Ch. 28

Megatron looked from his post as a low alarm started up, the warlord glancing at a Vehicon, "Status report. What is going on?"

The Vehicon looked into the alarm, "An energy signature, my lord; two to be precise. One in the Northern Hemisphere, some sort of Cybertronian device. And the other one is raw energon, or what appears to be raw energon, on the move near the equator."

Megatron frowned and turned from his post at the front of the command deck, "We will send two teams then. COMM Knockout and Breakdown, they will be going to the Northern Hemisphere. Then get ahold of Airachnid. She will join me in investigating this moving raw energon."

"Right away, my lord," the Vehicon responded, typing into the computer console.

As the warlord left the command deck, Soundwave walked in and Megatron paused, "I will be off the ship for some time, Soundwave. You are in command until I return."

The silent mech watched his leader walk passed then made his way over to a computer console. He overlooked the communications quietly...

"Optimus!" Ratchet shouted, "We're picking up two signals! One from North America, the other near the equator!"

Optimus slowly walked in, Arcee and Bumblebee behind him, "Can you identify what they are?"

Miko looked up from watching TV with Bulkhead, Jack and Raf, gasping, "Is it another batch of 'Cons up to no good? Can we come and see?"

Ratchet frowned, shaking his helm, "No. On both counts, Miko. The first seems to be of Cybertronian origin. Not a distress signal, but a signal to let us know it's there."

"And what is the other?" Optimus asked.

Raf gulped, "Is it Starscream?"

Miko scoffed playfully, "Oh Raf, don't you know? He's not so much a bad guy anymore."

"It would appear that this second signal is raw energon," Ratchet grumbled, squinting at the screen, "Or, the computer is trying to triangulate it as raw energon. It seems to have an underlying composition that I can't quite figure out..."

Jack watched the screen, pointing, "Hey, is it moving?"

Arcee smirked and crossed her arms, "Energon on the go? Could be Starscream."

"If we are to believe that is Starscream, then his capture must be our priority," Optimus said deeply, "We will split up. Arcee and Bumblebee, you will come with me to apprehend Starscream. Bulkhead."

The Wrecker put his fists together, "Lemme guess? Retrieve whatever's making the Cybertronian signal."

The Prime nodded, "Report in if you find anything. Ratchet, send Bulkhead to the first set of coordinates."

The medic nodded, opening up the ground bridge.

Megatron came out of the bridge first, his red optics scanning the landscape. Airachnid was at his side seconds later, looking to the volcano's horizon in front of them.

"Do we know where the energon readings were headed?" Megatron asked, walking forward.

Airachnid followed, "The Vehicons suspected it was heading to the top of the volcano. Why, I can't tell you."

The warlord had heard enough and he ran, transforming and flying towards the volcano. The femme was just behind him, bringing up the rear.

Optimus, Arcee and Bumblebee came out on the other side of the mountain, closer to the top.

Optimus looked up at the crest of the volcano, humming loudly, "The energon appeared to be heading in this direction. It may already be at the top."

Arcee nodded as she began to climb, "Then let's meet him up there, shall we?"

Bumblebee beeped after her and followed, warning her to watch where she stepped.

The Prime brought up the rear, watching above him carefully. He had hoped this was Starscream. But if they had picked up this signal so easily, he knew that they wouldn't be the only ones to meet up with him.

Megatron's alt mode was faster than Airachnid's, so it was no surprise that he made it to the top of the volcano first. But what he saw stunned him. He actually found himself frozen. Starscream. STARSCREAM. He was alive.

The seeker was struggling to put his arm into the hole of the volcano, to drop something into the magma below. The warlord watched as he slowly began to slip. Whatever it was that he was trying to do, he was going to end up paying for it with his life.

Megatron ran across the lava crust and dove just as Starscream began to go over, snagging his ankle roughly. He heard the seeker gasp, so he knew whatever was wrong he was at least still alive. The warlord stood and pulled Starscream out, laying him out on the ground. He held his shoulder tightly and tapped at his cheek plate to get a reaction, but the seeker couldn't focus. Megatron growled. He wanted his former second, no, his STILL ALIVE second-in-command to speak, to tell him why Airachnid had lied. And why he had disappeared.

The sound of running pedfalls and charging blasters got Megatron's attention and he looked up, watching as Optimus, Arcee and Bumblebee ran at him then stopped, aiming carefully.

"Megatron! Set Starscream down and back away from him slowly!"

The warlord smirked at Optimus's order and stood, hovering over his unconscious second, "Optimus. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Optimus glared. He saw Megatron pull Starscream out from the volcano before he could fall into the magma below, but however the seeker had gotten there and in that condition, he did not know. He just knew they couldn't let him fall back into Megatron's control.