The last of the panels is in place and the net is connected, so Jazz finally links it to the rest of the energy network—
And the whole Ark goes dark.
"What the—What did you do?" Cliffjumper asks, and after a reboot and change in the settings of his visor, it's easy for the saboteur to see him standing up from where he was crouched.
"Guess we overloaded the system with those last detection panels," he answers with a grimace, ignoring the Minibot's grumbling as he opens a comm to the bridge, where the Communications Officer is monitoring the drain of the sensors on Teletraan as per Wheeljack's and Perceptor's instructions. "Hey, Blaster, was that us? Should we take a couple of panels off the grid?"
But there's no answer.
Meaning, either Teletraan I exploded or zapped the Cassette Carrier into stasis due to installing those extra panels… or this hasn't been the sensors' fault.
Seeing how the first option is plainly ridiculous, that just leaves the second.
"We've got an intruder," Jazz hisses before rushing away, Cliffjumper following as fast as his shorter legs allow him.
They almost slam into Prime and Bluestreak when they round a corner, but easily get back to business, moving towards the bridge—
::Jazz, there's an intruder in the eastern—Oomph!::
Changing direction mid-step, the Head of Spec Ops quickly tells the others about the message as they run to Mirage's patrol route for the day—
And see a dark silhouette quickly run away from the scuffed and hunched down noble.
"Mirage, what happened?" Prime asks as Cliffjumper activates the alarm—thank Primus they thought about putting it on a different energy grid.
Meanwhile, Jazz and Bluestreak turn on their lights to see just who has decided to get into their ship, because that shadow is too big to be a Cassette.
"It's the ninja!" the Minibot exclaims as soon as light bathes the corridor, the robot turning around when the door at the end doesn't open to spear them with bright yellow optics.
Well, slag. And here we thought we'd have some time before Megatron decided to play his—
They all jerk down as the intruder takes some circular razors from a compartment in its waist and throws them at the Autobots.
As soon as he hears the clinging of rebounded metal, though, Jazz feels both relieved and horrified.
They needn't have ducked, because the blades are made with Earth metals, and there's no way those could have pierced their Cybertonium plating.
Which means those are good news, because the Decepticons have most likely foregone equipping the robot with truly damaging weapons, by Cybertronian standards… and bad, because it means the ninja already had them.
The humans did build it to be a weapon, and a functional one at that.
Prowl's going to kill them all.
And Jazz is going to help, gladly.
But right now, they need to stop the ninja.
There will be time to play the Decepticons destroyed this and that later.
"Don't harm her!" Optimus orders as they straighten, no more weapons on the ninja's servos—
But a strange big lantern instead, and it's pointed at them.
"What the—"
It flashes, and the only thing they can do is turn away from the blinding light as the sound of metal ripping fills their audials.
When it's over, the door is open and the control pad is hanging off some sparking wires.
The ninja is nowhere to be seen.
They separate to scour the Ark while Optimus goes back to check on Blaster and send him to Ratchet, if needed, but there's no use in that.
The robot has beaten them in their own turf.
Jazz is extremely pissed off, but Prowl's reassurances that he'll have the matter of the human scientists figured out by the time they get the Nightbird back helps him keep a straight faceplate when he goes out to join the rest of the search party, guided by Hound.
"There she is!" the scout exclaims when they finally catch up to the ninja.
If it wasn't because he knows Hound is respectful like that, the saboteur would have grimaced at his addressing the robot as if it was alive.
And talking about the ninja, its pace seems to have slowed considerably as it climbed a low plateau.
"A simple stun ray should take care of her," Optimus muses out loud as he modifies the setting of his riffle and shoots.
The energy bullet slams into the robot's back, sending it down, and the Autobots quickly go up the plateau to retrieve it.
"Now, we can take her back to Doctor Fujiyama, where she belongs."
Jazz has to hide a smirk at those words, because Prime will most definitely not like the idea of the state they are planning on returning the humans' toy in.
Bluestreak is the first to get to the ninja's side – and as soon as he makes to pick it up, it turns with optics alight and punches him hard enough to leave the Praxian laying on his back with a dizzy look on his faceplate. Nightbird throws some more of the circular blades at the rest to keep them back, but the Autobots simply cover their faceplates, and the delicate optics, with their forearms while the slabs of metal bounce harmlessly off them.
Lucky thing Sunstreaker isn't here, though. While they do no damage, their color nanites aren't faring all that well, leaving scratches all over their frames.
An instant later, and with Cliffjumper's annoyed growl, weapons are drawn, pointing to the enemy standing so close to one of their own—
"No! We promised not to harm her," Prime orders, and Jazz feels like screaming at his leader when the robot pulls out an energy sword— "Nightbird, we've come to help. Don't force us to fight you!" Prime pleads, as if that thing really had a processor to think, as he steps towards the robot.
Fortunately, whatever threat assessment systems the ninja has label Optimus a greater danger than the slightly stunned and scared Bluestreak still lying at its feet, looking up at the glowing sword with dread. So, it jumps over the Praxian, swings its weapon down—
The surprise and the hit make Optimus let go of his riffle, but other than a gray-colored dent marking the impact, his forearm is intact.
