Chapter 14: Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Transformers are property of Hasbro
"Last time, on "Survival":
'"By the Allspark! All her internal organs are shutting down!"
"If Sunstorm hadn't reacted when he did, I would be dead now."
"You three are henceforth assigned to Colony 21186D."
"The ghost ship has returned to haunt us." "So it would seem."
Pred'akngard
"Why did you not contact me as soon as you learned of these "Sparkeaters"?" Megatronus leaned against the kiln and stared Optimus down.
His fellow Prime met his gaze steadily. "I did not feel that I had enough proof to make a positive statement."
Megatronus understood, though perhaps he did not quite agree. He dragged two vast oil drums from a corner and motioned for Optimus to sit on one. He took the other with a groan.
"I suppose lasting peace was too much to hope for," he grumbled.
Optimus laced his servos together beneath his chin and leaned his elbow upon his knees. "The safety of our people is paramount, but I wish to avoid a mass panic. We must separate fact from fiction before we deal with these supposedly eldritch creatures."
"I suppose you are right," Megatronus admitted.
In the metal shavings coating the floor, Optimus drew a crude map of the solar system. Taking several larger pieces of leftover steel, he placed them as markers around sector 12E.
"This is where the initial attacks took place, three months ago." He moved another lump of melted steel into 12C. "This is Outpost Gallimimus. The team I sent to investigate the wreckage reported an unusual energy trail leading into open space, here." He pointed to the 12C/12D border. Cerulean optics met crimson.
"Now, let us compare this to the so-called Cygnus 26 Incident," Megatronus said.
He motioned to 12E. "Cygnus 26 was leaving this sector, was it not?" Optimus nodded. "Halfway between its point of origin and its destination, it stops."
Optimus let out a breath. "The remains of the captain and crew exhibit damage characteristic of the attacks in your territories, and the investigation crew is almost completely wiped out."
Megatronus stopped moving suddenly, and frowned. "No distress signal. A group of settlers found the hulk and reported it to the proper authorities. Why didn't they call for help?" The more he thought about it, the more it nagged at him. "Optimus, doesn't it bother you that the Cygnus 26 had neither passenger list nor cargo manifest?"
The truth dawned on them simultaneously.
"They were hiding something," Optimus murmured.
"Brother, this feels very wrong," Megatronus hissed, "There is a darkness here I do not understand, but my spark warns me that there will be more death before this is over." His brother was silent for a long time, contemplating the map.
Finally he spoke, "Megatronus, if we are to understand our adversaries, we must go to the source of the first incident. We must go to the Cygnus 26." A grim understanding passed between them: some deep premonition of evil.
Megatronus laid his hand on the other's shoulder. "Brother, listen to me. Before this escalates any further, the Boy must Metamorphose."
"He will soon be twenty-one," Optimus began, but the Kaonian Prime shook his helm.
"You cannot afford to wait that long! Take him to Cybertron, that the process will take less time. He was nearly killed today, Optimus. He is vulnerable!"
"What are you talking about?" Optimus stood quickly, "What happened?"
"Lugnut attempted to crush him, but the Trine rescued him, though they too were attacked for their efforts," his brother explained. His tone of voice made it perfectly clear that Lugnut's life expectancy had just shortened considerably. "You were en route when it happened, else I would have told you before."
Megatronus bowed stiffly, "I apologize, Optimus Prime. My misreading of the situation nearly cost you the Boy."
The worried father relaxed slightly. "Was anyone injured?" he asked.
"Just a few scrapes and dents, mostly," the reply was comforting in a way.
"I will speak to his mother," Optimus allowed, "If she agrees, we will let him Metamorphose a few weeks early. Do you truly believe he would be safer this way?"
The silver mech nodded. "Would you not council me to do the same if one of the Triplets was in the Boy's place?" he asked quietly.
Optimus gave him a rueful smile. "Indeed, brother." They nodded to each other in mutual understanding and respect. "I will meet you soon, Megatronus," Optimus promised, "After the boy transforms. Then we will investigate these Sparkeaters. Until then, prepare your people for war."
Colony 21186D
The tank utterly dwarfed the fragile frame floating within it. An oxygen mask covered the pale face, and her arms hung limply at her sides. Bulkhead sat in front of the Cocoon with one hand on the glass.
"You're going to be okay, Miko," he whispered.
Wheeljack stuck his head into the room. "Boss needs to debrief ya," he said gruffly, "I'll take the next shift."
