Once again...I own nothing, but OC's! Oh, Sassbrat...Magus is going to get it...but right now you'll
have to settle for just a little bit of payback.
At the end of the last chapter…An hour later…Earth…Autobot City…
The SIC's office…
Ultra Magnus was having a bad day…first, last night he fell into recharge on his desk and now he's neck wires were painfully pinching; he then was woken up out of said recharge by Grimlock who told him in his usual blunt way that he and the Dinobots were going to Dinobot Island…he was about to deny Grimlock's request when the big, robotic dinosaur quickly left his office before he could even say a thing. Then First Aid came to him about a prank that the Lambo twins pulled on Red Alert, he tried getting in touch with Chromia but all he got was...
"This is the Ark," said Chromia's voice on what apparently was a Earth answering machine, "If your Prime, press 1 and leave a message; if your Lt. Col. Fairborne or his mate Alison Fairborne, press 2 and leave a message; if your that pit spawn, fragger Ultra Magnus whose got his head so far up his aft that he can't see straight…hang up and call me later, you slagger!"
First Aid winced as heard the answering machine, "She really must be mad with you if she's not responding to any of your calls," he told him as he cut off his desk comm. unit.
Ultra Magnus shrugged in as he said with annoyance, "She'll get over it, and I'll try to get her again later."
First Aid raised a brow in disbelief, "If she or any other femme shoots you in the spike plate again; I am putting you on force medical leave until whoever shoots you cools off."
He was about to respond to this comment, when his comm. unit beeped out, "Red Alert to Ultra Magnus."
"Ultra Magnus here, are you feeling better Red Alert?"
"Yes," he replied, "And I am going on vacation."
Ultra Magnus and First Aid blinked in surprise; finally the medic exclaimed in shock, "Red, you have never taken a vacation in your existence!"
"I am now," he calmly stated, "Ultra Magnus since you've become SIC, the entire Autobot faction has gone to the pit!"
"That's Prime's…" Ultra Magnus protested.
But Red Alert interrupted him, "It's not Prime's fault! It's your slagging fault in treating Rodimus Prime like a sparkling and comparing him to his sire! And let's not forget throwing out Prowl's nice, clean, organized system in running our faction…out of the fragging air lock!"
"Red Alert…" First Aid started to say to the obsessive security director.
"I've made up my processor, First Aid!" he shouted out furiously, "By the way Ultra Magnus, I met with Lt. Caine last night!"
The two mechs stared at the comm. unit in shock, finally Ultra Magnus stuttered out in shock, "Y-you met with Lt. Caine? He's r-real?"
"Oh, yes," he drawled out in amusement, "And to say he is…unhappy…with you for ignoring his suggestions is an understatement! As a result, he decided that he could no longer delay in following Prime's order of becoming SIC of the Autobots!"
A strangled nose came out of Ultra Magnus, while First Aid shook his head in disbelief, finally he asked, "What…what is our new SIC like, Red? I thought he was an undercover Autobot."
"Oh, he is an under covered Autobot," said Red Alert with delight, "When he heard what Magnus had done last night; it didn't take him long to make up his processor and to give me my orders! As for what he is like…well… I'll let that be a surprise! I can say that he definitely has enough experience to be SIC of the Autobots!"
With apprehension, Ultra Magnus asked, "What orders?"
With a wicked smile, Red Alert replied, "He ordered me to lock the controls of Autobot City's transformation sequence; as well as access to Telatran-2 until he comes to relieve Ultra Magnus of his position."
Silence reigned over the room, finally both mechs bellowed out, "What?!" First Aid shouted, "How will I get access to the medical records?!"
"Hey," protested Red Alert, "It's not my fault, blame Magnus! He was the one who lowered the security level thru out the city! Lt. Caine, feels if Ultra Magnus is going to act like a stuck up, spoilt, sparkling…he should be treated as such!"
"I am not a sparkling!" objected Ultra Magnus, "Red Alert, I order you to unlock the entire slagging system!"
"I can't, Magnus," Red Alert told him, "Only Lt. Caine can with his personal code as well as password! But, your welcome to try and fragging guess it! And I am not the one who called you a sparkling, that was Lt. Caine! I believe he's exact words were…'If he is going to act like a stuck up, spoilt, sparking who is used to getting his own way; then I want you to take his toys away from him, Red Alert!' Is that all? I really want to start my vacation!"
"Before you go, when can we expect Lt. Caine to arrive here?" asked First Aid as he answered for Ultra Magnus who was gaping in shock over Lt. Caine's words to the security chief.
"Tomorrow," he answered.
"But…" gasped out Ultra Magnus, "That's the anniversary of the Battle for Autobot City! Prime has already written…"
"You mean you written Prime's speech for him," interrupted Red Alert with sarcasm.
Ultra Magnus continued as if he was never interrupted, "It will ruin the entire event that was planned!"
"I thought it was already fragged up when the human sewer system exploded?" Red Alert asked innocently.
"The humans don't matter for something like this!" exploded Ultra Magnus, "What matters is that I had the event all planned out as we remembered out comrades!"
Red Alert rolled his optics in annoyance, "Oh…yes!" he irritably told him, "I looked over your plans…even shared them with Lt. Caine; neither one of us were impressed by them! He said that if an event was going to be planned like this…it should remember the fallen, not become a promotion on Autobot's greatness! And as for him arriving tomorrow, I personally think it's very…appropriate! If that's all, I like to start my vacation…I should be back once Lt. Caine settles into his old…I mean... new office."
As Red Alert hung up, First Aid remarked, "Apparently you were wrong, sir. Lt. Caine is real and if he got to Red Alert that fast…"
"Then he is in or nearby Autobot City," finished Ultra Magnus softly, "Dear Primus…I should have listened to Kup's warning!"
