AN: I'm back! Vacation is fun and all, but what I really wanted was to get back here as soon as I could to write the next chapter. Sorry it took so long; I've had to get ready for school, which started today.
Disclaimer: Neither me nor brave kid own anything. And brave kid owns the plot – I'm just writing it down.
"Please to be explaining again; what is 'Rock and Roll'?" Polar Claw turned his head to look at the slim Asian perched on his shoulder.
Miko rolled her eyes, searching her pockets for her MP3 player, something she didn't usually bring with her. There it was, next to her cell phone. She picked out a song and held it next to the Maximal's audio receptor as it played. "This is Rock and Roll."
"Hmm, it is loud," Polar Claw mused, listening intently. "Apache would not like it."
A sly grin spread across Miko's face. "Say, does this place have an intercom system?"
"Yes." The white and red Maximal tilted his head slightly in confusion. "Why do you be asking?"
Miko waved at Raf, who was playing video games with – and beating miserably – Stampy and Break. "Hey, Raf, ever hacked an intercom?"
The twelve year-old absentmindedly replied, "Yeah, why?"
"I have a plan."
Apache was fine-tuning the GroundBridge, attempting to see why and how the humans were flung into their dimension, and how, if he could, help them get home. So far, the only explanation for how they got here was relay interference.
In other words, he'd gotten nowhere.
Suddenly, a loud noise came from the intercom system, causing the medic to accidentally cut a wire he wasn't meaning to. Apache reeled back in shock.
And then the shock morphed into something else.
Jack walked into the base, Airazor calmly explaining what had been going on before they showed up. He was not prepared for the sight and sound that greeted him.
Slash Monkey blared over the intercom and Apache was looking pretty mad. Pretty mad? The medic was furious.
Jack sighed. Miko had to be behind this, it was so her.
Speaking of Miko, she was smiling and giggling as she clambered onto Polar Claw's shoulder, clinging to the now laughing Maximal in an effort not to fall off.
Break scooped up Raf, running out of the room with Stampy on his heels.
"Airazor, run!" Stampy yelled. "He's fragging pissed!"
The gold and brown femme glanced at Jack. "Don't move; I'll be right back." She walked over to Apache, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, this can be fixed."
"Fixed?" the medic asked loudly. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place!"
Before Apache would calm down, the music had to be turned off, and before the music could be turned off, Break had to come back with Raf.
When he finally did, Miko was being chewed out by Lio Convoy for pranking Apache and nearly deafening everyone in base.
"…Sorry?" Miko replied.
Jack was as amused as Apache. "Raf, I can't believe you let Miko talk you into this."
Raf gave a nervous laugh. "Actually, it was Stampy."
The young Maximal in question quickly pointed at Break. "He told me to do it!"
"Me?" Break glared at his companion.
Raf groaned and went over to turn off the music that was still blaring through the intercom. Once he'd finished, everyone could hear an alarm that had apparently been going off for quite a while. But no one had been able hear it over the earsplitting noise of Miko's prank.
Lio Convoy went running to the console, Apache on his heels.
"Predacon attack," the leader announced. "On a power plant in a town north of Jasper."
Apache checked the time the alarm went off. "Alarm started ten minutes ago," he said, casting a sideways glance at Miko.
The girl shrugged and whispered something in Polar Claw's audio receptor.
"I do not be thinking that is good idea, Miko," Polar Claw replied softly.
Miko gave him a pleading look.
"I am being regretting this later, da?"
Jack held on tightly to Airazor's back. "Are you sure about this?"
The gold and brown femme seemed to smile a bit – if that was even possible, given she was in beast mode – as she turned her head to look at Jack. "If you fall off, I'll grab you before you hit the ground," she said, a mischievous glint in her optics.
"Not exactly the answer I was- Woah!" Jack almost let go from sheer panic when Airazor took off. He let out a short scream that was promptly ripped from his lips by the wind.
"You alright, Jack?" Airazor dipped one wing slightly, turning. "Sounded a little femme-like there."
This time, the cry that escaped the raven-haired teen was one of exhilaration. He had once described riding Arcee as flying, but now he knew he'd never be able to say that again. Actual flying was different – free, like riding, but more than that.
"We're right over the attack zone now, so could you please be a little quieter?"
"Sorry!"
"And remember, the only reason I let you come was to make sure Miko doesn't get herself into trouble."
