Chapter 7

A Wrench in the Works

On board the Nemesis, where they have cake and energon and the party never ends. *clunk*

Where Megatron is a loon and Soundwave the real leader. *clunk*

Where Decepticons borrow their dastardly plans from Cobra on G.I. Joe. *clang*

The audience speaks for the first time: This is not a crack story. GET ON WITH IT! *Bonk*

Okay, okay, you can put the bats away now.

Miko knew she would be in trouble, when she got back, but she had to know what was really happening. So when the time came for the Autobots to depart, she had pretended to have a fit and storm off, when she asked to go with, doing her best to appear convincing. She'd even resorted to crocodile tears.

Optimus was stern however, meaning she'd successfully suckered him into her act. Oh well, he wouldn't hold it against her, not if she pulled this off.

She watched the battle from her vantage, sneaking from cover to cover like a ninja, and getting closer to the Decepticons across the field. It was fortunate, for her, that everyone had been glued to the monitors back at base, listening in on what amount of action they could decipher, it had allowed her to tiptoe out.

Now that she was here in person, she found it difficult to keep quiet and not cheer on her favorite Autobot out loud, who was trading punches with Breakdown.

She hadn't seen when the battle started, but she could tell the Autobots were incensed about something as they were attacking with a ferocity she hadn't seen before. It probably had to do with Jack standing in front of Megatron, watching his surroundings, with a troubled look on his face. Why didn't he move? Megatron was observing Prime's progress, as the Autobot leader countered Knockout's weapon and punched him in the faceplate, he wasn't focused on Jack at all.

Maybe that band around his head had to do with it. Miko decided to get closer and see if she could get his attention. She made her way carefully, avoiding the Arcee vs Airachnid fight going on to her left, which was a flurry of limbs and flying metal. It was the worse cat fight Miko had ever seen, but Airachnid was losing more of her plating than Arcee, she happily noted. Serves the spider bot right.

Ratchet was creeping up on the Decepticons now, and while they were distracted, Miko crept closer still. She almost stopped right out in the open and the Japanese girl's eyes widened. Since when could Jack toss a Cybertronian back just by raising his arm? Was this Megatron's doing?

The two traded words she couldn't hear, until Ratchet screamed, about to fire, and Arcee tackled the Decepticon leader. Miko looked over at Airachnid, the enemy femme bot was unconscious, scratched and tore up, and a few of her limbs barely clung to their joints, it looked painful. Miko shuddered and vowed to never make Arcee mad. That motorcycle femme could be scary.

She watched, as Jack tried to avoid being stepped on, while the other Decepticons fired at Ratchet, and held her breath, when Megatron was about to shoot Arcee. Bulkhead had just pounded Breakdown into the dirt, and was making his way over, but wouldn't reach them in time. Then Optimus had thrown that vain sports car, Knockout, into his leader and Miko had wanted to cheer again. She took her chance to get as close as she dared, to where the action was, as words were once again exchanged.

She couldn't hold back her scream that time, but it was drowned out by the two elements as they roared past, almost striking the Autobots. How was Jack doing that? It was one thing when it was some weird telekinesis, but now fire and ice?

The music loving teen payed close attention as each Autobot faced off against Jack. She was shocked with how he treated them, firing bolts at Arcee and then throwing her into a boulder not far from where Miko was hiding. She'd had to clasp her hands over her mouth to keep from shouting at him for hurting Bulkhead. She'd wanted to run over and knock some sense into his head when he almost hit Ratchet.

The look on his face though told her he wasn't doing any of it willingly.

Miko tensed as Ratchet and Optimus rushed forward, and jumped over Jack, running towards Megatron while they dodged Decepticon fire. Jack took some cover from their careless shots, when she saw him raise his arm again, and suddenly the two Autobots were tripping for no apparent reason. Her heart sank when the tracer bounced over the ground and was crushed by Megatron.

This was why she was here. When Ratchet told them their was a chance the mission could fail, she decided she wouldn't allow that chance to happen. They needed Jack. So when the Decepticons were about to depart, she followed them.

And she wasn't going to leave without her friend.

The young girl stepped out of the Nemesis ground bridge and immediately entered spy mode. She ducked behind some piece of equipment and watched the proceedings.

"I want a full report, on each of your failures to defeat the Autobots you were fighting, before you see yourselves to the med bay for repairs." Megatron was saying.

"I thought you wanted the kid to take care of them." Breakdown spoke up.

"While it was amusing to see Prime and his soldiers struck down, by one of the humans they so cherish no less, that is no excuse for the amount of damage you all took." Megatron countered.

"You especially, Airachnid." He said turning to her, "I'm disappointed that Autobot femme got the best of you like this."

"And what of your own wounds, Lord Megatron?" The spider bot pointed out.

"These," Megatron began as he held his hand to the scratch on his faceplate, "Are of no consequence. The pain in that femme's spark was enjoyment enough, but I won't forget to repay her in kind, when next we meet. I should hope you feel the same way, Airachnid."

"Of course, my Lord." The Decepticon femme bowed as much as she was able.

Jack, Miko noticed, was silent throughout this exchange. He had an almost dead look to his eyes, and didn't seem aware there was a conversation happening over his head, while he stared at the floor. She saw anger fill his eyes though when he lifted his head to look at Megatron.

"Master." His voice sounded hollow, like he had to spit the word out, and it floored Miko to hear him call Megatron that. What was going on?

"May I be dismissed?" He sounded as if he was trying not to grit his teeth, now.

Megatron looked down at him pleased with the subservience and said, "Yes, you may. After Knockout checks you over in the med bay. You will stay on the ship." He commanded.