First Aid looked at him in pity, and decided to change the subject, "You know, speaking of SIC…I thought I heard Prowl shouting out in fury last night."
"I did too;" he muttered thoughtfully, "the anniversary of the attack is tomorrow…"
"Yes," the medic responded sadly as he remembered that horrible day, "do you think we heard Prowl's ghost last night?"
Ultra Magnus shrugged as he responded, "It's possible, and we do know that Starscream's ghost is real…though only Prime can see him. Maybe our old comrades are coming back to offer us some form of comfort."
"Or repeating their last moments," suggested First Aid, "Humans believe that some ghosts are forced to repeat their final moments over again on the anniversary of their death."
Ultra Magnus snorted and was about to reply to that theory, when his comm. unit activated, "Preceptor to Ultra Magnus, I am unable to access Telatran-2."
As Ultra Magnus was once again reminded of his lost of command, he groaned in misery and slouched in his chair; First Aid patted him on the arm, "It will be all right, Magus," he comforted him, "I'm sure the new SIC will eventually warm up to you!"
In the auxiliary command center…
Red Alert, watching Ultra Magnus and First Aid on the monitors, exclaimed, "Hmph! I wouldn't bet on that First Aid! When I left Lt. Caine in the pre-dawn hours…he was wearing his 'I need to come up with the perfect punishment for the crime' scowl!" He grunted in disgust again as he popped out the command chip that Prowl had given him from the computer…suddenly he heard a movement behind him. He turned around, and inquired briskly, "Did you get the information we needed?"
Stigma held up her portable camcorder, "Statement: Affirmative. Query: Finished with Lt. Caine's orders?"
"Yes," he confirmed as he pointed at a screen that showed Preceptor walking down toward Ultra Magnus's office, "And just in time too…he tried accessing Telatran-2. I bet a load of high grade that it wasn't for one of his 'scientific experiments!'"
She grunted in agreement, "Query: Autobot Red Alert ready to return to Ark?"
"Yes," he replied, "Do we have to go thru the air vents again?"
She gave him a sympathetic look, "Answer: Part way until we reach access to secret door."
"Terrific," he grumbled, "Wait a minute…what secret door?!"
Meanwhile at the Ark…
Kup, Hound, and the rest of the crew of the Orion stood in amazement at how busy the femmes and the Dinobots seem to be; Hound said with a small smile, "This brings back memories."
"Itdoes?" asked Blurr as he quickly dodged Green Light as she raced toward the armory.
"Yeah," answered Cliffjumper as he was nearly mowed down by Swoop whom carrying boxes of supplies to the Med Bay.
"Me Swoop say sorry," he distractedly said as he quickly headed for his destination.
"It usually happened when the Decptio-creeps are planning to attack somewhere and Prowl has a counter attack all planned out," added Gears to Cliffjumper's statement.
"Except this time its Blackarachia whose doing the attacking and Aft Magnus has half ruined Prowl's counter attack plan…we've been trying to fix it since last night," said a metallic feminine voice from the shadows.
None of the mechs recognized the voice, though it seemed familiar, Kup called out, "Whose there?"
"I am surprise you don't recognize my voice Kup," she told them as she stepped out of the shadows and the some what familiar form of Marrisa Fairborne appeared before them, "But then… you and Ultra Magnus are just about on the same mindset about us uncivilized humans."
They, particular Kup, gaped in shock at the half human and half Cybertrion figure before them, finally Blurr asked, "MarrisaFairborne?"
By this time, the Matrix seemed to be working overtime on Prime's mate, half of her face was a silver metal while the other half was flesh…though it seemed to be flaky and dried up; her once bushy dark hair was gone; her eyes have now become optics… sapphire blue; her hands were similar to the fleshy half of her face…but her fingernails were a brilliant silver.
After they stared at her in shock for a while, Kup asked in astonishment, "What happened to you lass?"
"Oh," she drawled out and they could see perfectly formed, cat-like, fangs poking out of her mouth; "Let's just say that I'm getting a bit of a makeover."
"You call that a makeover?!" yelled out Gears, while the others continue to gape at her in astonishment.
She laughed in delight as she looked at her data pad, "It's a long story which we don't have time for…now I've got your assignments. Blurr… you're helping Red Alert and Lancer; meet them in Red's old office near the command center."
"Okaydokey," he quickly told her and then he rushed off.
"Cliffjumper, Gears," she ordered, "Grimlock, Green Light, and Slag are in the armory trying to get Ironhide's numerous guns in working order…you can go help them; Oh! By the way, Grimlock is in charge of that little project; so you're taking orders from him."
"What!" they yelled; "I don't want to take orders from a slagging…" Gears started cursed.
"Quiet!" she roared out, "I don't want to hear it! Either the both of you do what I and Grimlock say…or I can shoot you in the spike plates! Which will it be?!"
They both gulped in fear, and without a further word they scurried to the armory. She glared after them for a moment, and then turned back to her data pad, "Hound, you're helping Glimmer and Stigma," she ordered, "Meet them in Jazz's old office."
"Right," he said and then looked as if he wanted to ask her something, which she immediately noticed.
"What's wrong Hound?" she asked with a raised brow.
"Is it okay if I can scan you?" he hesitantly asked, "I've never seen anything like…"
Once again, she laughed out loud, "Sure, Hound! I forgot that you're a naturalist!"
He quickly scanned her, and he frowned as the results came into his processor, "Matrix energy?" he muttered, "What in the pit? You're not anywhere near the Matrix?!"
She hummed in agreement, "Indeed I am not," she purred out in amusement, "So, what is you're guess, Hound? You did a good job in puzzling out Prowl's secret just by looking at him… have you discovered my little secret?"
