Chapter 4

Cheers of joy and relief rang out inside the control room as the Autobots watched Astrotrain lift Ricochet and Optronix clear of the communications tower, which was now completely swarming with drones.

"Whew, that was close," Skywarp, who had been watching the same scenario on the monitor with the other Decepticons, hinted to his trine mates.

"Yeah, kinda makes me happy to know I can fly," his blue and grey companion, Thundercracker, confessed.

Amidst the chatter in the control room, Ironhide pushed his way past the group of cadets to reach Prowl. "We've got a problem," he said, trying not to alarm the Autobots nearby with his tone of urgency. "Those things are starting to break through the force field."

"What?" Prowl replied, disbelievingly. "How? Trailbreaker?"

"We're not sure, exactly," Ironhide said, concerned.

The Autobot stationed at the monitors double-checked the readout. "There's nothing – oh, wait a klik – just got something. There's a breach below the repository, near the med bay."

Prowl considered the situation for a moment. "They must have found a way in."

The Autobot chief architect, Grapple, offered his input. "They're scaling the dome, too," he said, looking towards the control room window. A handful of the drones were visible outside as they slowly but steadily made their way higher up the dome. The invisible force field of energy surrounding the outer shell acted as a protective barrier, preventing the metallic covering from being compromised by the drones. "Soon, it'll be completely covered."

"It shouldn't be a problem as long as the force field holds up," Prowl replied. "All right – go with Ironhide and check what's going on beneath the repository. Make sure it's secure."

The two Autobots wasted no time, and hurried out of the control room together. They would need to go down several levels to get to the access tunnel underneath the repository and find out exactly what was causing the perimeter breach.

As soon as they had left, Prowl turned his attention back to Megatron and the Decepticons. "How do you propose that we stop them?" he asked, in response to the Decepticon leader's earlier comment.

Starscream stepped forward, offering the Autobot his viewpoint. "The drones seem to all share the same mind."

"Yes… we have witnessed such behaviour for ourselves," Prowl said.

"If we can discover how they are being controlled, or who is sending them instructions…" Starscream continued.

"What's the bet it's that mad-mech genius Deluge?" Thundercracker said.

"More than likely, but if he's as much of a genius as he thinks he is, it won't be easy to break his control link," the Air Commander continued.

"Shockwave will have the opportunity to closely examine a live drone, and attempt to find an answer," Megatron informed the acting Autobot second in command.

"That's great, but what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" They all turned to see who had spoken; it was the red and orange Autobot cadet, who had been listening in on their conversation from Trailbreaker's station.

Prowl looked at him, and the small group of cadets who stood by him. "Your name is Hot Rod, correct?"

"Yes, sir," he replied.

"Go to the communications center. There must be other Autobots out there who are in the same situation as us, and who might be attempting to establish communications."

Hot Rod's countenance brightened, and he stood to attention. "Yes, sir!" he said, fully alert, unable to hide his excitation.

"Good," Prowl said, nodding towards the exit and sending him on his way, before turning to the other two cadets. "You two – go with him."

"Yes, sir," Blaster and Magnus replied in unison, and scooted out of the control room after their friend.

"Cadets – gotta love 'em, eh?" Thundercracker said as he watched them go.

Megatron paced towards the window and looked out. He could see drones surrounding the front of the Command Center en masse, while many others groped and fumbled over one another as they steadily climbed the domed structure. One of them stopped to look back through the window, its mouth agape and its optics crazed, and then began to bang its fist against the transparent barrier with all its strength as it attempted to break through. Its growls could not be heard from inside the control room, and the pounding of its fist was dampened by the force field – without it, the drone would have surely broken through. Contemplating their situation, Megatron turned to Prowl. "This encirclement tactic is only the beginning. Once Straxus is satisfied that your forces are suitably weakened and divided, he will strike without mercy."

Prowl realized that what Megatron had said was true, both logically and instinctively. "Then we must prepare, in whatever way we can." However, with most of the Autobots fully occupied with the task of holding back the drones, he could not see how they would be able to defeat Straxus when he eventually did decide to launch his attack.

Kup stopped short at the sealed main doors to the fortress, and glanced up at the impossibly high arch. "We're never going to get in through this way," he said, shaking his head. "It looks impenetrable."

"What do you expect? It is a fortress," Mirage replied.

"Yeah," Kup said dismissively, and waved the two of them onwards as he continued to follow the left hand passage around the side. "Lucky for us, I know of another way in. Come on."

The passage terminated at a dead end, with a couple of smaller doors on the right. Guzzle tried to open one of them, first looking for an access panel, and then pushing his weight against the door, but it wouldn't budge. "There's no way to open it!"

"That's because you don't know what you're doing," Kup said. "Watch."

Guzzle stepped aside, scepticism written on his face, and watched as Kup held up his signature weapon in one hand, and then calmly pressed the palm of his other hand against the door, holding it there. After several long kliks, the metallic door slid open, revealing a dark tunnel beyond. There was the sound of a weapon being charged up, and a mech suddenly stepped through the door, but Kup had anticipated him and fired his musket laser at the mech's chest. The guard let out a cry of surprise and then collapsed, as his systems were compromised by the corrosive bursts from the weapon. Kup checked for any more guards that might be waiting in the tunnel, and then lowered his weapon.

"How'd you know to do that?" Guzzle asked him in astonishment.

