Chapter Seven – No More Secrets

Inside the Autobot ship, Optimus Prime addresses his soldiers as they all stand at attention. With Jazz standing beside the massive leader and maintaining a straight pose himself, the entire group listens and watches Prime carefully.

"Autobots!" Prime says in his proud, booming voice. "Our long journey home awaits us, we've fought with our very lives against the Decepticons, only to be put on hold by a scheming individual who thinks he can control our destiny. If this were Megatron, I'd say plow on through and leave none in our wake, but this human creature…Doctor Archeville…has something that must never be allowed used again."

The leader paces up and down the line up and looks at each one of his fellow kin.

"Project N is now our main concern." He continues to say. "A weapon of unknown origin that is very deadly and currently a threat to our leaving this world. I had hoped the humans would see the logic in taking down this evil man and his secret base, but confusion and distrust has blinded them all to what must be done. Therefore, it is our duty to protect this world and ourselves…we must become the hand of justice and destroy whatever it is the Doctor is hiding. I know what many of you are thinking…"

Prime stops to look at Ironhide, "That this is how it should be, to let nothing stand in our way and teach these people a lesson."

The leader moves again and faces Bumblebee looking up with innocent eyes.

"Some believe that this is foolish and a waste of our time. A time when we should be heading back for home and letting the humans deal with Archeville and his men."

Optimus walks again and finally glances over at Wheeljack.

"And there are those who think that by doing this…we will make an enemy of those whom we just became friends with. That it will spur up hatred against our kind and give those looking for a reason to hate a means of drawing others to their side."

Stepping back over beside Jazz and tapping his manifold mouth with the tips of his right hand finger, Prime stares over at both Spike and Sparkplug standing off to the side watching the entire group.

"But we do nothing and remain neutral, we would be as cold and heartless as the Decepticons ever were. No, I will not let this man go un-noticed, I will not let this world be ripped apart by yet another war and suffer the same fate as Cybertron. There needs to be peace and harmony no matter which planet we stand upon, the secrets are over, the lies are finished…now we must help our friends in their darkest hour."

The band of robots cheered at Optimus's speech and saluted proudly replying in the same united voice he'd come to expect of them all.

"YES, SIR!"

Jazz steps in front of the line up, turns around and salutes the leader as he faces him.

"The men are ready for your command Prime. What are your orders?"

Optimus folds his arms and sighs.

"Naturally we all can't go, some of us will have to stay behind and watch the ship…"

Wheeljack steps forward with his hand raised.

"I'll stay Optimus. I've got things that need my attention in my lab."

"Pfft! Ain't that somethin'…" Huffer scoffs quietly to himself. "Why am I not surprised?"

Optimus nods at Wheeljack, making the Autobot lower his hand and stepping back into the line up. With no one else stepping forward to volunteer, Prime now takes charge and points to those who will remain with Wheeljack.

"Brawn, Huffer, Trailbreaker and Bluestreak. You will keep Wheeljack company and maintain alert here where we can contact you."

Bluesteak and Huffer's mouths open wide in disbelief.

"What?" Huffer shouts. "Come on Optimus! Don't leave me behind again…I'm not a babysitter I'm a fighter!"

"Yeah!" Bluestreak adds. "You need all the guns you can muster to help take on these armored humans."

Prime places his hands on his hips and shakes his head in disagreement.

"Look…we've got more then enough to take on the base, I can't have all of you rushing in as if they were the Decepticons. I need you here to keep a vigil eye on the ship incase Archeville does have another trick up his sleeve…we may need back up for all you know."

Both Huffer and Bluestreak back down as they hear the leader admit that fact, a sensible precaution in their eyes, but still somewhat disappointed being chosen to stay behind.

"Oh…alright Prime." Huffer sighs. "I guess we could do that for ya. But the minute you get into trouble…"

"I know, I know…" The leader interrupts and snickers. "You'll be there within a photon flash."

Sparkplug walks over to the leader and clears his throat.

"What about us Prime? Spike and I…we want to join the battle too."

Hound speaks up for Optimus and looks at the human with disapproval.

"Forget it guys. This is one mess you don't want to have on your hands, better let us handle this and take all the heat. Besides Sparkplug, you just got back on your feet again…I'd hate to see you badly wounded again. I'm sure Spike feels the same about that."

Spike joins with his father and pats his shoulder. "He's right, pop. I couldn't bear to see you like that again. Why don't I go instead…you could use the rest."