He frowned deeply in thought; finally he replied sorrowfully, "No, can you please tell me…"
She raised a hand and interrupted him, "We don't have time, Hound, I'm sorry." He gave her a pouting, kicked, puppy dog look; but she merely smirked at him, "Don't try that look on me…it won't work. If you haven't figured it out by the time we take care of my insane mother-in-law, I'll tell you. Okay?"
He nodded his head in agreement, and quickly left in the direction of Jazz's former office. She sighed wearily, and turned her attention to Kup who was looking at her with a mixture of dread, amazement, as well as joy; "Something the matter, Kup?" she asked.
"Despite what you may think lass," he told her, "I have never thought badly about humans! Nor am I ignorant on human culture! You called Blackarachia, your insane mother-in-law!"
"So I did," she purred out as she raised her brow in surprise, she didn't think the old Autobot would pick up her little clue that she gave Hound.
"Matrix energy," he revved out as the pieces of the puzzle appeared before his processor, "Hound picked up Matrix energy from you…Prime has been more temperamental than usual; he has been snarling in disgust at every femme or sub mech that flirts with him. Jazz has been keeping sedatives on him at all times…it's the slagging Prime Heritage! Prime has been going thru it and you're his future mate! Why haven't I fragging notice?!"
Marrisa clapped her hands, and sarcastically replied, "Congratulations! You've finally figured it out, Kup! It's taken you how long to notice that Rodimus Prime is not a sparkling anymore?"
"Too long," he mumbled in reply as he closed his optics and pinched the bridge of his nose in distress, "Are you going to lecture me too, lass?"
"I really should," she replied as her optics narrowed in fury, "But, I won't…I believe Prowl can do a sufficient job for me. Speaking of which, he wants to have a little chat with you in his office…now!"
Kup moaned out, "Slag," he sighed in misery, "I better go and get this over with…Primus help me!"
A few minutes later…Prowl's office…
Prowl sighed wearily as he completed reading one of Red Alert's numerous data pads and threw it on the small stack of pads that he finished with…as he gazed at the mountain of data pads, contemplating which one he could take without having the said mountain fall on top of him; he heard his door chime beep out, "Come," he ordered.
Kup hesitantly came into the office, "You wanted me, sir?" he cautiously whispered.
Prowl revved his engine for a moment at the sight of him, until he remembered Gadget's instructions…taking a deep breath to calm down, he signaled for him to come in and sit down in the chair in front of his desk. As Kup did what he was silently told to do, Prowl gestured to the huge stack of pads and asked softly, "Do you know what this is, Kup?"
Kup stared at the mountain size stack and cautiously answered, "Data pads?"
"Yes," Prowl drawled out, "Last night, Grimlock and Red Alert gave me a briefing on what Ultra Magnus has been doing as SIC since my apparent death. They both gave me a short list and a long list; Grimlock did the short list, which for him should be one data pad. Instead," he held up his hand from his desk in imitation on how high the short list was, "it was fifty data pads long! From Grimlock…fifty data pads! Would you care to guess how high Red Alert's long list was? And he even admitted, it wasn't as detailed as I would have liked!"
Gulping, Kup looked over at the mountain of data pads, "I think it wouldn't be that hard to guess, lad."
Prowl hissed out, "Exactly…that high!" He closed his optics, and took several calming breaths as he thought, 'Must stay composed, I'm needed in battle…Gadget has the operating table hanging over my head…I must stay calm!' After a few moments, Prowl opened one of his desk drawers and took out a giant, stress ball that was a gag gift from Sparkplug one Christmas; he asked as he squeezed the ball, "I just have one question, Kup…Why?"
"Why what, lad?"
"Why did you treat Rodimus Prime like a sparkling?" he elaborated as he continually squeezed the stress ball, "Why did you always compared him to Optimus? Why did you go along with Ultra Magnus and basically set up a puppet government with Rodimus as a figured head? Just fragging why, Kup? Why didn't you tell Ultra Magnus that he was slagging wrong at the way he was treating Prime and running our faction?! I thought you knew better than pull slag like this, Kup!"
Kup closed his optics in regret, finally he replied, "I realize that now, Prowl. But, I raised the lad since he was a sparkling! I thought I could help him and…"
Prowl narrowed his optics furiously as he gave the ball a particularly hard squeeze, "And?" he prompted.
Kup opened his optics and answered wretchedly, "I was just following Ultra Magnus's orders."
"JUST FOLLOWING ULTRA MAGNUS'S ORDERS?!" Prowl bellowed out as he squeezed the stress ball so hard that it exploded. Kup leaned back in his chair, wincing in fear.
Before Prowl could further comment on Kup's answer, he's desk comm. unit called out, "Gadget to Prowl, are you having a spark attack? You're spark pressure just went slagging high!"
Prowl took several breaths in order to calm down, finally he replied, "No, Gadget…I am perfectly fine, it must have been a fluke."
"Really?" she drawled out suspiciously, "You're not reaming Kup out, are you…after I told you not too?"
"No," he lied effortlessly.
Unfortunately for him, like her father…she didn't fall for his lie, "Prowl…I know your lying your aft off! I just heard you roaring your vocalizer out at the exact moment you're spark pressure spiked to the ceiling. Do you not remember what I slagging told you?!"
"Yes," he grumbled out reluctantly and then pleaded, "Just give me another chance Gadget, I promise you that I'll remain completely calm as a newborn sparkling!"
There was silence for a moment, finally she warned him, "One more fragging chance, Prowl! Just one more! If I see your spark pressure increase like that again…you will be on my operating table before you can say Aft Magnus! Gadget, out!"