Kup gave him a disparaging look. "When you've gone on as many missions as I have, lad, you'll learn everything you need to know." Then he stepped through the doorway and began to walk down the dark tunnel. "Let's go – the sooner we find what we're looking for, the better."

Mirage and Guzzle hurried to catch up to him. "Sir, do you know where the underground lab is located?" Mirage ventured to ask.

"Not a clue," Kup confessed, showing no obvious concern as he continued walking.

Optronix and Ricochet waited as the Decepticon shuttle landed quietly just in front of the main edifice of the War Academy, before stepping out of the side door. The area seemed desolate and devoid of life, but neither was there any sign of the drones; so for now, at least, it appeared to be safe. Astrotrain took off into the air again without saying a word, and headed out in the direction of Kaon as fast as he could go.

Optronix watched him until he was just a mere blip on the horizon, and then sprinted towards the main entrance of the Academy, Ricochet right alongside him. He reached out to open the hinged metallic doors, only to find that they were locked securely. Unlike standard Cybertronian architecture, many features of the War Academy's main building reflected an unusual, archaic yet aesthetically pleasing style that had been adopted from select alien worlds that were home to organic life-forms.

He stood outside, wondering what he should do or if, indeed, there was anyone inside to let them in, and was surprised and relieved after a minute to see the doors swing open and his guardian greet them, before quickly ushering them both inside. The magenta, white and violet robot pushed the doors closed again and locked them securely, then led the way down the majestic hall, moving with such quick-footedness that even Optronix found it difficult to keep pace with him.

"Alpha Trion…" Optronix began, eager to share with his guardian all he had experienced since he'd last spoken with him some several months ago.

"We will talk soon, Optronix," Alpha Trion said, as he led them towards an elevator platform and then down a few levels until finally they came to a stop in front of another pair of sealed doors. Unlike the front doors, these were Iaconian in design and had been built for security and strength. He opened them with a secure code and then beckoned the two of them to step through before sealing them closed again.

Looking around, Optronix was confronted by many of his class mates, as well as several civilians who resided in the local area; some of them he knew, many he did not.

"Hey, Op! Good to see you're all right. We were worried about you, you know," Swerve called out to him.

Optronix acknowledged the maroon and white cadet with a nod. "I am okay, thank you."

Tailgate, nervous about the missing class mates, interjected. "Have you seen Hot Rod and the others? Are they safe?"

Optronix hesitated. He really couldn't offer him a definitive answer, as much as he wished that he could. "I don't know, Tailgate…"

The Autobot cadets crowded around him, pressing him for answers; in particular, they wanted to know all about the drones and what was happening in Iacon.

"Is it safe to go out there yet?"

"Did you speak to Prime?"

"What did you find out in Polyhex?"

Optronix faltered; with so many questions coming at him all at once, he was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. "Polyhex?"

"You were sent on a mission into Polyhex, weren't you?" Whirl explained.

"Oh. Yes…" Optronix glanced towards Alphia Trion, who stood waiting patiently by, his arms crossed. "Ah, excuse me for just a moment," he said, before turning his attention away from the gathered crowd.

"You're quite the popular one," his guardian said to him, amused yet altogether pleased. Alpha Trion was one of a minority of Cybertronians who had declined the option of integrating the ability of transformation into his systems when it first became available to their species a long time ago. In addition, his design was based on the likeness of organic life-forms who had once visited Cybertron; because of these characteristics, he was considered quaint by many.

"What are you doing here?" Optronix asked in response, his curiosity overshadowing the unwanted attention by the others.

Alpha Trion looked at him in earnest. "When I received the alert from Autobot Command, I thought I might find you here." He looked about the operations room, sweeping a hand around at all the gathered Autobots. "We have set up a temporary shelter."

Optronix glanced about the room. It was located underground, its walls and ceiling reinforced with an energy matrix that permeated the titanium alloy of its construction. A number of monitoring stations had been set up along one wall, as well as a communications post, all managed by several operators. Walking up to one of the stations, he saw a live feed of the front of the War Academy on one monitor, whilst views from different angles appeared on others. From what he could see, the Academy was free of the drones, at least for the time being.

"Do you require replenishment?" he heard Alpha Trion's voice behind him, and he turned to face his elder, who indicated towards an energon dispenser in one corner.

"No, thank you," Optronix replied. Doubt clouded his features, though it was so subtle that only his guardian could have noticed it.

"Something troubles you," the elder said in a soft voice, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention upon the Autobot cadet. "What is it?"

Optronix kept his silence for several long moments, but then sighed. "I am concerned for Sentinel Prime." When he received a look of confusion, he explained further. "He was captured by the drones."

"Ah. Do not be too concerned, Optronix." Alpha Trion placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sentinel Prime is a strong and proud warrior. He has lived through countless battles, let me tell you, and will survive to see many more."

It was Optronix's turn to look at Alpha Trion in confusion. "You knew him?"

"Eh." The robot elder shrugged, lifted his hand away from Optronix's shoulder and turned away. "Once upon a time, before he became Prime. He was much different back then. He probably would not remember me." Then he looked back at Optronix, renewed determination in his optics. "Until Autobot Command is able to come up with a way to defeat Straxus' unnatural creatures, it is best that we all remain here." Then he gave Optronix a final reassuring nod, before moving away to oversee things elsewhere.

As much as Optronix respected Alpha Trion and appreciated all that he had done for him ever since he had been brought into his care, he wanted to do more to help Sentinel Prime and save Iacon from the invading drone army.