be but the first of a new wave of beast machine super soldiers." Megatron said to himself.
Xxxxxxxx
"Starscream what is going on!?" Elisa shouted as she saw the communication satellite broken with sparks flying.
"Uummm nothing Elisa nothing at all." Starscream said quickly. The predacon snapped at him making the seeker shout in surprise.
"That's the communication dish! How long has it been broken?!" She demanded.
"Not that long. It's almost fixed." He said weakly making Elisa growl.
"How long?!" She growled again.
"Uuummm when Megatron left with Knockout." He whimpered out.
"Starscream that was hours ago!" Elisa gasped.
"It was the beast. It damaged the disk with it's tail." Starscream protested. Elisa huffed before she started leaving. "Where are you going?" He called out.
"To get Carrier and Soundwave."
"No Elisa please you can't!" Starscream protested and grabbed at her wing making her yelp in surprise. The predacon snarled and got in front of Elisa as if to protect her.
"It's ok. It's ok. It was an accident." Elisa said gently patting it's head. "I'm still going to get them." Elisa said firmly.
"Sorry." Starscream said pointing to her wing.
Xxxxxxxxx
"Communications have been down for how long!?" Megatron shouted.
"Soundwave practically has the dish repaired master." Starscream said quickly.
"Which is all well and good for Soundwave, but for you!" Megatron snapped swinging his arm and Starscream ducked and Elisa flinched.
"Knockout to Lord Megatron please come in!" Knockout pleaded over the com link.
"See all fixed." Starscream chuckled weakly.
"Knockout do you have the predacon bone?"
"In my sights my liege as are a pair of autobots riding my rear."
"Understood, just make sure you secure the specimen." Megatron stated before he nodded to Soundwave who opened a bridge.
"Carrier may I help?" Elisa asked. He shook his head no as insecticon troops went through instead. As if sensing Elisa's saddened mood the predacon gently rubbed her with the blunt side of it's talon. She smiled up at it in response.
Xxxxxxx
That night Elisa stayed by the predacon's side, but the beast remained awake long after she fell asleep. She didn't see it go the communication dish and tap on the keys to find more information about itself. The next morning Shockwave came out onto the deck and woke Elisa.
"I have positive news for you. I can operate on your leg as the bone has become fully developed." Shockwave explained.
"Oh thank you Shockwave." Elisa said happily. She started walking away when the predacon let out a sleepy whimper as if to ask where she was going. Deciding to take a risk Elisa went up to it and let out a quiet roar. The beast was instantly alert as Elisa did her best to communicate with the beast in it's own language. Shockwave watched curiously and remained silent.
I'll be gone for a little while, but I'll be back soon.
Come…back…soon…
Elisa blinked in surprise as she understood what the predacon meant.
I will.
She smiled and waved at the predacon one last time before leaving with Shockwave.
"Did you understand it?" He asked.
"Actually yes. Sorry I didn't think of it before, but I really wasn't sure it would work." Elisa said quickly.
"It is a logical theory, no need for concern." Shockwave said calmly. Elisa found Megatron in the lab waiting for her.
"Where's Phoenix?"
"Uncooperative as usual." Megatron answered before he helped her onto the table. Despite being used to surgery Elisa still clutched at her Carrier's servo tightly as Shockwave approached with gas mask in his servo.
"You will still need to wear your brace for some time as your body needs to get used to being able to hold the weight again." Shockwave explained.
"I kinda figured." Elisa said nervously.
"I can assure you that it will be painless as before." Shockwave added.
"Thank you." Elisa said weakly. He handed the mask to Megatron and he gave Elisa a kiss before he placed the mask on her and she almost instantly fell asleep.
"I'll let you know when I finish." Shockwave stated.
"Where is Elisa?" Starscream called out when he saw Megatron walking the hallway.
"Getting her leg repaired." Megatron answered.
"Oh I hope she feels better." Starscream said respectfully. Megatron looked at him unsure of what to say next.
"You'll come with me when Shockwave finishes the operation." Megatron stated.
" Of course."
Xxxxxxxxx
True to the ladder Starscream and Megatron arrived when Elisa woke up. She let out a loud moan when she woke up and whimpered in pain.
"The pain will leave in time Elisa. Your body is adjusting to having a bone back in it's leg." Shockwave explained. He handed Megatron her brace which he cautiously put back on, but earned a growl or two of pain from Elisa.
"See all fixed." Starscream said playfully earning a half-chuckle from Elisa.