Chapter 3: Enter the Storm
16 Hours ago...
Grimlock and his Lightning Strike Coalition were inside of their own ship. Both Scorn and Swoop were piloting the ship. Slash was on his communication control. Slug and Sludge were on the turret's control center. Snarl was on his navigator center. Grimlock sat on his seat. They were flying straight to the Sea of Rust. An area was covered and blown by the powerful and unstoppable storm of rust weather. It had been this way since the Primus was shut down...
"Grimlock, where are we exactly going? We are going straight for that storm blindly," Swoop asked in concern.
Slug nodded his head, "Swoop's right. We can't simply go anywhere we want. We need to get Optimus's permission. What if Optimus Prime was right? It could be the trap..."
Grimlock growled in anger while glaring at his allies, "Be quiet! I know what I'm doing! And don't mention that name again! We can do it... just fine. His leadership was nothing but troublesome as Sentinel Zeta Prime's. He saved himself."
Slash hissed in concern, "FYI, Grim. Optimus saved most of our metal butts from danger! Unlike Sentinel, he always hide behind the walls than fighting. But Optimus took the fight to his enemies."
Grimlock growled in anger. Slash yelped in concern.
"Grimlock, this is nuts! We can't do it by ourselves. Don't you remember to what happen to any Autobot be either solo or disobedience? Decepticons picked them up one-by-one!" Snarl exclaimed in concern.
Sludge nodded his head, "We have to go back now, Grimlock!"
Grimlock roared in anger, "Stop whining, you two! We're doing just fine! The Energon we just picked is getting closer than we thought. If we can get the Energon, the Autobots will choose and worship me as the true leader of Autobots."
Scorn huffed, "No offense, Grimlock. Being leader isn't always about being right or wrong. It's about looking out for others and defend them from danger no matter the cost. Even it means to be more cautious and hide from our enemies."
Grimlock growled in anger, "Shut up now! I don't want to talk about leadership. I am the leader! The best and strongest there is! And I'm not going back without the Energon! I'm going to prove the Autobots that Grimlock is the rightful leader of all Autobots! Do you understand?!"
His team went in silent. They were in deep concern and worry that Grimlock's egotistical, pride and arrogance would one day get them killed. And they knew that once they entered the battlefield, there was no turning back...
BEEP! Snarl turned to his navigation board. He checked on them. He found the signal ahead of the ship. It blinked and beeped for few times like it was getting closer to them. He then spotted another beeping and blinking, but it enlarged and grew bigger than any Energon signal he had seen.
"Grimlock," Snarl said in shock, "We're getting close to the Energon. But I'm picking up something."
"Another Energon," Swoop asked in shock.
Snarl shook his head, "No... This one is different. I don't know what or how. But it's definitely not good..."
Grimlock's eyes narrowed in determination, "Set course to that location now, Snarl. Help us to get there and find out about it. Full speed ahead, Scorn. We're not going back without the Energon. If any Decepticons come any close to pick a fight, we fight back!"
His team nodded in agreement. They all set course for the location Snarl had found.
As the ship continued flying through the Sea of Rust blindly, the storm slowly dispersed and moved aside. Grimlock and his team found and encountered a ruined yet broken city. Its buildings were in terrible and ruined shapes The spotted the Cybertronian Words from top signboard. Slash took a picture on it as he read carefully.
"Primus... Polyhex..." Slash said in shock, "another Autobot's City Fortress. This was the first city to fall under those Cons. Combaticons blown most of them up, making most of the Autobot Civilians and Troopers left or surrendered to them. That was a terrible tragic and dead event. It was so hard to forget that..."
"Something doesn't add up," Slug said in concern.
Sludge nodded his head, "Yeah... Why here? The last time we check here... The Energon was drained out..."
Grimlock's eyes narrowed in suspicious and determination, "I know of one thing. Decepticons must have found another Energon Reserves and another strange Energon Signal Snarl had found..."
