Chapter 5
Megatron had thought that during their years on Earth the Decepticons had explored and exploited (or at least attempted to exploit) every possible source of energy the planet had to offer. Yet, somehow a source of incredible power that flowed around the entire planet and perhaps beyond had managed to elude all of their most sophisticated scanners for years. Had Soundwave not been standing right by someone who had tapped into the power source...and had it been anyone but Soundwave standing there...they would still be ignorant to it's existence.
Megatron had been excited when he first saw Soundwave's readings. He had worked along side his officer for hours, eager to begin draining the new found power. After half a day of fruitless labor his excitement had transformed into frustration. They knew the energy source existed. Soundwave's data allowed them to project a visual representation of the energy field around the planet. But no matter how hard they tried, no matter what they did, they could not access it.
The data was sent to Cybertron for Shockwave to analyze. When Shockwave, with his scientific mind and the best equipment Cybertron had to offer, did no better than they had Megatron was ready to scream with frustration.
"Conclusion: Insufficient data to tap into energy source." Soundwave decided.
"Obviously." Megatron snapped. He glared at the data displayed on the computer screen. It was taunting them. Everything was all right there for them to see. It should have been so simple. Yet nothing they tried could even come close to touching the energy source.
"Well then, let's gather the data we need. Return to where you took those readings and find out how to access the energy grid."
xxxxxxx
Power Rangers. Protectors of the city of Angel Grove. Identities, unknown.
Prowl had spent the day investigating the small town in California. His first stop had been the site of the battle. The beach, he discovered, held few clues. Signs of the battle were still there but they didn't leave him any trail to follow. So he took to the streets, pulled up any information that the human's Internet had to offer, and explored the outskirts of the city.
So far the case seemed pretty simple. He was able to surmise a lot about the situation from Teletran 1's transmission. The strange creature that attacked the city was apparently nothing new. Whoever sent this creature down to Earth had somehow gotten their hands on some null rays which Starscream and the Combaticons had gone to retrieve. If they had been stolen, or given as a gift that Megatron had changed his mind about, or (he strongly suspected) Swindle had made a profit selling the weapons only to have to steal them back later the end result was the same.
Based on the facts it was logical to reason that since the Decepticons had retrieved the null rays they would have no further business in Angel Grove. Prowl made another sweep of the area to be certain. All was peaceful inside the city. He patrolled the beach front and rocky cliffs next. It was there that his scanners finally picked up an unwanted blip. He followed the signal with his optics and enhanced magnification to it's limit. In the distance he could just make out a black and purple metallic bat swooping down into a rocky crevice. It seems that the matter needed further investigation after all.
xxxxx
Soundwave hit the eject button on his shoulder. His chest compartment swung open while Ratbat transformed into his cassette mode and flew into the open slot. The sun was starting to set just beyond mouth of the cave he had chosen for a temporary base of operations. He had positioned himself just outside the city and sent his cassettes out to gather information.
Buzzsaw and Ravage had returned not too long ago with news from the city itself while Lazerbeak and Ratbat had flown around outside the city to see if there were any signs of these Power Rangers. Ratbat's search had taken him far into the mountains. When he returned several hours later his brothers had already finished their surveys. Soundwave sorted through the data each had gathered and was pleased to find that Ratbat's long journey had actually been very rewarding.
Positioned on a double peaked mountain was a rounded structure with a tube like tower at it's center. It's design seemed to be foreign to Earth. Soundwave contacted Megatron to report the discovery.
"You found something?" Megatron asked.
"Affirmative." Soundwave reported. "A building deep within the mountains of alien design." He sent the visual and the coordinates of the building. There was a moment of silence before Megatron responded, sounding intrigued.
"The building doesn't appear on visual when I enter the coordinates. Something is blocking it from the satellites. Continue your investigation. I want the source of that power."
"As you command."
Soundwave ended the communication and ejected Lazerbeak before transforming into his tape deck alt mode.
Lazerbeak swooped down to grasp the tape deck's handle in his metallic claws before flying out of the cave, heading towards the distant mountain peaks.
xxxxxxxxx
"He's on the move."
Prowl reported as he watched Lazerbeak depart the cave with Soundwave in tow. Even with the message being relayed over a special secure frequency he was concerned it might have been detected. He would have preferred to maintain radio silence, but this unexpected development could not go unreported. Soundwave relocating himself in such a hurry could only mean that he had found something.
"Heading towards the mountains."
The pair were a rapidly disappearing speck in the distance when he received Optimus Prime's reply a few seconds later.