Prowl closed his optics for a moment in an attempt to further calm his rising temper down, finally he opened them and hissed out, "If I didn't have Hatchet Jr. dangling a scalpel over my neck Kup…I would tell you exactly what I think of your reasoning on just following orders!" He shook a finger angrily at the elderly Autobot, "Instead, I am going to give you a little assignment and tell you something that I want you to think carefully about in that stubborn processor of yours!"
"Tell me what, lad?" he asked cautiously.
Prowl sighed heavily as he explained to him, "When Jazz and I were under Optimus Prime…as TIC and SIC…he didn't agree with every order I gave him! We…balanced each other out, helped strengthen each other's weaknesses. If he told me I was wrong about something, I would listen to him…I wouldn't ignore or agreed to what he was telling me; but I did offer him a compromise or my own point of view on why this was the right decision."
He took another calming breath and continued, "In the end, it was frequently Optimus Prime who had to make the decision... whether it was the right one or not! It was Optimus Prime who had to make the decision if we would accept an offer from a certain human government…it was him who gave the order when we should roll out into battle with the Decepticons! Did you do that with his son, Rodimus Prime? Did you and Ultra Magnus balance each other out?"
Kup was about to answer but Prowl stopped him, "Don't answer that…tell me when your done with your little assignment."
He wearily sighed as he gracefully accepted Prowl's punishment for him, "What do you want done, lad?"
"Look up Germany in Earth's Second World War," ordered Prowl, "And write me a report on what effects happened when leaders as well as soldiers within their military at the time were just following their commanders' orders! I want it done ahead of the battle tomorrow and before you ask…I am very certain that my old friend's mate is going to attack tomorrow!" He pointed toward the door, "Now, get out!"
As Kup rushed out of the room, he nearly knocked over Stigma and Red Alert, "Sorry," he muttered as he raced out of the room.
Stigma raised a brow in surprise that Kup didn't stop and try to attack her as most Autobots do when they first meet her; while Red Alert cursed softly, "Slag, I missed the show! I'll just have to get the tape of it later…I am fairly certain my cameras are still working here!"
"You missed what, Red Alert?" Prowl asked distractedly as he furiously thought of Kup's excuse on why he acted the way he did.
"Nothing," Red Alert quickly told him and then he remembered on why he was absolutely furious on the way to Prowl's office, "You sneaky son of a glitch! I don't know whether to hug you or strangle you!"
Realizing what Red Alert was complaining about, Prowl smirked in amusement as he leaned back in his chair and said, "As I told Chromia several Earth months ago…you can add Optimus Prime, Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Ironhide to the list."
As he made a strangled sound in his vocalizer, Stigma interrupted him, "Statement: Mission successful, retrieved pictures and blueprints of the amplifier that Autobot Preceptor has built for Former Femme Leader Elita-One. However…"
She trailed off not sure how to break the latest bad news to the SIC, he noticed this and prompted suspiciously, "However?"
She looked to Red Alert for guidance; he merely pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and grumbled, "Just play him the clip!"
Sighing, she brought her portable camcorder out of subspace and pressed a couple of buttons…a small, holographic version of Preceptor appeared on Prowl's desk and he was apparently talking to Blackarachia on a secret comm. unit, "All is in readiness, My Queen," he droned out, "I merely have to hook up the amplifier to Telatran-2."
"Excellent," hissed out the voice of the insane femme, "And if Chromia and Lt. Caine manages to block your entrance into Telatran-2, slave?"
"I have placed several loudspeakers thru out the city, My Queen…not even Stigma will be able to find them."
"Terrific," muttered Prowl in disgust, and was about to say more when Red Alert hushed him.
"There's more, Stigma showed me this part that's coming up, in the tunnels," he growled out in revulsion.
Prowl looked at him suspiciously, before once again focusing on the holographic conversation, "Have you made any progress in discovering who Lt. Caine is, slave?" she asked, "I am certain it has something to do with Prowl…but I don't know how…no I don't."
"No, My Queen," he replied, "But, there was a screech of rage heard thru out the city last night…many are speculating that it is Prowl's ghost that was heard."
"Mmm," she muttered thoughtfully, "It could have been Prow's ghost…that slagger Starscream had dared to hang around! Perhaps, it is my beloved's SIC's ghost that is helping my former friend…yes…it could be! But, it doesn't matter…if it is Prowl's ghost, I do have a back-up plan…yes…I do!"
"My Queen, may I help you with the back up plan?" Preceptor asked devotedly.
"Such a good slave," she purred out, "Perhaps…yes…perhaps…you can help me if it is necessary to go back in time…yes, indeed!"
Stigma stopped the tape, and looked at the two senior officers; Prowl was staring blankly at his desk and Red Alert was scowling hard on the floor; finally she asked: Query: Orders?"
Prowl buried his face in his hands for a moment, finally he looked up and ordered, "Get what you've got to Boomer, and make me a copy of that clip! Meet me in the Rec. Room to present it as soon as you can!"
She nodded her head, "Statement: Affirmative. Estimate: 29.9 minutes until copy is ready for presentation." With those final words, she quickly left the room.
Silence reigned over the two officers, finally Red Alert pleaded, "Please tell me that crazy femme isn't going to do what I slagging think she's going to do if she doesn't get her way in Autobot City?!"
Prowl gave a heavy sigh as he tried to calm down, he replied, "Yes, there is a hundred percent possibility that she will do it! She was always a spoilt femme, and the way Optimus treated her didn't help matters!" He looked toward the ceiling, "Primus…Jazz why did you have to pull that stunt with Rodimus Prime?! I could have used your slagging help when wrenches are thrown in my perfectly, logical plan!"
Red Alert looked at him in pity, "We'll stop her Prowl…do you remember…"
Prowl interrupted with a shake of his head, "No, if anything happened it would have been when I wasn't at the Ark. Do you?"
Red Alert answered with regret, "No, I've been racking my processors since I've heard it in the tunnels."