Reluctantly, the green Wrecker gave up his post to his friend. "In one hour, she needs the next dose of CNA," he warned.
"I know," Wheeljack grumbled, "I was there when Red Alert gave us the instructions." As Bulkhead left the room, the white and green mech turned to the tank.
"You alright in there, Baby Sis?" He smirked slightly. "When you finish Metamorphosing, you're gonna have my energon in your veins. Boy, you'd better hope you don't turn out looking like me - I don't think the galaxy can handle it!"
His smile fell, and he rested his forehead against the glass. "I don't know what attacked you, Baby Sis, but I swear to you that we will hunt it down!" He roughly wiped coolant from his optics. "Sleep tight, Miko," Wheeljack said softly, "We've got your back."
In the corridor, Magnus stood with Red Alert and Bulkhead. "You're not going to like this, soldier," the commander began.
"We broke the law in there today. For Miko's sake, no one can know about this." Magnus fixed his steely gaze on the Wrecker. "So. Mikoto Nakadai died on the operating table ten minutes ago. She will always be remembered as the bravest of us."
Bulkhead stared in shock at the blue mech. "I don't...I don't understand, sir. We're faking her death?"
Red Alert nodded briskly. "If that nosy surgeon on H-deck reports on us, we're all facing a lawsuit at the least." She started to pace.
"You and I will "break the news" to the commander and the younger Wreckers this evening with witnesses present. You will all mourn for three months, and after the fourth month Wheeljack's "niece" from the old planet will move in with me."
Bulkhead understood: a new identity for Miko to throw off suspicion. "She's going to hate this," he groaned.
"At least she'll be alive," Red Alert snapped.
The "news" came while Ultra Magnus was signing the paperwork the surgeon had brought him. The humans saw the normally stoic soldier freeze, the board and stylus falling from nerveless servos.
"We did everything we could. I'm so, so sorry Commander," Red Alert was saying.
Smokescreen leapt from his spot by the wall. "There must be some mistake! She can't be dead!" he cried.
Magnus did not need to fake emotion. He recalled the image of his smallest Wrecker's body floating helplessly in the Cocoon and the coolant spilled from his optics of its own accord. Hot Shot neither moved nor spoke; his clenched fists trembled. The declaration was unspoken, but they all felt it: whatever took Miko from them was going to pay dearly.
Magnus steadied Smokescreen with a hand on his shoulder. "She will be remembered." Smokescreen raised his helm and stared into his optics. His voice was low enough that no one else heard him.
"What aren't you saying?"
Rather than answer him, Ultra Magnus turned to Bulkhead, who stood morosely beside the medic, being offered condolences by those who had heard.
"I contacted her next of kin," the large mech choked, playing his role to the hilt, "We've arranged for a private memorial service. Friends and family only."
The four Wreckers stood in a circle and clasped each other's arms.
"Never forget," Bulkhead said solemnly.
"Never forget," the others repeated.
The head surgeon shook his head sadly. "I'm very sorry for your loss, gentlemen," he said, "But I need to know whether you had parental permission to move her to Red Alert's care. For my file, you understand."
Hot Shot glared at him. "Onēchan is dead. Who cares about your stupid file?!"
The doctor cleared his throat rather severely. "If you didn't have permission to treat her, that counts as kidnapping on this ship!"
Ultra Magnus motioned to the previously discarded paperwork. "K-deck, 16-midship, living quarters. She has...had an uncle. You can talk to Mr. Tezuka if you need to."
The younger Wreckers glanced at each other, surprised.
'Isn't Mr. Tezuka...?' Hot Shot commed Smokescreen.
'Yeah...something weird is going on here.'
The surgeon thanked Magnus for his "cooperation" and offered condolences once more before returning to H-deck to complete his file. The others who had been in the room shuffled out to give the Wreckers time to grieve.
"Alright, what's up?" Smokescreen crossed his arms. "Tezuka is your holoform's name!"
"He is also Miko's legal guardian, and has been since her seventeenth birthday," the commander replied calmly. He flashed an uncharacteristic smile. "I know my way around official forms."
"Sooo..." Hot Shot slowly put the pieces together until his optics lit up. "So technically you could Metamorphose her because you would have parental consent!"
Bulkhead grinned and slapped the little blue mech on the back. "Good work, kid. Keep it quiet though. We could still get in trouble for falsifying records to create "Mr. Tezuka"."
"Can we see her?" Smokescreen asked Red Alert earnestly.