"I'm sending backup. Tracks and Sunstreaker are returning from a mission near your position. I'll have Tracks find Soundwave from the air and Sunstreaker will report from the city."
"Acknowledged." Prowl responded.
Optimus had given him no direct orders, which meant that his leader trusted him to proceed as he saw fit. After his through search of the town he was satisfied that there was no need for him there. Miles of rocky terrain separated him from Soundwave. It was too rough to drive over. So his only option was to set off on foot.
Xxxx
"You want us to WHAT!"
"You WILL hold your position and await further orders." When Megatron spoke in such a tone his troops knew that there was no room for argument. It was a tone that inspired fear and commanded respect.
"We got better things to do!" Of course, such things mattered little to the Stunticons. Motormaster made a grand display of his disrespect, slamming his large fist into a nearby boulder.
"You dare question my orders?" Commander and solider glared at each other over the view screen. The showdown lasted no more than thirty seconds. Thirty seconds longer than most Decepticons would have dared such brazen behavior.
"Fine…we'll wait…but not for long." Motormaster grumbled.
"You will wait until I tell you otherwise." Megatron growled before ending the transmission.
A few minutes passed where Megatron was allowed to study Soundwave's findings uninterrupted. A simple report from Shockwave concerning Starscream's unusual behavior while he unloaded his equipment coupled with Shockwave's suspicions regarding the matter had quite unexpectedly sent Megatron on a search for what might be one of the most powerful energy sources he had ever come across. The puzzle's newest piece was the alien structure isolated in the California mountains. It seemed inconceivable that such a thing had escaped the notice of the Decepticons for so long.
"You summoned me?"
His train of thought was broken by Starscream's voice. He spared his subordinate a glance over his shoulder and motioned him forward.
"Do these energy readings mean anything to you, Starscream?"
He took a step back to allow the Air Commander access to the display on the screen. An arrogant expression crossed Starscream's face as he started towards the computer, eager to prove he had an answer where his leader did not.
"Too complicated for you, all mighty Megatron?" He sneered as he scanned the display. Despite Starscream's attitude, Megatron's expression remained impassive. As he studied the data his smugness was traded for genuine interest in the strange information. "Almost seems to be…"
"You wished to see us, Megatron?"
Megatron could not help but allow himself a superior smile as his newest arrivals announced themselves. Starscream turned away from the computer and a look of horrified realization stole over his features. The Combaticons reached the same conclusion as Starscream. There could be only one reason Megatron had summoned them all here together. The matter of the null rays was no longer a secrete.
Onslaught crossed his arms and kept quiet. He decided to face the seemingly dire situation with dignity. The rest of his team followed his example.
"Megatron, you don't understand! It wasn't my fault!" Starscream however, broke immediately into desperate pleas. "Swindle's the one to blame. I was a victim in all this!"
"Silence." Megatron snapped. Starscream immediately complied, although it seemed that he was going to begin a tirade of pleas and excuses at any moment.
"I didn't…" Swindle's attempt at an invented explanation was cut short as Blast-Off elbowed him in the side.
"I will discuss your punishment later." Megatron said decisively. "Until then, we have important matters to attend to. Fortunately, Soundwave was able to turn your idiocy to our advantage."
He glared at his troops in silence for a moment as if daring them to say something. No one in the room was so bold.
"The humans you encountered have access to a powerful energy source. An energy source that will soon belong to the Decepticons. As soon as we hear from Soundwave, we attack."
Xxxx
On the battlefield one gets a chance to learn about people on a very raw and intimate level. You get to see what a person is truly made of. The extent of their courage under fire, the very soul of a person laid bare; stripped down to the very simple instinct of kill or be killed. The same holds true for robots. During their years of combat the Autobots had all gotten to know each other through struggle and strife, trusting each other with their very lives.
Of course knowing someone in private life was quite a different matter. Normally one that does not receive much thought. After all the number of Autobots on Earth was considerably small, so at some point and time most had gotten a chance to socialize with one another.
Tracks and Sunstreaker had been sent out on a two day mission together. Neither had really spent much time with the other outside of the battlefield. Now two days had passed where each had only the other for company. They drove expediently and silently towards Angel Grove, their destination coming clear as they neared. Their speed was urged by the knowledge that Decepticons plagued the small town. Their silence because neither wanted to talk to the other…possibly ever again.
Tracks thought Sunstreaker to be vain, childish, egotistical and insufferable. Sunstreaker found Tracks to be vain, arrogant, egotistical and generally just bad company. Of course both Autobots were correct and being of such like mind it was inevitable that the two would not get along.