Prowl tapped his fingers on the desk in thought, finally he ordered, "Go to your office, let Lancer take over watching our security. In the meantime, you and Blurr go thru Teletran 1. The old security tapes, everyone's journals…and I do mean everyone that was here at the Ark during Optimus Prime's time as leader! Leave no stone unturned, Red Alert! This is more important than the coming attack on the city!"
"Right," he confirmed, "What will you be doing?"
Prowl didn't answer, but merely turned on his desk comm. unit, and spoke over the open channel, "Prowl to Hound, Chromia, Cliffjumper, Gears, Marrisa Fairborne, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and the Dinobots meet me in the Rec. Room in thirty minutes. This is important, Prowl out!"
Red Alert nodded his head in approval, and stated, "I better go get started, any idea on where…or should I say when…I should start looking?"
He closed his optics as he sighed wearily and tried not to rub his chest in pain, 'Slag,' he thought, 'Not now…I'm needed…Primus please let her shell hold on just a little longer!' Finally after a moment, the pain subsided and he could think more clearly. He heard Red Alert clearing his throat, remembering his question…he responded, "I don't know; but it will be a time when neither of us were here or with Prime on whatever mission that he was on."
"That will narrow things down…slightly!" exclaimed Red Alert as he headed out the door, "Talk about a slagging needle in a haystack!"
"Indeed," grumbled Prowl as he stared off in space, deep in thought.
Thirty Five Minutes later…the Ark's Rec. Room…
After Stigma finished playing the clip, silence reigned over the room…and then curses could be heard from everyone. Until, Marrisa Fairborne bellowed out, "Quiet!"
"Thank you," Prowl told her and then addressed the room, "Does anyone remember anything about visitors from the future or did anyone say anything?"
Negative replies where shouted out, but Swoop quietly raised his hand and yelled, "Me Swoop think Me Swoop know something!"
"Go on, Swoop," encouraged Prowl.
"Before We Dinobots and Him Ratchet went to Moon Base 2, Him Ratchet really pushing Me Swoop to study sparks and spark casings. Didn't give Me Swoop break until Me Swoop could recite material in recharge!" he answered.
"Me Grimlock, remember that…" he grumbled in disgust at the memory, "You Swoop exhausted at time like You Swoop exhausted now!"
"Me Snarl also remember something," he added, "Him Wheeljack built spark status chamber that run on separate power supply; Him Wheeljack specifically told us Dinobots that it was to remain in the Ark's Med Bay and it would last a tron."
As the Dinobots muttered their agreement over their memories, everyone else was in a state of shock, finally Hound gasped out, "They knew…"
"Me Sludge ask Him Ratchet and Him Wheeljack knew what?"
Grimlock realized what Hound was saying, "Him Hound right," he stated as he too went into shock, "Him Ratchet and Him Wheeljack knew attack coming…knew Him Prowl only survivor and You Swoop saved Him Prowl!"
With those words, the room erupted into chaos…Stigma slipped out to tell Red Alert and Blurr what happened as well as to give them another lead for their search. Marrisa Fairborne extended her fingernails, and tapped Prowl on the foot with one claw, "Are you all right, Prowl?"
"No," he answered in distress, "They knew…they could have told me and…"
"And the time line would have been fragged up, Prowl!" interrupted Chromia with grief in her voice, "If it was changed, there would have been a good chance that Rodimus wouldn't have been able to destroy Unicron. They were going to their deaths willingly so he would have the chance to do that…and for you to be able to live, Prowl."
"Gadget to Prowl," stated a voice over the comm. channel, "You're spark pressure is fragging increasing again…what the slag are you doing now?!"
Prowl was too choked up to answer, but Marrisa Fairborne replied for him, "Gadget…give him a break. He just learned something distressing and I think you should know as well…" Quickly she brief the medic on what happened, when she was done silence came over the line.
Finally, Gadget said with a shaky voice, "I think there is something you should know…I had a crazy dream recently. In fact, it was how I found out about Boomer's nannite experiment…"
As she explained her dream, everyone in the Rec. Room listened in…when she was done; Prowl, over come with grief had his head buried in his hands, and everyone else had tears running down their optics. Finally, Marrisa ordered to everyone, "All right, we'll process this later…right now let's try to keep the casualty list for this Battle of Autobot City down to at least a minimum! You mechs know what to do, go slagging do it! Gadget, I want you to stay on line for a moment!"
As soon as everyone scurried out of the room, she turned toward Chromia and Prowl, "It's starting to look like Gadget and I are going to have to be near Blackarachia when she pulls this stunt! Gadget, in case First Aid is incapacitated…do you think Swoop can do the surgery on Prowl? That is what you are preparing him for correct…what your sixth sense is telling you?"
As Chromia and Prowl stared at her shock over her questions, Gadget answered, "Yes that is what…sixth sense is it? My sixth sense is telling me that something will happen to First Aid and moi in the coming battle; as for Swoop doing the surgery…I've jammed the material into his processor enough! Yes, if it comes down to it…he can do the slagging surgery! The only question is if Prowl trusts him enough to do it?"
The femmes looked at the mech-femme in curiosity, finally Chromia prompted, "Well, Prowl? It's up to you."
"Yes, Prowl," chimed in Gadget over the comm. link, "Do you want to Swoop to do the surgery if First Aid is unable too? Or, and I personal hope you choose this option…do you want me to do the surgery right now while we got a fragging chance! Of course, it means you'll have to sit out of the battle when Blackarachia gets herself planted in Autobot City."
Prowl was silent for a moment as his processor ran thru the numerous scenarios, finally he reluctantly replied, "I choose the first option…Swoop."