BEEP! BOOM! The siren went off as the area was covered by crimson lights and alarmed. The ship was shaken hard as an earthquake while being blasted for few times. Lightning Strike Coalition gasped in shock and worry.
Scorn checked on his piloting system, "Grimlock! We've got company! Multiple Cons contact! We're under heavy fire!"
"Fire back!" Grimlock ordered angrily.
Slug and Sludge used their turrets and fired back at their enemies while Scorn and Swoop fired their bridge's small turrets back at their enemies. Lightning Strike Coalition's ship continued flying and moving straight at the city while the defense turrets continued firing back.
Despite the Decepticon's Defense Turrets got blasted and shot, the Decepticons managed to shot and damaged Lightning Strike Coalition Ship's Engines and Wings to pieces. BOOM! The Engine got blown and blasted up.
The team screamed in agony and fear as they got shaken up from their seats and hit on the ceilings, walls or floors hard an again. They moaned painfully as they slowly yet painfully get up in taking their seats. Both Scorn and Swoop pulled the pilot's driving handler up and tight; bringing the ship up. The ship continued flying down, and heading straight to the Polyhex's Space Exploration Dome.
"Swoop! Scorn! Get us up now!" Grimlock ordered angrily.
"We're trying!" Scorn and Swoop yelled frantically.
BEEP! The alarm went off. Lightning Strike Coalition yelped and gasped in shock and worry. That was not good.
"Grimlock! We're coming in too hot! No way we can cool the ship off now!" Snarl exclaimed in fear.
"We're about to hit the city!" Slash exclaimed in fear.
Grimlock growled, "Brace yourself!"
Grimlock and his team quickly braced themselves in sitting their seats tightly and hard. The ship flew straight at the dome. BOOM! The ship crash landed right on the front door of Polyhex's Space Exploration Dome. Decepticon Troopers came in and approached close to the Lightning Strike Coalition. They were armed and readied with their blasted and combated weaponry. They had Grimlock and his team trapped in the ship...
Present...
Through the Sea of Rust at ruined Polyhex City, four shadowy figure slowly coming out from the rusting storm. They entered the city while looked around of their surroundings in searching for a group. For nearly an hour had passed, they had arrived at ruined Polyhex's Space Exploration Dome. They spotted the crashed and ruined ship near to the dome.
The shadowy figures were Jazz, Sideswipe, Crosshair and Cliffjumper. They were in shock and surprise upon looking at the ship.
"Are you freaking kidding me?!" Crosshair asked in shock.
Sideswipe shook his head gently, "I don't think so. This is definitely the ship. It's so hard to believe that Grimlock had actually penetrated Sea of Rust and arrived at this place. You must got admit one thing. Grimlock is no pushover Autobot."
Jazz and Cliffjumper entered the abandoned and crashed ship. They looked around of their surroundings before heading to the ship's control center. They pressed some buttons on it for the moment. The holographic screens appeared as it revealed the data log and information Jazz and Cliffjumped need to see.
Jazz nodded his head, "He and his team were tracking an energy spike here in the Sea of Rust."
"That strange... This Polyhex shouldn't have any Energon ever since Decepticons took this city and Primus got shut down," Cliffjumper said in concern.
"Who knows? Whatever Grimlock was looking for, he sure got some reason to disobey Optimus's order in the first place."
"Yeah... Of course. For a small team, they sure caused some troubles, even though they did well in fighting with Megatron and his Cons."
"What do you expect? They're the gladiators, not civilians. They fear no death but move on and fight to the death."
"Ouch! I hate to see what happen next if Megatron and his Cons ever pick a fight with them."
Jazz chuckled before waved up, "Come on, Cliff. We've gotta meet with others. This ought to be good one."
Jazz and Cliffjumper turned and left the abandoned ship. Meeting up with both Sideswipe and Crosshair, they informed them of what they had found. They were all looked concern and worry about Grimlock and his team. They may had been hotheaded, tough and strong soldiers; but they were still allies and comrades.
Crosshair snorted, "Let's leave those stupid team here. They deserve it for leaving the post and letting all of us died! Bunch of crap gladiators."