The silence held until they were but a few miles to the city. Tracks suddenly increased his speed, pulling ahead of his companion. The air from his passing stirred dirt on the road to life. The dirt flew left, right into Sunstreaker's side. Tension had been mounting between the two for days now and this slight transgression was enough to set Sunstreaker into a rage. He matched Tracks' speed and pulled up beside him.
"What's the big idea!"
"I'm simply trying to hasten our arrival. We're almost there." Tracks forced a calm reply, thinking himself the mature one in the situation.
"You ruined my left side." Sunstreaker accused.
"Personally I think that you need to dull down that tacky bright paintjob of yours anyway."
"Tacky! You don't know the first thing about style. It's obvious just by looking at you!"
"My form and color scheme are both far superior to yours."
"Don't even start about your form. With those ridiculous wings of yours you look more suited to polish Starscream's armor as one of his seekers than be an Autobot."
With that remark Tracks decided that it was time to abandon civility with the intolerable little Lamborghini. He increased speed, again pulling ahead of Sunstreaker before extending his wings and taking off right in front of the other car.
As he took flight a massive cloud of dust rose from the street and covered Sunstreaker's entire front half.
"I'm going to start my mission." Tracks announced haughtily. "Be sure you report your arrival to Prowl."
With that he took off, flying towards the mountains.
xxxx
"I have arrived at the coordinates. Awaiting further instructions." Soundwave informed.
"Excellent." Megatron praised. "Hold your position for now. I'm going to provide a diversion that should get the attention of those human heroes as well as any Autobots that may try to interfere."
"Acknowledged."
After Soundwave signed off Megatron contacted his diversion. The Stunticons had been stationed only a few miles from Angel Grove. Now he indented to set them to the task they were best suited.
"Stunticons, acknowledge."
"Yeah, we're here." Motormaster answered.
"Good." He had been silently concerned that the Stunticons gotten bored and decided to leave their post in search of amusement. "Your orders are to attack the city."
"Yeah?" Motormaster sounded pleased. "You'n count on us!"
The communication ended and Megatron turned to address the rest of his gathered troops.
"Now we attack. If we succeed I might consider this one step towards redemption from your latest crime."
Xxxx
Tracks flew, leaving the road miles below him. High enough to stay out of sight from anyone happening to drive by but low enough to keep a slightly magnified eye on the ground for trouble. He had contacted Prowl as soon as his companion had been left in the dust and was now in route to his position.
They had been given the simple task of picking up equipment and delivering it to the half constructed site of the Autobot's new base of operations on Earth. Sunstreaker had proven to be an insufferable companion. Even now with the pest miles below and behind him Tracks could not stop the angry thoughts from circulating around his central processor.
So preoccupied was he that when he first spotted four cars and a semi truck speeding dangerously along the highway towards the city he paid it little mind. Fortunately it only took a few moment for him to realize his mistake before he began to contact the others. First Sunstreaker, Prowl and finally Optimus Prime.
The Stunticons were coming.
Xxxx
When Optimus Prime received Tracks' information he realized that whatever was going on in Angel Grove was much bigger than he had initially thought. The prospect of a full scale attack was on his hands and he felt ill prepared. With the core of Megatron's operation moved back to Cybertron the Autobots had been living a peaceful existence alongside the humans. Prime had done his best to ensure his troops were always ready for battle. Unfortunately with the Decepticon's constant threat of attack eliminated a sense of security and complacency was inevitable. The situation also made the Autobot leader feel strongly the absence of many of his valued troops. Ironhide, Bumblebee, and the Protectobots along with many others had been given the task of setting up a new base of operations on Cybertron's moon.
At least they were not at a disadvantage as far as numbers were concerned. Although many had been drafted to secure the moon base, their latest mission to Cybertron had recovered many warriors that Prime had believed lost long ago. Ultra Magnus, Springer, Kup, Hot Rod and Arcee were now added to the ranks of the Earth based Autobot forces. Springer, Kup and Arcee had been stationed at Metroplex, the half finished base of operations they were constructing with a personality component recovered from a similar structure on Cybertron.
Those who remained in the Ark were among the Autobots assembled to deal with the latest threat. Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, the and the Aerialbots stood before him. The Dinobots had also been contacted although Prime was dismayed when he found out that they were too far away to offer immediate assistance.
"Autobots, the Stunticons have been spotted heading towards a city in California. I'm not sure what Megatron's planning there. But I do know that I have no intention of letting him succeed. Now, Transform and Roll out!"