Prime lowers himself down on one knee to talk to the both of them and squints his pulsating blue, electric eyes.

"Not this time Spike. It would be safer for both of you to remain here, Hound has a point about keeping you away from this conflict…we run the risk of alienating your entire species by going in without their authorization. You still need to live here with your reputations intact…once our mission is over and Archeville is placed under arrest…we'll be returning home to finish the battle we began there."

Spike and Sparkplug understand and agree with his decision. They would like nothing better then to run right in with the Autobots and single handedly take on the madman and his cronies. But going into battle against their own kind and against the U.N.'s blessing would be a mark that neither one of them could escape from after the Autobots leave.

"What about Cliffjumper, Optimus?" Jazz inquires.

Prime rises up and remembers that the mini-Autobot is still in his quarters and stripped of his rank.

"He needs time to think about his actions." The leader sighs. "I'll talk to him once we get back. For now…he needs to cool that ego of his."

Blaster steps out of line and becomes frustrated with all this talking.

"Come on Prime! Lets do this thang before it gets stale, man! I say we boogie on out and put the petal to the metal!"

"HA!" Windcharger blurts out at the yellow and orange Autobot. "Look who's talking? You ain't got a petal to put the metal too."

"Figure of speech, Windcharger." Blaster shouts over to him. "Don't make me come over there and bitch slap ya!"

Windcharger shrugs his shoulders to Prowl standing next to him and giggles with him about Blaster's comeback. Optimus shakes his head at the two arguing and points to Blaster to get back inline. The orange and yellow robot does as he's told and returns in the line up.

"Fine…I think we all know what has to be done then. Remember that these are humans…they are fragile and easily harmed. I want very low casualties on this mission, in fact I want next to none at all. Target only their vehicles, weapons and armaments…I'll not have this become an all out bloody war as if we were the Decepticons…understood?"

"Yes, Sir." The all replied.

"Good. Autobots…Transform and Roll Out!"

One by one the robots convert into their alternate modes. Blaster, being the odd one out, transforms into his mini-disk/CD boom box self. The colorful transformer resembles the "hip-hop" trend in technology, large chrome rimmed speakers, glowing control buttons and his chest plate as a graphics screen. As he continues to transform, the molecule sized nanites scale down his size and fits into the hand of Jazz, who comes to take him inside his car form.

"Alright Blaster...lets you and me ride out with a number one beat!" Jazz says to him as he transforms into his sports car mode.

"I heard that, Jazz. Lets crank the tunes and get this convoy going!"

As the others continue to transform and ride out of the ship, Jazz and Blaster begin to play Eminem's song "Without Me" as they zip through the corridors and exit out. Optimus Prime shakes his head from their choice in music and quickly transforms himself into the tractor-trailer mode. With Prime following the others out, Spike and Sparkplug remain inside the ship and look at the five Autobots staying behind.

"Well, guess that means we're on sentry duty fellas." Wheeljack says rubbing his hands. "Who wants first watch?"

"Why? Where are you running off too Wheeljack?" Huffer says looking at him with curious interest.

"Oh no reason…I thought I could just go to my lab and…"

Trailbreaker quickly shakes his finger at him squints his unified eye at him.

"Ooooh no you don't! I know you…once you're in that lab you'll never come out for hours. We're stayin' right here…all of us."

"That's right." Bluestreak adds. "If I've got to stay here and play nanny to Huffer…we all do."

"What?" Huffer shouts angrily. "The day you play nursemaid to me is the day you can whoop my steel hide, Bluestreak."

"Oh, alright you two!" Wheeljack sighs lifting his head. "Give it a rest. Fine, we're all staying here on duty. Happy now?"

Bluestreak and the other Autobots laughingly agree that they are. With that settled, Spike approaches Wheeljack and pats his metal leg for comfort.

"Well, we'd all like to be something else other then being here Wheeljack. Just out of curiosity, why are you intent on going back to your lab?"

The Autobot kneels down to him and breathes out reluctantly.

"I wanted to study more about those dinosaurs you told me about. I back tracked some files Telatran One had on them, some entertainment programs and research papers on their structures."

"Why?" Spike inquires.

The robot looked around to see if anyone else was listening in before he answered Spike's question. The other Autobots and Sparkplug where standing near the computer and conversing to themselves. Wheeljack lowers himself down even further to Spike and keeps his voice lowered just incase someone does hear.