"What?! No way! We're not leaving any Autobots behind, just because he got some issues with Optimus Prime," Cliffjumper protested.
"You wanna be a hero? Be my guess! There is no freaking way I'm gonna go in and save his metal ass!" Crosshair denied in anger. Sideswipe had his gauntlet unsheathed the long sword out and aimed at Crosshair's neck. He yelped in shock, "Wow! Wow! Wow! Easy with the blade, mate!"
"Here's how it works, Crosshair. You either help us or die now. Either way, we're still gonna help Grimlock and his team. Got it," Sideswipe scolded angrily.
Crosshair gulped in concern, "Okay. Got it. Yeesh. You guys are extremely sensitive. I should have stayed with the Wreckers."
"Less chatting, and more moving. Let's split up to cover more grounds," Jazz said, "Side and Cliff, stay on the ground and search while me and Cross headed to the top for the search. Keep your channel open. Let's do our best in searching and rescuing Grimlock and his team."
"RIGHT!" Three Autobots saluted.
Both Jazz and Crosshair launched their grappling hook blasters to the top's edge. They headed straight to the top while climbing to the top of dome. Sideswipe and Cliffjumped entered the dome's entrance. They were on the mission to save Grimlock and his Lightning Strike Coalition...
14 hours ago...
"Here they come! Take your aim and fire!" The Decepticon Captain screamed in fear.
"Holy Scrap! They're huge! Somebody help us!" Vehicon Trooper cried in fear.
Decepticon Troopers stationed at the hallway of thousands art portraits. They were firing their guns and blasters at their enemies. Grimlock and his team survived the crash and defeated the Decepticon Troopers from the outside. They managed to enter the dome and battle against their enemies.
Grimlock, Slug and Snarl used their strong and armored Energon shield in blocking and deflecting the blasts off while pushing Decepticon Troopers off and beat them down with their maces and sword. Swoop took a bow and fired his arrows at his enemies. Sludge used his gauntlets in bashing, smashing and crushing them. Scorn used his whip and whacked them. Slash, using his speed; slashed and stroke them down.
For minutes had passed, some of Decepticon Troopers were killed and defeated. Grimlock and his team marched through the hallway from first dome to the large second one.
"Grimlock... This is getting scarier and freaky than before," Swoop said in concern.
Sludge nodded his head, "Grimlock, we had to get out of here now. If this place is crawled with Decepticons, then the Energon is what they're after. We have to be careful."
"I'd say we get out of here now and get Optimus Prime about this," Slash said in concern.
Snarl shook his head, "We can ask his help now. We can send him the coordinates about this place."
Grimlock growled in anger, "The answer is no! We are not going back without the Energon. And I am not asking help from that weakling! We're doing fine. Let's keep moving! Snarl, keep on tracking the Energon's signal. Don't lose it!"
Grimlock trotted off. Lightning Strike Coalition members looked at each other in concern and worry about their leader's decision and choice. Was he willing to take the chance and risk in getting the Energon while proving himself as worthy and strong leader than Optimus Prime?
Present...
In the first dome where Grimlock and his team had stormed through, Sideswipe and Cliffjumper entered the area. They looked around of their surroundings. It was filled with old and very first ships that travel into the space since the Age of Primes. They were amazed and shock about the place they had enter.
CLING! CLANG! CLUNG! Sideswipe and Cliffjumper yelped in shock and concern. They quickly hid behind the planes. They spotted four giant yet skinny purplish robot with one green-eyed and had claws. They shot the greenish laser out like scanning the area's surroundings. They were patrolling and securing the area.
Two Autobots looked worry and concern of what these Decepticon Patrols doing.
"Cliff? Side? You guys in there?!" Jazz asked in concern.
Cliffjumper and Sideswipe yelped in concern as they quickly shut it down at once. Hearing the noise, the first Decepticon Patrol turned to the old space shuttle. It had its torso, hands and head shifted into armored mode and twin canons-like. It then fired their canons at the ships thrice. Cliffjumper and Sideswipe remained still, even though they had worry and scared looks.