Silence came from all three femmes, finally Gadget called out, "Well, I better go cram…I'm mean help Swoop prepare more for the surgery. But, Prowl…Swoop knows he has no experience in leading a surgery or doing this particular type of surgery! You may have to give him some…encouragement!"
"Understood," he told her.
"Good," she said, "Gad…oh! Prowl…try to stay fragging calm! I don't want to see your spark pressure rising again, Gadget out!"
Silence reigned over the Rec. Room, finally Chromia said, "I hope to Primus you know what you're doing, Prowl! You're putting your life in a Dinobot's hand…again and this time slagging willingly!"
"So do I," Prowl groaned out, "So do I."
A few minutes later… in the Med Bay…
Swoop hustled back into the med bay after reassuring his fellow Dinobots that he was all right…of course he did the same thing to them! He was about to greet Gadget, but he stopped short when he saw her sitting beside a berth with a wicked smile across her face.
"Swoop," she purred out, "Get over here."
Cautiously he went over to her, and then winced as she slammed her surgical tools down on a nearby table; she called out, "Hologram on!"
A holographic representation of Moonracer's shell appeared on the berth, "Lesson time, Swoop!" she exclaimed, "I want to be certain that you understand what yo…I mean, what I am going to do in Prowl's surgery! So, we're going to do reverse role play! I am going to be you, and you are going to be me!"
"What?!" he squawked out in shock.
"You heard me!" she shouted, "What's the first thing you…as me…going to do with mech-femme?!"
Sighing wearily, Swoop muttered under his breath as he picked up the first tool he would need, "Her Gadget too much like Him Ratchet lately!"
She gave him a strained smile, "I heard that, doctor! Now, as your assistant, what do you want me to do?"
Swoop cursed under his breath, and he started to give instructions to his teacher.
Meanwhile in another Med Bay on Charr…
Astro Train tried not to laugh as he gently set down the crate that contained a certain Decepticon Mustang, 'Pit,' he thought to himself as he stared at Hook and Soundwave, 'I really must thank Stigma…this is fragging funny!'
The objects of his amusement were not paying a bit of attention to him; Hook questioned Soundwave as he was tapping a wrench against his palm, "Let me get this straight…You sent Rumble to spy on Ultra Magnus and he had a run in with your glitch of a sister in Autobot City, instead of killing him…she sent him back to you singing and dancing to 'You Can't Touch This,' correct?"
Soundwave shifted uneasily under the medic's stare, "Affirmative," he confirmed.
"You tried to fix his little problem yourself," continued Hook, "But, you got stuck and instead of coming to me…you sent Barricade to Earth in an attempt to steal the antidote from her as well as find out what the slag those femmes were hiding, correct?"
"Affirmative," he muttered.
"Now," drawled out Hook, "That crazy glitch of a sister of yours has sent Barricade back to you via GUPS and according to their scans…he's stuck in his vehicle form, correct?"
Soundwave winced underneath his mask; he knew what was coming from the enraged medic, "Affirmative."
"Soundwave…you idiot!" bellowed Hook as he slammed his wrench on the communicator officer's helm, "Why is it when your sister is involved in ruining your schemes…you end up looking like an aft head?! You should have come to me as soon as you retrieve Rumble! Now, I've got two patients that Primus knows what she's done to them! And Barricade will be the worse of the two!"
"Umm, how can Cade be worse of the two?" Astro Train hesitantly asked, and then quickly ducked to avoid the wrench that was thrown his way.
"If he is stuck in his vehicle form," slowly explained Hook, "Then she would have involved Gadget in whatever concoction she's done to him!" He gave Soundwave a hard look, "And may I remind you what we done a tron ago? It wouldn't take Stigma much processing power that you were the one who planned the ambush on the shuttle coming from Moon Base 2! And if Gadget is anything like her sire…"
Both mechs groaned out loud as they realized what Hook was getting at, Astro Train finished his sentence, "She'll add on too whatever Stigma's done in order to give Soundwave a taste of what will happen when she gets her hands on him or his brats!"
"Exactly!" shouted Hook as he closed his optics and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration; finally he opened his optics and ordered, "Get Rumble down here… I'll do him first while I am waiting for the scans on the crate that Barricade is in to be finished!"
"But…" protested Astro Train, "I just spent a lot of credit having that crate scanned by GUPS!"
Hook snorted in disgust, "Do you really think Stigma wouldn't take the opportunity to plant a bomb or something within the crate…something that wouldn't be detected by GUPS scanners?!"
Once again both mechs groaned out loud in misery as Soundwave went to get Rumble and Astro Train went somewhere safe from the possible explosion.
Unknown to them, a certain ghost was cackling like mad, "This is better than any human movie!" exclaimed Starscream.
Several hours later…on Earth…the Ark…in the Dinobots' old den…
Swoop staggered into the room, trying not to trip over the other Dinobots that were lying on the floor. Grimlock was the only one awake; he looked at him from his sitting position on a nearby wall, "You Swoop okay?"
Swoop didn't answer, but merely found a position near Slag and immediately went to recharge on the floor. Grimlock stared at him for a moment and then sighing, wearily he went into recharge. It wasn't long before he was woken by Swoop talking in his sleep, "Me Swoop need both shells next to each other, then me open Her Moonracer's chest plates, then…"
Grimlock groaned in agony as he slapped his face in frustration, the other Dinobots by now had awaken at Swoop's recharge talking. They looked at each other in misery because they remembered the last time this happen…and they couldn't get Swoop woke up the last time in order shut him up!"
"You Grimlock..." growled out Slag as he turned over and placed his hands over his audio receptors.
"Me know, Me know!' he exclaimed as he pinched his nose bridge, "Her Gadget... sister or not…Me Grimlock going to give Her Gadget piece of processor tomorrow!"
