Ch. 130

Starscream groaned loudly, "I hate the beach!"

Smokescreen walked passed the seeker to step into the beach sands, "Aw, c'mon, Scream! This is really nice!"

Arcee smirked, "No pleasing you, is there?"

"Tch, no," Starscream muttered, "so let's get this over with. Where are we scouting?"

The femme pointed down the beach, "There are some ocean caves down that way. It's a walk, but that's where the signals are coming from."

The seeker huffed and started sagging himself as he trudged into the sand, "You're making us walk because you despise us?"

Arcee took hold of his arm as she strode passed him, "Oh Starscream, only the worst for you."

Starscream smirked back and let her lead him along as Smokescreen frowned, "Uh... a-are you two...?"

"In the depths of each other's loathing-not loathing for the other?" the seeker chuckled, "Yes. This is the kindest our friendship will lean towards civility."

Arcee purred, "And I will be sure to insult you every day."

Starscream took a sharp intake, "Oh, such promises."

Smokescreen whined a little, "Well it's weird."

The seeker frowned, sighing, "Femmes and mechs can never just be friends."

Arcee laughed and let his arm go, "You should have heard the rumors going around the barracks whenever I was assigned a new partner. I think they had a pool going to see if I'd pick a bondmate out of any of them."

Starscream hummed, "And intelligently, you did not," he coughed slightly, "but I don't mean that in the sense of their loss, you know that."

The femme smiled, "I've had more partners than just Tailgate and Cliffjumper... but yeah, it was the smart decision not to bond with any of them. We kinda still have a war going."

Smokescreen grinned his stupid grin, "Well, I'm sure Starscrimus Prime and I can end it."

The seeker glared back at the white mech and Arcee looked confused, "Really? 'Starscrimus'?"

Starscream huffed, "I- I already- no, I'm not having this conversation again! I am NOT a Prime!" he pointed harshly at Smokescreen, "And very much in the same intake, neither are you! Stop fantasizing!"

The white mech laughed, "I can't! The potential is there! Doesn't that make you excited? Destiny was calling to me and now it's within reach!"

Arcee frowned and crossed her arms, "Well destiny's child, doesn't Optimus have to become one with the Allspark for you to become a Prime?"

Smokescreen's smile disappeared, "Oh, wow... that's how it works, huh? With the... Matrix of Leadership and stuff..."

"Yes," Starscream hissed, "and I intend to make sure Optimus never has to make that decision. He's stronger than all of us, we can't lose that."

Arcee sighed gently, "He's been a brilliant leader through everything. Words can't describe how he's sacrificed and delegated and fought for us and everyone else. But don't ever sell yourselves short. We're a good team for a reason. We're all the best of ourselves and that's something the Cons don't have."

The seeker smirked gently, "Very nicely put. Maybe we should be looking forward to Arceemus Prime instead of Smokimus or Starscrimus."

The femme pursed and waved them off with a smile, "You know that's not how it works, right?"

Starscream shrugged, "How should I know? I don't know about any of those lores..."

Arcee stopped the mechs with a fist to indicate they pause. The caves were just a few hundred feet ahead. The waves were starting to pull away, revealing more beachfront before the cave entrances. The femme glanced back and gestured for Starscream to take point. The seeker stepped ahead and crouched low, transforming out a blaster as he peeked around the corner of the cave entrance.

Smokescreen transformed out his blaster in preparation but when he didn't hear anything, he hissed quietly, "Anything?"

Starscream flicked his wings, "Shh! I'm looking..."

There was evidence of a presence, something large having come through the cave a few times. There were large gouges and scratch marks, but the tide had washed away the more important ped prints that would help judge numbers.

The seeker sighed, whispering back, "Definite intrusion. I don't want to make any guesses, but they've either been moving things in or taking things out. The walls are all marked up."

Arcee took in a deep intake and moved forward, transforming out a blaster, "Information retrieval only. Shots are only to be made as a last resort. Am I clear?"

Both mechs nodded, Starscream standing, "Am I to assume that you'll take point then?"

The femme nodded back and she walked ahead, "Smokimus, you're at our backs. Starscrimus, center."

The seeker's face plates flustered, but he sneered, "Oh, of course, Arceemus. Whatever you say."

All three bots were on edge. The cave layout became tighter in certain spots, which understandably showed more evidence of hard traffic, but made maneuvering a gamble. Starscream's large wings weren't made for scouting missions.

"Perhaps I should go back outside and provide aerial support should you need it?"

"Thanks for the offer," Arcee said quietly, "but we're already pretty far in. If something happens, I need you to help with cover fire."

The seeker pouted. He didn't like these tight walls. Maybe going out for this scouting mission hadn't been a good idea...

Arcee stopped suddenly as she came around a corner and backed up, her optics dimming. The mechs stopped behind her and waited, watching her peer around the rock wall silently. The femme's arm went up, directing Smokescreen to rush ahead to a rock formation across from them. The white mech stayed low against the rock, waiting for more direction, but Arcee moved forward quietly and crept against a lower pile of boulders. Starscream stayed put.

He wanted to peek around and see what they were seeing. Clearly, Decepticons were there. But they were nearly as quiet as the Bots. The seeker could hear a little bit of shuffling, the gears and pistons of pedfalls, but they were... so quiet.

Arcee peeked up over her boulder pile, her optics darting swiftly around to important things to note around the cave's chamber. Once she had what she thought she needed she backed away slowly, back to where Starscream was.

"What did you see? What are they doing?" he hissed softly.

The femme hummed, "I'm not sure. I haven't seen them load things up that way. Can you take a quick look? Lean out over me, I'll cover you just in case."

The seeker sighed gently and nodded, leaning as far as he dared, and watched as he saw three and only three Decepticon Vehicons moved a somewhat large store of energon away from a large metal arch at the back of the chamber. Starscream glared and stepped back.

"We need to go," he grumbled, "we need to tell the rest of the team."

Arcee nodded and gestured for Smokescreen to follow them as they were backing out; the white mech scuttled after them, his optics wide, "What is it? What are they doing?"

The Vehicons paused in their work a few moments after the bots left. They loaded up the energon they had been passing back and forth onto a hovering cart and one of the drones reached for his COMM.

"This is Site H," he murmured, "the signature attracted the Autobots. Motion sensors confirm three. Cameras spotted Starscream," his voice began to sound excited, "Shall we pursue and stall them while we wait for reinforcements?"

"Hmm..." came C.Y.L.A.S.'s voice, "No, not yet. If we engage too quickly we could lose the element of surprise. Clean up. Move everything. Make it look good. I'll tell our leader what you have reported. Good work. We'll expect the cameras and motion sensors as well. We can't risk them finding them if they decide to return."

The Vehicon nodded, "Of course, Officer C.Y.L.A.S. All hail Lord Megatron."