"I've got an idea about something…but I'm not sure that the others would approve. You see…those creatures might have the right size and bulk to make…"

Suddenly the alarm sounds off on Telatran One, lights flash and its booming voice echoes throughout the room.

"ALERT! ALERT! Energy signatures detected!"

Spike and Wheeljack quickly join the others standing around the computer and view the large monitor in front. Bluestreak sits down at the computer and taps the keyboard rapidly.

"What is it Bluestreak? What's up T-one's processors?" Huffer groans.

"According to this, there is a large group of energy signatures heading across the ocean…and I mean fast! I'm having a hard time trying to pin point them…" The Autobot replies as he reads the scrolling alien text on the monitor. "Scanners are trying to lock on but…."

"But? But what?" Trailbreaker asks.

Bluestreak leans back in the chair and the alarms turn off.

"They're gone. They were there…but now they're gone."

"Dang it all, Bluestreak!" Huffer screams as he pounds on the console. "Give us something! What was it? Where was it headed?"

Turning around in the chair to face them all, he looks up and calmly states the facts.

"I don't know what they were…but all Telatran seems to know is the one direction they were going…North!"

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Somewhere in the North Pole region…

Two figures with thick fur laden coats and dark goggles walk through the deep snow and ice. Visibility is hard to see as the two walk through the terrible winter storm, the wind is bitterly cold and freezing their jackets as build up of ice and snow crust over them. As they stop to have a look around, they bring around their shoulders two semi-automatic weapons and casually talk to one another as they shiver in the deep freeze.

"D-d-damn, why did I take this assignment? This totally blows…" The man says as he wipes off his face to expose his facial hair.

"I know, I know…" The other man now speaks. "But don't say blow…this wind is bad enough without hearing more breezing out of you."

They both chuckle at one another and suddenly feel large tremors; the two quickly aim their weapons at the location of the sound and blindly stare into the dense storm. More thumping is heard and the sound of ice and snow crushing in the distance. The men continue to point their weapons in fear and gaze deeper.

"What hell is that noise?" The one man says.

"I...I dunno?"

"WHO'S OUT THERE? SHOW YOURSELF!" The armed man screams loudly.

Through the dense storm comes a man sized figure heading towards them. The two frozen men quickly step up to the mysterious person and keep their guns locked on to him as they approach.

"Ok that's far enough! This is a restricted area…show me your pass or turn around right now!" He says to the intruder.

The lone figure is dressed in simple clothes, not enough to be warm from the cold and certainly not in some you'd see someone wearing out in the middle of nowhere. As the man looks up at them, the two give a look of surprise and lower their weapons.

"Doctor Archeville? Is…is that you sir?"

The strange metal hand sticking out from his white lab coat and the metal domed head with the two protruding nodules give them a moment to hesitate. But the Doctor, shivering from the excessive cold, gives a nod and friendly smile as he greets them.

"Yes, by boy…yes. I have returned to oversee the Project…here is my pass you require."

The doctor reaches into his pocket and hands over a dark looking card to the other guard standing there.

"I don't think that is necessary Doctor…but…I mean…my god! You must be freezing to death? What happened? Is everything ok?"

Archeville continues to shiver badly and lowers his head.

"No…no my boy. Things are much worst then they seem."

As the guard looks down at the card the old man handed over, he notices it doesn't look like the one they normally use. In fact, this one looks more like a mini-disk with a purple symbol stamped on it. The guard looks confused but soon discovers that it is quickly grown and unfolding in his very hand. The transforming sound occurs and now Ravage springs on top of the unsuspecting man as it claws and bites him to death. As his friend turns around to fire at it, he witnesses another shadow coming out of the mists of the snow, one larger and with a pair of glowing red eyes. The man screams in terror and shoots at it, but the large silver robotic foot comes out and crushes him to death like someone putting out a cigarette.

"Pathetic…simply pathetic." Megatron's voice echoes in the wind.

Archeville lifts his head after the deed is done and witnesses Megatron being revealed as the snowstorm gives way to show his appearance.

"And here I thought this was going to be a challenge."

The evil transformer laughs hysterically and places his hands at his side. As the doctor looks around, the rest of the Decepticons step through the snowy winds and laugh along with their leader. The old man collapses to the ground and whispers under his breath.

"What have I done?"