"Good!" the other Dinobots with the expectation of Swoop exclaimed.
"Me Sludge ask, what We Dinobots do now to get recharge?!"
Grimlock thought for a moment, in times past they recharged with Wheeljack when Swoop talked in his recharge as he was currently doing, but Wheeljack was dead. However, Boomer was his niece…
Near Wheeljack's old quarters…
Boomer walked slowly as toward her uncle's quarters; she had finally finished making enough audio plugs as well as figured out how to stop Preceptor's modified amplifier. She stopped wearily in front of the door, "Now, all I have to do is to make a serum to turn Blackarachia into a human and a time machine in case whatever time machine she has actually works!" she muttered despairingly as she opened the door, "Primus! I am not Uncle Wheeljaaack!" She tripped over something near the doorway, "Lights!"
As the lights came on, she looked around the room in amazement…Grimlock who was lying on the recharge berth, while Snarl and Slag were sleeping around it; she looked behind her and stared into the sleepy optics of Sludge.
"We Dinobots recharging here rest of night," he sleepily answered her unasked question, "Him Swoop talking medical stuff in sleep again; We Dinobots didn't think You Boomer would mind because Him Wheeljack used to let us recharge here when Him Swoop do what Him Swoop doing now."
She slapped her face in frustration, and gave an aggravated sigh; finally she firmly told Sludge, "I am going to give Grimlock and Gadget a piece of my processor in the morning! In the mean time since I can't get to my berth…your going to be my pillow for the night, Sludge!"
He said wearily, "Okay, Him Wheeljack did that too! Him Wheeljack always gave Him Grimlock and Him Ratchet piece of processor after We Dinobots slept here!"
Sighing again, she snuggled up to Sludge... cursing under her breath about insane femmes and Dinobots.
Early the next day…Prowl's office…
Prowl knew he should be going over the counter-attack plan again, coming up with something to stop Elita's mad back-up plan, or even trying to make a dent in Red Alert's 'long list'…but he just couldn't do any of it! Instead, he was looking at an old picture album that Gadget had found among her father's possessions in his office…she thought that he might wanted to borrow it for a while.
He recognized it of course; Spike and Carly gave it to Ratchet after Sparkplug's death. As he traced one picture of Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Sparkplug…all three of them were working on repairing the twins again after they played Jet Judo with the seekers…he muttered softly, "How much did you know? How could you have stayed silent for so long and accept your deaths so easily? Did you know Optimus's son would eventually light our darkness hour when he was merely Hot Rod?" He received no answers, but his door did chime out, quickly he hid the album and called out, "Come!"
Kup slowly came into the room with revulsion all over his face, he slammed the report down on Prowl's desk and yelled, "Why in Primus's name did you make me study that…that…"
"Evil display of human civilization?" suggested Prowl as he quickly read thru the report.
"Yes!" he shouted, "By Primus! Only the Decepticons have ever done something…"
"But, the Autobots were headed on the same fragging path that the human Germans of Earth's 1930's and 1940's walked on if Ultra Magnus continued to have his way," interrupted Prowl as he finished the report and was satisfied that Kup researched the subject matter quite well.
Kup gaped at him in shock, and then realization slowly dawned on him, "Oh…Primus!" he exclaimed as he slumped down into a nearby chair, "We were…weren't we?"
Prowl tried not to smile in triumph as he realized that Kup was finally getting thru his processor that what Ultra Magnus was starting to do to the Autobot faction was against everything they fought for; he repeated his earlier question, "Did you and Ultra Magnus balance each other out?"
Kup's face was grief stricken as he replied, "No, and before you ask…we didn't treat Rodimus as a fully grown mech or respected his title as Prime."
Prowl sighed in relief as he thought, 'At least one thing has gone right this cycle… common sense has finally returned to the old fragger!' He asked out loud, "Do you think you need further punishment, Kup?"
"It's up to you, sir," he replied sadly.
Prowl tapped his fingers on his desk in thought, finally he ordered, "You're going to study Earth Military History and teach it next joor at the Academy; particular what is in this report that you just submitted." He stood up from his desk, and handed Kup his report back, "I don't want this happening again with another Prime or a retired SIC who has to go back to his old job because his successor is a zealous aft head! Do I make myself clear?"
Kup winced at the work he would have to do in order to get the lessons ready; as he took his report back, he confirmed, "Yes, sir."
Prowl gave him a small smile, "You better get started then…and Kup, I don't want you in this battle. No offense, but your too much of a liability at the moment."
He sighed regretfully, "I understand, sir."
"Enough with the sir; you've been punished enough," he told him, "call me Prowl."
Meanwhile in the Med Bay…
It took several wrenches, but she managed to get Grimlock and Boomer out of her Med Bay…suddenly, she heard a beeping sound coming from her office computer. She quickly went into her office, cursing, "Slagging…pit spawn…why haven't those fragging sisters been able to fix Teletran 1, yet?! She would have gone on, but she gasped in astonishment at Wheeljack's face appearing on her desk view screen.
"Gadget, don't tell anyone about this…they can't know yet that Ratchet, Prime, Ironhide and I have left several messages for them on Teletran 1 and around the Ark," warned the long dead Autobot. He paused for a moment in thought, finally he choked out, "No sparkling should see her creator dying…but you must do this Gadget. Ratchet's past self needs to know exactly what happened, what time, and how he manages save Prowl's spark."
By this time, Gadget had sat down in her chair in shock; Wheeljack continued, "I'm patching Ratchet in now…he's on the shuttle and its getting ready to lift off. Please, watch closely, Gadget."
Suddenly, she was staring into her sire's face, "Gadget," he softly whispered, "Oh…my precious little femme! I wish you didn't have to watch this…"
"Ratchet," Prowl's voice came up from behind the medic, "What are you doing?"