The sword is another human weapon.
What the Pit were those insects thinking?!
Another swing, using the mech's surprise, and Prime falls on his back with a dent on his mask.
And Bluestreak, who had rolled out of the way as soon as he had the chance, takes out his own riffle and shoots.
Jazz can't stop the grimace when the only thing to get damaged is the sword, which flies out of the robot's grasp while switching off. But after all, Prime ordered the robot undamaged.
Taking their chance, the Autobots rush to the ninja—
Who, unarmed, takes Optimus' fallen riffle and starts to run while shooting blindly at its pursuers.
Set to stun as it is, the weapon is still dangerous. And after all the years of war, all mechs jump out of shooting range before they can think to do otherwise.
When the firing stops, the robot is nowhere in sight.
Seething in silence, and careful to keep his faceplate blank, Jazz goes to help Optimus back to his pedes while Hound, Brawn, Mirage, and Bluestreak look around for clues as to the ninja's whereabouts.
"No sign of it, Prime," the noble reports after a moment, though he's still looking around in case that changes.
"Well, it left its sword behind," Cliffjumper adds, approaching the officers to hand the weapon to Prime. "Why do you think it would be attacking us?"
"I suspect Megatron could answer that question."
After exchanging a look with Mirage when the blue and white mech joins them, and getting a small shake of his helm to let him know they found no trace of the robot, Jazz decides to look around too.
They all knew the Decepticons would make a move, especially after they got the Nightbird. But it just came into the Ark, turned off the lights—but not the special generator feeding from the volcano to power their defenses, because the alarm still worked—and ran away.
It means they're missing something, that the robot must have had some other objective that, one can only hope, it didn't get to accomplish before it was found out. But they don't know what that is.
"It seems Nightbird took the world energy chip," Optimus suddenly says, though the servo pressed against the side of his helm tells them he's just been told through comm. "Finding her now is more important than ever. Hound, can you track her?"
The scout, who had until that moment been looking around, just gives them a nod before resuming his search for a trail. So, Jazz uses the chance to get back to their leader's side.
Because Prime is sticking way too much to that 'no harm will befall the Nightbird' thing, and they really can't afford it now.
"Optimus?" he calls, and blue optics meet his visor as soon as he speaks, even if the voice is soft. "I'll take care of the ninja when we catch up."
"No."
And the saboteur recoils with a startled look, because that has been the firmest order he's heard all day.
"Wha—"
"Jazz, I know what you mean, and I know the situation is dire. But we promised not to harm Nightbird."
We promised not to—
"Whoa, wait a nanoklik, Prime. You think I'm going to deactivate it?" he asks, and while Optimus gives him a reproaching look for the way he addresses the robot, Jazz ignores it in favor of trying to keep his indignation under control. "I know what we promised, I was the one to say it to Doctor Fujiyama!"
"Enough, Jazz. I know what you said, but I also know how you work. Unless you have some way to get Nightbird without damage—"
"Of course I can!" he exclaims, uncaring about the looks they're receiving from the other Autobots, feeling incensed at the veiled insult to his abilities. "It's a slagging robot, Prime! I've dealt with a lot worse and captured mechs thrice as dangerous before!"
"But not without damage—"
"They were mechs! Not processor-less machines! Of course they fought, and of course I had to disable them, but there are far simpler ways of dealing with a drone! One swift cut of the neck cables and—"
"No!" Prime exclaims, an arm being thrown to the side in a cutting motion, and Jazz has to take a step back to put some distance between them and trick his own threat assessment into thinking his leader isn't a danger and thus there's no need for immediate deactivation. "No harm will befall Nightbird. If the only thing you can suggest is cutting her helm off—"
"It's a robot, it won't harm it!"
"—then I will have no other solution than send you back to the Ark!"
"What?!" the rest of Autobots exclaim, breaking the non-existent illusion of privacy as they all turn to openly gawk at their commanding officers.
"Prime, it has no spark, no processor that needs a constant energy flow," the saboteur tries again, this time in a softer and almost pleading tone, forcing his frame to relax. "And I wasn't planning on cutting the helm off, just the wiring. This way, we immobilize it without damaging the frame. Ratchet's going to have to dismantle it anyway to check whatever the Decepticons did, he'll be able to fix it in a jiffy!" he explains, though his voice rises despite his best efforts when Optimus' unyielding look doesn't vanish. "You know I'm your best mech, you know that I can do that before it has any chance to run away or annoy us with its toys again!"
"Yes, Jazz. I know just what you are capable of."
And the Head of Special Operations takes another step back with a gasp and a pale visor, even more surprised than if Prime had outright slapped him.
He can't be implying…
"You will stay back while we deal with the Nightbird," the Prime orders, and without another word, another thought, Optimus turns away to fix his intense glare on the scout. "Hound, do you have the trail yet?"
"I—Yes, Prime."
"Then, Autobots, let's roll!"
And Jazz stays still for a moment, simply watching the others descend after Hound until they're in a flat enough area to transform safely.