"Got it."
As Airazor landed, Jack could see the mostly black forms of Battle Ravage drones scattered about the gray mass of the power plant.
Stampy was waiting. He helped Jack down from Airazor's back and pointed to a tall structure nearby. "Miko's up there. She wanted to take some pictures."
Jack quickly ran over, climbing the ladder to where the Japanese girl stood.
Lio Convoy aimed his weapon and fired at the Predacon, who nimbly sidestepped it.
"Can't you drones work any faster?!" Starscream screeched. He wasn't accustomed to said drones being so slow. Any slower and they might as well have been standing still!
"Our numbers are falling with the arrival of the Maximals, Commander Starscream," one reported.
"Defend the energy we've collected," the black mech growled. He lunged at Lio Convoy, scoring his taloned digits across the Maximal's faceplate.
Lio Convoy immediately retaliated and soon the pair were locked in a vicious brawl.
Unnoticed by the Cybertronians, a small figure was making its way toward the battle.
Miko glanced over her shoulder to make sure she had lost Jack. There was no sign of him, and that was good. She had seen the Pred from a distance, but couldn't get a good picture of him. Only one way to solve that – get closer.
She made her way through the horde of Battle Ravages, thankful they paid her no attention. A couple of times she heard Polar Claw's bellow of triumph or Break's eager cry, and kept going in the other direction. Who knows what they'd do if they saw her?
And then Miko happened to finally get close to Lio Convoy and the Pred. Since she was able to see him clearly, she recognized him as Starscream. She pulled out her phone and took a couple of pictures, but the click was louder than she realized.
Starscream whipped around when he heard the sound. His crimson optics widened almost comically as he took in the slight human before him. "What have we here?"
Miko had enough common sense to take notice of the Get-the-Pit-outta-here look on Lio Convoy's faceplate and run.
One should never try to outrun a giant alien robot, especially if the robot can change into a bird.
Miko struggled in the vice-like grip as the Predacon took to the air, and he fumbled a bit, most likely on purpose, nearly dropping her.
"Put the human down, Starscream," Lio Convoy yelled.
"And what can you possibly do about it?" Starscream retorted, the expression on his faceplate unreadable. He rose higher into the air. "Back away or I'll drop her."
Airazor came running with the other Maximals.
"You be letting her go, Predacon scum!" Polar Claw thundered.
"As you wish." Starscream loosened his grip, and Miko fell. He caught her after a few seconds by her shirt collar. "On second thought, maybe not."
Airazor glanced at her leader questioning.
"No," Lio Convoy said softly, "if we try to rescue her, Starscream will actually drop her. She could be hurt, or worse."
Polar Claw wasn't having it. "And if we be keeping standing around?"
Lio Convoy sighed. He knew what the hidden question was. "There is a chance Starscream would still drop her."
"So what are we supposed to do?" Break asked.
Stampy spoke up hesitantly. "I have an idea."
Before the new recruit could say any more, Starscream squawked angrily and dropped Miko, shielding his optics. He transformed and flew away with a cry of, "Predacons, retreat!"
Polar Claw ran forward to catch Miko.
With a grunt of pain, the Japanese teen thanked him. She looked very proud of herself.
"What did you do?" Airazor asked, looking down at the human in relief.
Miko pulled out her cell phone, showing a picture. She winced slightly. "He wanted to get a good look at me, and I snapped a picture." She glared at Starscream's retreating form in the sky. "You're not a raptor; you're a chicken!"
Starscream dropped his gaze. "It displeases me to report that the mission was a failure, Lord Galvatron."
The Emperor of Chaos frowned. He knew by his Second-in-Command's tone that it did not displease the seeker at all. "Another failure, Starscream? This is becoming a pattern," he snarled, his scaled wings flexing.
"It's not my fault, Master," Starscream argued. "The Battle Ravage drones are incompetent and-"
"Enough!" Galvatron snapped. He turned to a shadowed figure across the room. "Perhaps you will not fail where Starscream so clearly has. Go attack another power plant. We need that energy!"
A small bat perched on the addressed mech's shoulder let out a shrill keening noise. It's companion positioned his servos so it looked like he was holding an instrument.
A heavy electric riff echoed in the halls of the warship, and a bass on followed it.
"It shall be done without delay, Lord Galvatron. I will not fail you like a certain someone I could mention."