Not a sign of movement, the patrol had his transformation back to his one-eyed skinny robot before moving out.
Cliffjumper and Sideswipe breathed in relief. They then contacted their allies.
"Way to blow our cover, Jazz," Cliffjumper scolded sternly.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault because of the rust storm. I wouldn't want to take any chances if I can't contact you in the next few minutes," Jazz explained.
Sideswipe sighed, "Never mind about that. Wanna tell us about the one-eyed freakbot?"
"One-eyed freakbot," Crosshair asked, "boys, you are meeting the most active and dangerous patrolling Cons in history. They're called Decepticon Guardians. Watch out for their lasers. If the beam get you, you are so dead and not even your cloak device. So best way to end them is kill them first."
Sideswipe and Cliffjumper looked at each other for the moment. They both gave a smirk. Both split up in attempt to kill Decepticon Guardians.
Cliffjumper went after the two, who went to check on west wing. Cliffjumper jumped on the first Guardian. He swiped his blade on its head off before blasted his gun on the second's back. In high speed, Sideswipe rolled straight at both Decepticon Guardians. He swung his twin blades on both's legs and headed to the front. They fell to the ground hard. Sideswipe quickly had his blades thrust on their eyes hard.
Two Autobots had manage to kill four Decepticon Guardians quickly in time. They were about to contact Jazz and Crosshair. The ground and area shaken very hard. The Rust Storm had blown and hit the dome very hard, causing some of the old ships to fell on the ground hard. They quickly held on the pillars tightly. For the moment had passed, they quickly contact Jazz and Crosshair if they were fine and secured from danger.
"You guys alright?" Sideswipe asked.
Crosshair groaned angrily, "Be glad that you two were inside. We weren't pretty on the outside now. The dust got into my guns now. Blasted those rusts!"
"Save your complains later. Let's keep moving," Jazz ordered.
Cliffjumper nodded his head, "Copy that. Sideswipe and I are moving out. We're still keeping the channel open. Cliff out."
Cliffjumper and Sideswipe headed off to another location. They went through the long hallway of thousands of art portraits. They looked around of their surroundings as they were keeping their optic sharps in any sign of their enemies.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Hearing the footstep of Decepticon Troopers, both Cliffjumper and Sideswipe used their cloak device and went into invisible modes. They stood still and watched the arrival of two Decepticon Troopers, who were heading straight to the Planetary Alignment Map. Both of them looked at each other for the moment before they headed off and followed Decepticons.
Upon arriving at the Planetary Alignment Map, they both overheard the Decepticon Troopers talked while stood in their positions.
"I don't like it! Just like that? Airachnid takes control? -" Decepticon Trooper #1 groaned in upset, "- Starscream would have been suited for the command since he was Megatron's Second-in-Command, or maybe Blackout or Dreadwing."
Decepticon Trooper #2 sighed in concern, "Better not Shockwave. That guy gives me the creeps. And his'pets'?"
Decepticon Trooper #1 grunted, "Don't get me started! I saw what they did to those Autobots."
Before both Decepticon Troopers could say anything, they both got their chests thrust before falling to the ground. Cliffjumper and Sideswipe deactivated their cloaking device. They both looked at each other. They were in shock and concern.
Pets? Autobots? Could those two Decepticon Troopers meant that Grimlock and his team were defeated and killed by Shockwave's pets? Whatever they were, they both had to be careful when they encountered the 'pets'.
Both Sideswipe and Cliffjumper entered the room. They found themselves a black giant sphere room-like. They were shock and amaze. They spotted the lever in the middle of the room. They approached to it. Cliffjumper pulled the lever down in attempts to learn and find out about the room.
BOOM! The tower-like projector emerged from the ceiling. It blasted the laser-like out. The room was soon covered by the blackness space, followed by the thousands of planets and stars. Both of them were shock and amazed by the room's tricks. They looked around of it for a while.