Before he could respond, Ironhide came into view, "Oh, he's working on something for Prime…it concerns his new Med Bay," he answered for him. As he gently guided the SIC out of view, he exclaimed, "You know…I left all of my weapons on Earth…my poor babies!"
Ratchet snorted in disgust, "Ironhide was never good at being sneaky! If Prowl wasn't so distracted…" He shook his head and sighed wearily, "Gadget, the time…if this contraption of Wheeljack's is working…should be running on the right hand corner. Keep an eye on it; I'll need to know as well as what I'll be doing to keep the slagger alive until Swoop gets to him!"
She watched silently with tears running down her face, as her father talked about numerous things from "I met your mother in a pleasure bar, believe it or not…she was working undercover trying to get information on Shockwave" to "There is an extra large wrench in the back of my closet in the Ark, Sparkplug gave it to me as a gag gift. But, I think it would work perfectly on hitting a certain aft head known as Ultra Magnus…those slagging twins could use a hit from it too!"
Finally, he muttered to her, "It's time…remember to watch the clock and what I'll be doing Gadget." He called out to the SIC, "Hey, Prowl…come here for a minute!"
"What is it?" asked Prowl as he came up to Ratchet.
The medic pulled him down and whispered, "Open your chest plates half way, Prowl."
"Ratchet, what the…" he started to say.
But, Ratchet interrupted him, "I'm following Optimus Prime's direct order, Prowl! Now, do what I say!"
Still confused, he did what he was told…before he could even blink Ratchet's hand was covering his spark chamber, "Ratchet, what is going on?"
"Prime is going to need you," he replied, "Rodimus, not Optimus…so you need to stay alive or I'll haunt you all over the Matrix!"
"What are you talking…" but once again he was interrupted.
"Play dead, Prowl," commanded Ratchet, "That is Optimus Prime's order that he told me to tell you! Play dead…for the sake of the future…play dead until you hear Swoop near you!"
Suddenly a blast was heard, and Megatron with his Decepticons came aboard onto the shuttle. Prowl looked up, and was immediately shot in the head and chest plate…Ratchet pushed him onto the floor and landed on top of him. Gadget could now see that half of Prowl's face was gone…but he was still alive; she placed her hand over her mouth as she heard her sire's death screams.
The screen once again changed over to Wheeljack, who this time around was crying his optics out. Finally, he managed to compose himself and he whispered, "I am so sorry... you needed to see that Gadget. But, it needed to be done." He was silent for a moment, finally he stuttered out, "I-I guess it's my turn now…" He gave a heavy sigh, "Primus give me strength! Gadget, I…I really wouldn't let Prowl see this for a vorn or so…maybe never! Wheeljack, out!"
As the view screen went blank…Gadget stared into space for a moment, until a strangled cry came out of her vocalizer! Burying her head into her hands, she cried her spark out in grief.
Meanwhile in the Armory…
Stigma's optics narrowed in concentration as she looked at the hidden safe that Grimlock found, finally she looked over at Gears, Green Light, Slag, Cliffjumper, and Grimlock, "Statement: Lock on a timing mechanism, will not open until late tonight. Theory: Autobot Ironhide left time capsule, he may have known about what was going to happen."
They muttered among themselves in shock, finally Grimlock called out, "Quiet, Me Grimlock say quiet! Me Grimlock trying to think!" They immediately became silent as Grimlock racked his processors, finally he ordered, "You Stigma go tell Him Red Alert and Him Blurr about safe and that Him Ironhide may have known future like Him Ratchet and Him Wheeljack!"
She nodded her head in acceptance, "Affirmative," she said and raced out the room.
He turned his attention on the others, "You Green Light, You Cliffjumper, and You Gears distribute rest of guns to them Autobots. Me Grimlock will be with you shortly, must give Him Slag different order!"
Realizing that he wanted to give Slag the order without them present, they immediately picked up the rest of the guns and exited the room. Once he was certain that they had left, Grimlock leaned heavily against the wall and muttered, "Me Grimlock was wrong about Him Ironhide…Him Ironhide wasn't completely dumb!"
"What does You Grimlock mean?" asked Slag.
"Him Ironhide master weapon smith!" he exclaimed as he gestured to the safe, "If Him Ironhide knew that Him Ironhide was going to die and Him Prowl would live…"
Realizing what he was saying, Slag finished the sentence, "Him Ironhide would give something to Him Prowl to cause great damage to Them Decepticons!"
"Exactly," confirmed Grimlock, "You Slag stay here and let Me Grimlock know when safe open!"
Slag nodded his head in enthusiasm, "Me Slag will!"
An hour later…the Ark's Command Center…
It was taking all of Blurr's willpower not to bash his head in the nearest wall, he complained to Red Alert, "Thisisimposible,impossible,impossible!" he screamed out, "Ratchet,Wheeljack,nowIronhideneedtobewithPrime butnotyouorProwl;Telatron1isslow,slow,slow!"
"I know, Blurr!" yelled Red Alert as he pinched his nose bridge in frustration, and was about to say more when he was interrupted by Lancer.
"Fragg!" she yelled out from her post at the radar, "She's here!"
Red Alert immediately ordered, "Sound the alarm…get Prowl, Chromia, and Ms. Fairborne up here!"
"Gotcha!" she confirmed and hit the alarm button as well as called out over the comm. channel.
While she was doing that Red Alert turned his attention to Blurr, "I'll be helping, Lancer. You keep looking! If you have to search the entire Ark for more hidden safes or anything else…do it! We need to know what fragging date the glitch is going to aim for!"
"Willdo!" exclaimed Blurr as he put in a new search pattern on Teletran 1 and then zipped out of the room.
Red Alert sighed wearily as he prayed, "Primus help us!"