Miko carefully followed them, avoiding Decepticons in the corridors, and ducked behind a crate when they arrived. She watched attentively, wondering if it was safe or not to try and get Jack's attention. Unable to let the opportunity go, she ducked out of hiding and back in, just enough so there was no way for him to miss her.

She wanted to crow in triumph when it worked and Jack didn't call attention to her. Then listened, as Jack manipulated the Decepticon into telling him about the device on his head. She got out her trusty phone, as Knockout brought up displays of the device's workings, and took a picture, then hit the record button knowing the information was important.

So that's what it was, mind control.

She'd wanted to follow the other teen when he left, but couldn't without being seen. She'll catch up to him later. In the meantime, she wondered if the Autobots had noticed she was missing yet.

The sudden vibrating from her pocket told her that yes, they had.

"Missing! What do you mean she's missing?" Ratchet snapped, Bulkhead looked down sheepish.

"Just what I mean. Miko's not in the base." He replied.

"Great, something else to worry about." Fowler complained, "You guys really have problems keeping an eye on these kids."

"And what about you?" Ratchet turned to him, "You were here the whole time and you didn't exactly do a good job noticing she was gone."

"Hey, I'm not saying it's easy, but you should at least have some better security on that gate, space door, thingy, if just anyone can open it. Do you know how big a security risk that is?" Fowler accused.

"Of course I know, I built the slagging thing!" Ratchet snipped, "And it's called a Ground Bridge!"

"Hmph, whatever." The agent sniffed.

The medic threw up his hands, "Primus, what else can go wrong?" He huffed in frustration, and turned to the computer.

"So how are you going to find Miko?" Asked June curiously.

"If I know that girl, she'll have her phone with her, it's just a simple matter of tracking it's signal then." Ratchet said while punching in commands on the monitor.

"Yeah, Miko loves that thing. She made me turn around halfway to the base and go back for it once, the one time she forgot it." Bulkhead chuckled.

"I just hope she left for a walk or something and didn't actually follow us." Ratchet prayed and then the results came up.

"Oh, slag it." He cursed, "She's on the Nemesis."

"What!" His listeners cried with Bumblebee whirring.

"When I get my hands on that girl I'll have her cleaning the base, by herself, for a week!" The medic promised.

"Can you trace her exact location, Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

"I have to increase the range a little. It'll divert power in the base, but I should be able to get it precise enough for you to retrieve her." He stated.

"Hang on, aren't we forgetting something?" Raf spoke up, "If Miko's on the Nemesis, that means we can get Jack too."

The bots looked at each other as the humans watched hopeful.

"We can try, we should at least find whatever information we can, on that mind control device of Megatron's." Ratchet said.

"You will bring Jack too, if you find him, right?" June had one hand clasped to her chest as she asked.

"I don't know." Ratchet hated to say, she looked crushed at that, so Optimus stepped forward.

"We will make the attempt if we can, but I fear the hold that Megatron has on your son will sabotage our efforts." He stared at her intensely, "But we will search the ship for whatever information it takes to free Jack, I swear it on my spark."

Arcee walked forward, "I'll go." She said.

Optimus could see in her optics that she would not be deterred and nodded. Bumblebee whirred and beeped with chatter nobody, but Raf and the other Autobots, could understand.

"Are you certain? Your previous injury hasn't fully healed yet." Ratchet asked, Bumblebee blipped in confirmation.

"Then I welcome your assistance." Optimus said gratefully.

"Be careful, Bee." Raf entreated the young scout who gave him a thumbs up.

"I'll be home in time for dinner!" Homer Simpson's voice came through his radio.

"Uh, hey, don't forget about me." Bulkhead exclaimed.

"We wouldn't if we could, big guy." Fowler teased.

"Alright, Ratchet are we ready?" Optimus asked

"I'll call Miko to confirm her position." The red and white bot typed some keys at his station and got a ring in response.

"Ratchet?" Miko answered. She was whispering as low as possible, so as not to be heard by Knockout, but high enough for the medic bot at the other end of the call to hear.

"Where are you?" Said medic bot asked.

"In the med bay on the Nemesis." She replied.

"What! What are you doing there?" He almost shouted in alarm as Miko winced.

"Will you keep it down? There's a con in the room and I'm trying to stay unnoticed." She snipped at him, "I saw Jack."

"Is he alright? Is he with you?"

"He's okay, if you don't count the Decepticon's weird brain impulse thingy they have him wearing." She told him, "And no, he's not with me, he's walking through the ship somewhere."

Ratchet was surprised, "Megatron is letting him wander the Nemesis?"

"Yes, but he's not allowed to leave, either." She said. The bots looked at each other. What would happen if they took Jack with them then?

"But it doesn't matter." Miko continued, "I've got a picture and recording I took that tells how Megatron's controlling him."

"That's excellent work. Can you transmit it?" Ratchet asked in amazement.

"Not while I'm talking I can't."

"Alright then, try to find a secluded area to hide while I open a bridge. Then sit tight, reinforcements are on the way." He ordered.

"On it." Miko said.

"Oh, and Miko?" She cringed, "When you get back you have some explaining to do, young lady!" The call ended.

She waited, until Knockout became absorbed in buffering his chassis, before breaking for the exit and out into the hall, the loud sound of the machine blocking out the noise of the opening and closing door. Darting into the shadows, she set off down the corridor, and was doing well, until she ran into Airachnid, who was looking only slightly better.

"Well, well, what have we here?" The spider bot said, a hungry look in her optics.

Miko could only gulp.

"Scrap."