"We must have stumbled into some kind of - ancient map room of the universe. I wonder who built them?" Cliffjumper asked in amazement.
Sideswipe smiled, "I heard the legend. But I never thought they were actually real. The Transformers that travel across the stars and galaxy are called 'Star Explorers'. And they were led by both Alchemist Prime and Quintus Prime. This is amazing!"
"Yeah..."
Cliffjumper gasped in shock. The planets are aligned themselves in one from the sun to Cybertron. Both Sideswipe and Cliffjumper were amazed and surprised by the appearance of planets. The large land of watery planet moved in front of them. It enlarged itself into bigger for them both to watch.
"Wow... It's beautiful..." Cliffjumper commented.
Sideswipe nodded, "The Ancient Explorers must have visited thousands of planets. Wow... I wonder which planet we're gonna land."
"Who knows," Cliffjumper shrugged, "wherever we go, there'll be home for us to live and stay."
Sideswipe nodded, "Come on. We've got to find Grimlock and his team."
Cliffjumper nodded his head. Sideswipe and Cliffjumper headed off and exited the Ancient Universe Map Room...
Jazz and Crosshair continued walking and moving forward on top of Polyhex's Space Exploration Dome. They were able to avoid and defeated some of Decepticon Patrols and Troopers. They also had manage to handle the Rust Storm well.
For nearly an hour had passed, they had arrived on the edge of the building. It was neared to the outskirt of Space Exploration Dome. More of Decepticon Guardians were on patrolling the area and keeping an eye on their enemies.
"Ready, Cross?" Jazz asked in amusement.
Crosshair chuckled in amusement, "Jazz, you don't have to ask me twice. I'm always ready for the fight. Let's get some blasting!"
BOOM! Jazz and Crosshair had the building got shaken. They fell their backs on the ground hard. They moaned painfully. They looked up and saw the raging Rust Storm from the far South. They gasped in shock and worry as it was charging straight at them. They were about to grab something to hold. But they got blown hard and away from the rooftop. They fell and disappeared into the depths of Rust Storm while more of parts, statues, ruins and stones fell into it as well.
For an hour had passed, the Rust Storm dispersed from sights. Jazz and Crosshair were on the ground and trapped by the large pillar. They both groaned and moaned painfully as they tried to get out from the pillar.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Jazz and Crosshair gasped in shock and worry. They spotted and encountered two Decepticon Guardians Battle Mode approached to the trapped Autobots. Jazz and Crosshair yelped in concern and worry. They were both about to get blown up.
Before the Decepticon Guardians could fire, something climbed on their backs before their heads got tapped twice. They both turned to their backs and found smiling Cliffjumper and Sideswipe. The Autobots thrust their swords right on two Decepticon Guardian's faces hard before slamming them down hard.
"You're welcome," Cliffjumper joked.
"About time you got here. Help us out!" Crosshair exclaimed in anger.
Cliffjumper and Sideswipe approached to the end of pillar as they lifted it up high while Jazz and Crosshair helped out as well. As soon as the pillar raised up, both Jazz and Crosshair quickly get out from the pillar before Cliffjumper and Sideswipe let it go.
"Those Cons will be on our tail sooner or later," Jazz said, "follow me."
Jazz transformed into his silver small-sized card. Sideswipe, Crosshair and Cliffjumper transformed into their silver racing car, greenish car and reddish Texas car. Four Autobots rolled out at once. They headed straight to the next large dome.
Four Autobots continued crossing and venturing through the dome while dealing with more of Decepticon Troopers. They had arrived on the large rectangle buildings. They gasped in shock and surprise. The large hallway was filled with ruined, burning and destruction scenes, including dead Decepticon Troopers.
Only one Autobot team could have done this...
"This must be Grimlock and his Lightning Strike Coalition's works," Jazz commented.
Sideswipe whistled, "Grimlock sure doesn't leave much to chance, does he?"
Crosshair gulped in concern, "No kidding. Come on. We've gotta to find those numbskulls at once before they could continue wreck everything up again."
