Ch. 121

Smokescreen's optics almost boggled. An Insecticon! And that slag-helm, C.Y.L.A.S.! Did they know he and Starscream were nearby? If not, what were they doing here? They weren't terribly close to the Autobot base, but it was still too close for comfort.

"This will be our battlefield," the Insecticon hissed, flexing his claws, "Lord Megatron assured me I was allowed to use as much force as I please."

C.Y.L.A.S. rolled his shoulder plating, his spider legs reaching up to stretch in preparation, "I expect no less. But was flying out here truly necessary, Hardshell?"

The Insecticon rumbled, "I am in a dire need to release my frustrations over our faction's setbacks," he growled, "and I do not wish to damage the ship in my attempt to tear you to pieces. I have also been tasked to push you to your limits. Lord Megatron was not impressed by your tactical display during our recent attack."

The disfigured seeker sneered, "I'm touched you see me as your honorary punching bag. Best to note though, Hardshell, this will quickly turn from a one-sided battering to a beating that puts you in your place."

Hardshell snarled, "You will be no better than the Autobot scum we seek to eradicate!" he slammed clawed fists into the dirt, "I do not understand how our leader has found it within himself to allow you to live!"

"Because I am an asset," C.Y.L.A.S. smirked, "and the Decepticons are hurting for stronger numbers. It's not as though four of your officers, that includes the 'dear Starscream', just walked out to play for the other team. Oh wait."

Hardshell glared and Smokescreen frowned from his shared hiding place with 'dear' Starscream, "Ugh," the white mech grumbled, "when he puts it that way, it's almost insulting."

The silver seeker whispered quietly, "We need to get out of here."

Smokescreen pouted gently, "Aw, c'mon, we can take'em!"

Starscream glared at him, "Are you kidding? We barely survived C.Y.L.A.S. and I've never fought with Hardshell before. We don't have time for this. We need to get out of here as quietly as possible."

"Yes, maybe, good. Or," Smokescreen smiled, "we kick their afts after they're done swinging into each other."

The seeker grabbed his arm, pulling him close, "No. We are leaving as soon as the opportunity arises."

The young mech took a hold of his arm, "That's not very Prime of us though, is it?"

Starscream smirked, "And how 'Prime' of us would it be to attack them after they were already down?"

Smokescreen blinked quickly and let him go, "Yeah, good point," the seeker almost exhaled a sigh of relief but choked when the white mech transformed out a blaster and stood, "So let's be Prime about this and take them helm on!"

Starscream whimpered as he moved to grab him and missed, pressing as much as he could against his 'boulder-of-protection', "Oh slag, he's going to die now."

Smokescreen stomped menacingly forward, his blaster charged and ready, and puffed out his chestplate as much as he could, "Decepticons!" he called loudly.

Hardshell and C.Y.L.A.S. moved their glares from each other to the solitary Autobot, confusion on their faceplates.

C.Y.L.A.S. sneered, "Well, well, if it isn't Wheeljack. Come back for another beating?"

Hardshell snorted, leering at his companion, "Wheeljack? Are your optical relays firing properly, pest? That is not the Wrecker! That is another Autobot!"

The disfigured seeker blinked, "Another one? When did they-"

Smokescreen fired quickly at them, sending the Cons scattering for cover. Hardshell snarled angrily and ran at the Autobot from the side, using the canyon walls as a means to propel himself up higher. Smokescreen dodged a well aimed leap and continued to fire his blaster at the Insecticon as he ran to avoid the hulking mech's claws. It really wasn't until C.Y.L.A.S. began returning blaster fire that the white mech saw how bad an idea this was. Starscream was right. Reckless.

Speaking of... The seeker still hadn't moved from his hiding place. That was probably for the best, really. If the Cons caught Starscream now...

"What the frag was I thinking?!" Smokescreen hollered, more to himself than his opponents.

Hardshell cackled and barely hit the Autobot with a tackle, "You were not thinking at all, scum! And this will ensure your death!"

C.Y.L.A.S. sneered from his cover, watching in amusement, "This was a far more intriguing event than I could have hoped," he aimed his blaster carefully, chuckling as he centered Smokescreen's helm in his sight, "but I will be the one to end this."

Hardshell roared, jumping forward to block the disfigured mech's view and swat the white Autobot away, "He is my kill! You will have to resort to observing!"

Smokescreen gasped in pain as he fell and reached back at a leaking gash in his plating, gritting his dentals. Was Scream doing the smart thing staying in hiding? Or had he left and Smokescreen really was on his own? Either way, the situation left the white mech leaking out on the ground of the canyon alone as he tried to defend himself. His offense had turned into a defense far too quickly.

C.Y.L.A.S. glared, "Hardshell- I had the shot!" he snarled.

The Insecticon rumbled a chuckle and grabbed Smokescreen's leg, dragging him along as he walked, "Did you? For it appears I have caught my prey and am about end him myself. Lord Megatron will be pleased with my prowess."

Smokescreen struggled lightly and tried to tug himself free but it was useless. Hardshell's claws dug in deeply and the young mech had to fight to keep a pained yell from escaping him. Reckless...

C.Y.L.A.S. huffed and transformed his blasters away, "So end him then, why don't you?"

"In time," Hardshell purred, "I will first lord my victory over you as I clearly engaged the prey and caught him myself. A simple task which you clearly did not complete as you stated prior..." he laughed loudly, "firstly by misidentifying the Autobot and then failing to offline him!"

The disfigured mech glared, "How am I supposed to know all of the names and chassis's of the Autobots when the only one painted white you had on file was the one marked as Earth-bound?!"

The Insecticon only rolled his shoulders, tossing Smokescreen between the two of them, "That is not my concern. You should have studied the files more closely. Your arrogance in that new form of yours hinders your capabilities. Fitting. It means you will die sooner."

C.Y.L.A.S. opened his mouth to retort when a quick blaster shot to the chestplate sent him flying back. Hardshell turned around in surprise to see where the shot had come from and shrieked when he saw another seeker, the one Megatron dared to label 'dear', standing confidently with his blaster aimed at him.

"What a nice thought?" the silver mech glared, powering up his blaster for another shot, "C.Y.L.A.S. dying far sooner?"

Smokescreen let out a pained and panted sigh of relief, "S-Scream? Starscream?"

Starscream scoffed, "In the metal and to the rescue," he grumbled, "again."