Alpha Trion sat at his desk looking through the pages of the Covenant of Primus when Hot Rod bounded through the automated doorway. Hot Rod, being a young and impetuous Autobot, was one of the Turbochargers that was lead by the older, but fully capable Mirage. Funny how this bot showed up, mused Alpha Trion as he looked up from the page where he was reading about the forthcoming of this mech. "Yes, Hot Rod." He said laying the Quill, his power over the Covenant, down. "I imagine you have a question to inquire of me?"
"I was just wondering if you've heard word when the shade team was coming back? I know Blaster should know, but I can't seem to find him anywhere." Hot Rod had been waiting as patiently as he could for the past weeks when the team of spies could report back with their findings. The mecha had been so wanting to go to see some action, but Mirage had said differently, that they needed the best spies and that he was just too inexperienced for the job. So Mirage left Iacon with the best spies his group and the Aerialbots could offer- Prowl and Fireflight.
"It has been some time since they left, but it is a very important mission that they are on, Hot Rod. I'm sure they will be back soon enough. They are, after all, some of Cybertron's best." The archivist paused and then spoke again. "Why don't you check up on Kup and the others for me. Tell them not to give up hope, they will come back and when they do that is when we plan our next move."
Their was a look of disappointment on Hot Rod's facial plate as the archivist watched the warrior walk out. After young Hot Rod had left him in peace within the depths of the Hall of Records, Alpha Trion got back to the Covenant to finish his work,... there to was concern written on his face.
It was unusual when the planet was slumberous, mostly it was disturbed with the casual sound of warfare and the mining from both sides for what little Energon the planet could supply to keep them functioning. But now it laid silent, and every now and then you might see a Decepticon or Autobot flier streak overhead, scouting for anything worth fighting for.
The past few deca-cycles the Decepticons had been silent and not a disturbance from them. This was good for the Autobots, they needed the relaxation time in which to plan, refuel, and power down; but even with all the measure of console they were nervous, especially the talkative BlueStreak who had been through a lot over the stellar-cycles. And for that very reason, Alpha Trion had Kup pick out the very best spies and send them to Tarn- even he was becoming uneasy.
Traveling in alt-form down what was left of a once road, Hot Rod made his way through the bits of rubble and debris to the main base of the Autobots in Iacon where they done most of their planing- and resting, when possible. As the young warrior reshaped to his proto-form, he made his way inside base where another bot, just as young and courageous as he, flooded him with questions just as fast as his vocals could process words.
"Did you ask him, Hot Rod, did you ask him? What did he say, what did he say? When will they come back or will they come back at all? Do you think they'll come back cause I hope they come back. It just wouldn't be the same without them. You know what I mean?" Hasten the excited vocoder and the movements of the Turbocharger, Blurr. The mecha was of a sky blue tint and faster than any wheeled alt-form on Cybertron which made since given the fact that Blurr wasn't originally from Cybertron, but rather Velocitron- the Speed planet. But the Speed planet no longer- or any planet at all- for the planet was completely destroy when their sun exploded. Blurr was one of the lucky ones to escaped their near catastrophic end.
Silence filled the atmosphere for almost a cycle with nothing to be heard, except the scurrying of the three minicons that Blaster could could contain within his trunk. Hot Rod just stared at the ground and for the first time he had heard every word of the fast-talking bot, but was too depressed by the accruing situation to even know how to answer his comrade.
"Well, lad, speak up, what did Alpha Trion say?" asked Kup in his deep, rough voice. The warrior was an older Autobot of Cybertron, and a good friend and instructor to Hot Rod- whether he wanted it or not.
Hot Rod finally spoke to the small crowed. "He doesn't really know when- just soon. He said to not give up hope on them, and that if they do return to plan our next move." He knew his words didn't sound at all encouraging, and he didn't want his words to. The mech wanted to make a statement to the others around him mostly because he didn't expect the chosen Autobots to come back. Hot Rod knew with every ounce of his Spark that something wasn't right, that something was wrong. But no one would listen. Why wouldn't anyone take him seriously?
"You sound like you're not too sure they're coming back." replied a Wrecker called Broadside. He was a mech know for his negative and depressing perspective on life.
The young mech sighed. "I'm just saying what if they don't. They've been gone a lot longer than they usually are, and I got a feeling something isn't right. What if- ."
Kup didn't let Hot Rod finish his sentence, the older mech held up a servo. "Listen." he said. In the background they heard the faint sounds of yelling over the sound of a jet engine gradually coming closer. The Autobots began to stir from their rest period just to find out who was making the noise, when Fireflight and Prowl came through the base door, worriment washed over their face plates.
Ultra Magnus, leader of the Wreckers, was the first to rise followed by Jazz, one of the second in commands for the Turbochargers. They went to welcome the Autobots back, but that idea was soon forgotten when they seen the comers' shared expressions.
Jazz placed a servo on Prowl's shoulder. "What's wrong, what happened?" He was calm, but angry none the less. All of this was too familial to him, it was the work of the Decepticons.
Prowl done his best to support the injured Fireflight although the Turbocharger himself was also banged up pretty bad and barely able to talk as a pool of Energon began to take form from the wounds that leaked steadily from his frame. He gathered up what was left of his strength and told what had happened to the team. "Reflector found us... while we was in Crystal City... gathering intell... We tried to escape until... we was surrounded by Decepticons... And as Fireflight and I got away, Mirage was ...apprehended by Cyclonus. If it... wasn't for Mirage, Fireflight and I... might have been caught... with him."
Fireflight spoke up, trying to keep off of his injured legs while trying to shift his weight off from Prowl. "We couldn't call for backup if we wanted to. And believe me we tried, but the place was too heavily cloaked, keeping our chances of making contact scrambled."
Everyone in the room turned to Ultra Magnus for a battle strategy of some sort. The leader of the Wreckers straightened his frame as he spoke. "You and Fireflight need to see med-bay. Brawn and Springer will help you get there." he said, not only speaking to Prowl and Firflight, but also to two of his Wreckers. He turned to the rest. "We need to seek the Archivist."