"I hear ya," Cliffjumper nodded his head in agreement.
Four Autobots continued followed the trail of destruction that Grimlock and his team had left behind. They had arrived on the large and bigger factory-like area. They were shock and concern of the area.
"Why do you suppose they came out here, anyway?" Cliffjumper asked curiously.
Crosshair shrugged, "No one knows what boneheaded gladiator was thinking."
Jazz hummed softly, "Probably after the same thing the Cons are after- whatever that is. It can't be good news."
"No kidding," Sideswipe said in concern. He then looked at the area as he spoke, "This facility is collecting the toxic byproduct of Energon refinement."
Jazz nodded, "We're getting close to Energon supply."
"Hold up!" Crosshair exclaimed in shock. Everyone turned to him as he held his right armed-tracking monitor. It beeped while revealing a faint blinking signal. He whistled, "Hello mama. What we have here? We've got Autobot Distress Signal!"
Cliffjumper gasped, "That's gotta be Grimlock and his team! Lead the way, Cross!"
Crosshair smirked in impress. He was heading straight to the front while his three Autobot Friends followed him of all the way out of facility. They found themselves in another outskirt dead and ruined facility's area. And in front of them was a giant hole. They approached to the edge of hole and witnessed the appearance. They knew one possible theory of the hole...
"Whew. That's a long way down," Jazz commented. He turned to Sideswipe and Cliffjumper, "Crosshair and I are going down. We're gonna check out on any survivor."
Sideswipe nodded his head in agreement, "Alright, Jazz. You'd be careful."
Jazz scoffed, "I'm always be careful, my friends. Later!"
Crosshair chuckled loudly and mischievously, "Time to fly out! YEAH!"
Sideswipe and Cliffjumper watched and looked at their friends as Jazz and Crosshair jumped into the hole as they dived through the long way and depth to the ground...
10 hours ago...
Grimlock and his team were underground area. They marched through the hallway of the underground area. They looked around of their surroundings while arming with their weapons in getting ready to fight on any sign of their enemies. Lightning Strike Coalition had managed to break through the defense lines of Decepticon Troopers. Most of them were killed and defeated.
Slash yelped in shock when he heard something dropped to the ground like a pipe, "What was that?!"
Scorn growled, "Pipe down, Slash. It was probably the pipes. It happen all the time."
"I don't know, Scorn. It doesn't sound like one," Swoop said in concern.
Slug snarled in concern. He turned to Grimlock, "Grimlock, we had to get back to Headquarter now! Optimus and the Autobots may had the Ark prepared to launch! We must go back now!"
Grimlock growled in anger before thrusting his fist on Slug to the ground hard. His teammates gasped in shock and worry.
"Grimlock! What the hell are you doing?! Slug was trying to help us!" Swoop said in shock.
Snarl nodded his head in fear, "Swoop is right. We can't stay here any longer. Forget about the Energon, Grimlock! It doesn't worth anything! You don't have to prove yourself as the strong and mighty warrior. You already had! We have to get back home now!"
Slug groaned painfully, "Sludge's right. We are vastly outnumbered in against the Decepticons. We maybe strong and powerful, but we are getting exhausted now. We must leave now."
"Let's go back now! We've got to call Optimus Prime now!" Sludge cried in agony.
Grimlock roared in anger, "Enough! We are going to do exactly what we had come for! No one leaves until I say so! We will get the Energon! We will find out of why Decepticons were doing here! We'll find out more about the strange energy signal. We will find out now!"
Lightning Strike Coalition members were in great concern and shock of Grimlock's decision again. When he ever let go of his pride and ego? His teammates will fall soon...
On the fifth wall, something screeching softly like a bug. The crimson eyes appeared and glared in anger and hungry. It was staring at Grimlock and his teammates. It was not alone. Thousands of holes had more of crimson eyes. They were all staring and glaring at Lightning Strike Coalition. They were growling and screeching like bugs and animals.
Whatever the creatures were, Grimlock and his team were in grave danger and about to face them...
To be continue...
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