A nanoklik later, the saboteur deactivates his voice box and lets out a soundless enraged roar, servos curling into fists as his whole frame trembles harshly.
How dare he?! How dare he put me aside, how dare he refuse to use his best mech, how dare he endanger us all for a stupid human who is working to deactivate us?! How dare he?!
He whirls around with another silent snarl, punching through a nearby rock and welcoming the tingling on his fist.
How dare he think me just a Senatorial tool?!
Midway through another punch, the saboteur stops, fans whirring madly and frame quivering in rage.
A Senatorial tool.
That's all he was, before the War and the Autobots.
And apparently, that's all he is to Optimus Prime.
Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.
Instead of finishing the punch, he whirls around to kick the rock, a threatening snarl on his faceplate as he watches it crumble.
But apparently, non-sentient beings take priority to his own trustworthy and loyal mechs.
::Prowl, I'm going to deactivate Prime.::
He's still trembling, fans working frantically, but his expression is closed, emotionless.
The line crackles, letting him know the other is there and listening, but no answer comes in a long while.
::What did he do?:: the Praxian finally asks, and the annoyance in his voice is easy to pick up.
::He said I'm not able to bring the robot in with minimal—and clearly inconsequential—damage,:: he spits, rage making his fists shake despite his frame being under control again.
::And?::
Prowl was always too bright and perceptive for his own good.
Jazz can feel a humorless and twisted smile that would be better called a sneer twist his faceplate.
::He implied I'm good for nothing other than stealing and deactivating.::
And the foul curse that explodes from the other side of the line makes the saboteur flinch away, as if the other mech was right in front of him instead of at the Ark.
::Alright, alright. Jazz, stay with him, help get the robot back, and try not to damage it,:: Prowl tells the saboteur, who opens his mouth to answer even though his voice box is still offline, but gets beaten to it as if the Tactician had known what he was about to do. ::I said try, not do. If you judge the situation deserving, act. I'll deal with Optimus.::
Optimus, not Prime.
Prowl is angry.
::What do I tell him?::
::The truth. That you will try not to damage the robot. Now go, it's obvious someone needs to keep an optic on… Prime.::
That sounded forced. Jazz doesn't need to be a genius to know there was supposed to be a curse in there.
So, with a nod, despite Prowl being unable to see, the saboteur closes the line, and feeling calmer, hurries after the cloud of dust that marks his fellow Autobots' position.
Prowl's right. Someone needs to keep an optic on their leader if they're going to win this war one orn.
Or, at the very least, so that they don't get deactivated by a glorified windup toy.
And Jazz has more than a little experience dealing with that kind of thing.
UPDATED 09/01/2023: Corrected Grammar.
AN: Futten: 'Boiling point' in Japanese.
Well, that... was a surprise. I sincerely though that scene wouldn't turn out to be long enough to get a chapter all in its own. That means the Decepticon part that was supposed to be the other half of this chapter is moved to the next one. And that this story is growing more that I thought it would (I didn't have it all written before deciding to post, against my better judgement, but I sincerely thought it wouldn't be longer than 5 chapters, maybe 6, so it looks like it'll exceed my expectations, even if just by a couple chapters).
And I got Jazz and Prowl angry. Optimus, you had fixed things last chapter, what are you doing now?!
Giddy: Er... Sorry about Optimus this chapter, I really don't know what the Pit happened. I'm thinking he's getting stressed about how difficult it seems to be to catch Nightbird when she's 'just a robot'. And I agree with your opinion of Optimus. The mech is just too nice. Lucky he has the rest of officers help with the rough decisions ;)
Certain episodes really make me tilt my head and go full 'huh?' or throw my hands up and shout at the characters, which is why I feel the urge to do these re-writes (if you have any requests of such, let me know, 'cause they're a nice exercise and a nice way to clear my head when my other stories are being stubborn). As for Nightbird, I agree with that too. I see her as just a robot, merely a machine, but according to the episode itself, she was supposed to develop into a sentient character, which would have been interesting to see if anyone had 'remembered' Nightbird existed. Oh well, that's just wishful thinking now (and a plot bunny for adoption, anyone? *hands over bunny*). And as you can see, the situation with Jazz is going South really fast... I have lost all control of this wild ride now.
To your question: No, when I said 'positively giddy', I was thinking about him smiling that big "the Autobots are going to be destroyed now" smile and laughing eevily from time to time... meaning, what happened in the episode. I just thought he looked 'like a kid with a new toy', which, in my brain, translates as 'positively giddy'.
"The other Decepticons would take away his galactic warlord credentials". I'm laughing so hard my sides hurt! XD That was an hilarious scene, Megatron bouncing around and... *bursts out laughing* I think if he ever did that, Starscream wouldn't have time to proclaim himself leader before all the other Decepticons pleaded him to take over Megatron, looking like scared children hiding behid him to stare at the 'crazy' Megatron *more laughter* Oh, I'm crying now just imagining that... Know what? I'm writing a one-shot about a situation that left Megatron acting like a human toddler, and all that entails, thanks to that image. The problem is, I seem unable to write one-shots...
Thanks for the laugh, it had been too long since I laughed like that :D