The medic shook her helm. "It would raise suspicion. You'll have to wait a few months."
Hot Shot groaned. "It's not fair! She should be here, or we should be with her!"
"Don't let anyone think you are not grieved," Magnus said sternly, "We will mourn this tragedy for a long time," his optics twinkled, "three months at least."
The other Wreckers did their best to school their faceplates into bereaved expressions; it took several seconds to smother their smiles.
"I'm just going to wear my goggles and battle mask for a while," Hot Shot decided, "You know, as a sign of mourning."
Red Alert scowled at him, "See that you do! And report to the med room in ten days: you're due for a checkup." The horror on the youngling's faceplate made the stern femme chuckle, just a little.
Pred'akngard: Prison cells
Lugnut sat outside the cells, as he had been doing for hours. The few prisoners in the brig remained silent and watchful, unnerving him with their stares. He hoped Starscream's wretched spawn were being dealt with harshly, it was the only thing he could think of that would make up for not being able to exterminate the arrogant fleshling. Imagine a human waltzing right into the great hall and demanding an audience with Lord Megatron! It was unthinkable!
"Lugnut."
The voice came from the end of the room, deadly calm. Lugnut remembered that tone: someone was going to die. The brutish mech stood and walked past the cells to meet Megatronus.
As he did so, a whisper ran through the brig: "Dead mech walking!"
Lugnut began to be uneasy. Maybe he'd been a trifle harsh to the little femme-brat, but surely he wasn't in that much trouble?
The Prime looked him coldly in the optics and merely said, "Come."
Lugnut followed Megatronus out of the Hall to a plateau overlooking the sea.
As he stood watching the sunset with his hands locked behind his back, Megatronus spoke, "Tell me, Lugnut: did you believe I would overlook an attempted murder?"
"M-murder, my lord?" Lugnut gasped, "I do not understand!" The Prime was calm, almost casual as he answered.
"Captain Darby is the son of Optimus Prime, my brother. Do you understand what that means, Lugnut?"
Lugnut trembled in silence, so Megatronus answered for him. "Yes, you made a grave mistake today. And I understand that this is not your first offense, or did you believe I would always trust your word over the Triplets'?" He turned away from the sea and stalked towards Lugnut, optics blazing. "To attack Starscream's younglings is to attack me, just as an attack upon Captain Darby is an attack upon Optimus Prime," he growled.
Lugnut threw himself on his knees, whimpering and begging for mercy.
"Get up!" Megatronus snarled, disgusted. He glared at the green and purple soldier. "I give you two choices, Lugnut. First choice: you publicly apologize to the Trine and the Boy, and are banished from my provinces forever. Second choice: you face me, here and now, in single combat."
Lugnut's pride and prejudices would never allow him to humiliate himself by apologizing. He summoned his cannon and hoped that off-lining would be swift.
Ismaros: Outer rings
Gigawatt watched the screen intently, one servo tapping nervously at her cheek.
"Gigawatt, is my Da back yet?" Marge hollered from the door.
The older femme scowled. "Go away, kid! I'm watching my stories!" she scolded. The human rolled her eyes.
"Oh, of course. Silly me, I thought you were doing your job!"
"Hey, nothin's going to happen out here without twenty alarms goin' off!" Gigawatt protested, "Besides, Endline's got it covered."
The femme in question winked at Marge. "Oh no," she said in mock consternation, "I think I saw a blip on the screen! Deploy lasers now?"
The DVD case for the period drama Gigawatt was addicted to made a satisfying thwack against Endline's faceplate.
The short burst of a comm alert trilled through the air. "Captain's back," Justin said over the com unit, "Endline, he wants to talk to ya."
Endline hurried to the forward deck of their little craft, where Centurion was being tended by Coron, the resident medic. He was covered in dents, and one of his arms was at a strange angle.
"Centurion! What happened to you?!" Endline gasped. The captain of the Sector Sweep team grinned sheepishly.
"Well, I picked up a tip on where we might find some information about our mystery attackers. That's the good news."
Luis popped a dent out of Centurion's shoulder and shook his head in exasperation. "Do we even want to know what the bad news is?" he asked.
"The bad news is that we have to go back to Keller's Holt."
Next time, on "Survival":
"I'm Windblade..."
"What was that?!"
"It was Shockwave's. The lab, I mean."
"Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"Oh Primus!"
And that is why you don't mess with Megatron's family.
Feedback is welcomed!