"This Earth planet sounds… different." commented a blue and black seeker.
"Yeah, but we may be able to have some fun there." remarked his purple counterpart.
"How so, Skywarp?" Thundercracker asked, thoroughly confused.
"The planet is filled with weak little squishies and their primitive technology," Skywarp continued, "so we could swoop in, blow things up, and watch them run away in terror!"
"Will you two keep it down? I'm trying to figure out what our next plan of attack is going to be." Starscream scolded.
It had been almost a month since Megatron and Starscream had retreated back to Cybertron to heal and come up with a new strategy.
"Why don't you leave the planning to me? My plans will actually work." Shockwave retorted in a tired, humdrum sounding voice. He was gray in color and the only thing on his "face" was a single red optic.
"You do not talk back to me! I'm Second-in-Command!" the Air Commander yelled.
"No, I'm Second-in-Command." Shockwave responded.
"Will both of you shut up!" Megatron commanded.
All the Decepticons fell silent under Megatron's harsh tone.
"Starscream, you left me to die on that planet and last I recall you only showed up in Egypt after The Fallen was killed." he continued.
"I was only trying to find out if there were other Decepticons on that piece of scrap planet that could help us." Starscream defended.
"You're a liar and a traitor, Starscream. I'll finish you!" came the furious outburst.
He punched Starscream and threw him against the wall. Skywarp and Thundercracker cowered from the fight while Shockwave stood out of the way but well enough in view, clearly enjoying what he was seeing.
"Finishing him off won't do us any good, Megatron. He could be to our advantage." came a very deep, scratchy voice.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the communicator screen. A horrifying image met their optics. Someone they had never met, much less seen, had hacked into their communications system and was talking with them as if he's done it all his life. All they could see was a huge, pointed lizard's head with black skin and six red eyes. He had giant teeth that you could see clearly even though his mouth was closed. He had very broad, human like shoulders with red scars and he had barely visible, vertical black scales running down the top of his head. They could plainly see that whatever it was was an organic of some sort, but of all the creatures Megatron and Starscream had ever seen on Earth, this one was actually terrifying.
Megatron let go of Starscream's neck and walked over to the screen with everyone else closely behind.
"What are you and how did you contact us?" Megatron demanded in the lowest, scariest tone he could speak in.
The creature chuckled then answered slowly, "I am Lord Armahdon, leader of the Gorians. I have watched you fight on Earth from my prison in the center of it and have noticed that we have a common enemy: the humans. There are few we can trust and it was my favorite that got me through to you."
"Oh, Armahdon, you flatter me too much." was the feminine, nasally reply from off Armahdon's side of the screen.
He chuckled again. "The Earth holds many secrets and it's most powerful warriors, only when their powers are combined together, can take out all of your forces in one hit. Mine on the other hand, are more of a challenge to them."
"Hey! We can take down anyone, anywhere! Especially those pathetic little squishies!" Skywarp retorted.
"Yeah! What he said!" Thundercracker added.
Armahdon laughed deeply, evilly, until he continued, "You haven't come face-to-face with the Supreme Earth Force."
"No organic army can take down a Decepticon alone unless it had help." Shockwave remarked.
"The Supreme Earth Force is like no other army you've ever fought before, I can assure you." the gruesome lizard informed.
"If there was an army as powerful as you say there, it hasn't been doing a good job." Starscream countered.
"There is an army and because of its creator I'm trapped here!" Armahdon yelled. He took a breath and continued, "My forces have been fighting that army for millions of years. Sylvia has made it impossible for me to be out there with them, which is why they've failed so many times. Until five hundred years ago, but there's still-"
"Can we just get to the point already?" Shockwave asked, exasperated. "How do we fit in with this?"
"I'm here to make you a deal," Armahdon growled, unhappy by Shockwave's insolence. "If you join me in fighting the Supreme Earth Force, I will have my army help you defeat the Autobots. With our powers combined, it will be nearly impossible to stop us."
Megatron paused to think about this. He wanted to defeat the Autobots in any way he can, and this grotesque creature was asking for an alliance.
How do I know he's telling the truth? he thought to himself. And how can an organic army be as powerful as he says, no matter what side it's on?
"Show me this 'all-powerful' army of yours." he demanded.
"I thought you'd never ask," was Armahdon's reply. He started laughing manically and with a wave of his scarred, clawed hand, the Decepticons were whisked away through a purple and black hole that suddenly appeared below them. Where they found themselves was definitely not Cybertron, or what they had seen on Earth's surface.
"Major Lennox, may I speak to you for a moment?" Optimus Prime asked in a soft tone.
"Sure. What is it?" he replied, leaning against the rail of the raised platform in the Autobots' hanger.
Optimus thought for a moment on how to word his question, then asked, "Do animals on your planet talk?"
Some of the other soldiers on the platform looked at each other and Lennox scrunched his eyebrows in confusion as to why he would ask that question.
"Well, some can. Mainly birds, but cats and dogs have been known to be able to learn to talk, too. They either caught on from hearing humans talk to each other or were taught." was his response.
"Owls are kept as pets?" Optimus asked.
Will jerked his head back a little in surprise and confusion while the soldiers looked at each other again before returning to their work.
Owls? Will thought. What would make him ask that?
"Um, not as far as I know. I know some are kept in zoos, but I've never heard of anyone keeping one as a pet." he finally answered.
Optimus took this into consideration as he looked down.
If this is true, then how was that owl able to talk to me? the bi-pedal semi thought to himself. He didn't even recall it moving its mouth.
"You alright there, big guy?" Will asked.
Optimus looked up quickly and replied, "Yes. Thank you, Major, for your time."
"Oh. Well, it's no problem. Anytime, Optimus."
Optimus nodded then walked out of the hanger, being wary of the humans walking in and out of the place. Then he started walking across the base, in the direction of the shore. He remembered from the night before that the owl flew in this direction and he was still curious about the owl; where did it learn to talk and what did it mean.
Across the airfield, Ironhide was just walking out of the Autobots' medical hanger. He was in there for only a short time. He had snuck in when Ratchet walked out to inspect the new food and drink supplies shipped in for the humans to make sure it was all healthy. When the CMO walked back into his medbay after only ten minutes, he found Ironhide at Chromia's side, holding her motionless hand as she lay in stasis. Ratchet knew Ironhide had feelings for her, but he wasn't going to allow him to just waltz in without permission. It was his medbay after all.
"Get out!" Ratchet yelled and threw a wrench that smacked the side of Ironhide's head and left a sizable dent.
Ironhide got out as quickly as he could and spotted Optimus as he stepped out. He had his head pointed at a slight downward angle and a thoughtful look on his face.
Ironhide started walking his way, curious as to what he was thinking about.
Optimus finally made it to the beach and just stood there, watching the western sky, the direction the owl flew off in.
"What's on your mind?" Ironhide asked, stopping just a few steps away.
Optimus turned to him, smiled, and then turned back to the sky. There was still a small line of orange on the horizon from the sun's rising not long ago.
"Oh," he replied, "just thinking about how different this planet is from ours, how mysterious it is."
Ironhide was taken aback. He honestly thought Prime was thinking about what to do about the Decepticons. He never would have thought this was what he was thinking about, no matter how long they've known each other.
"Ironhide."
He looked to his leader and acknowledged him, "Yes, Prime?"
"Do you ever wonder about this planet?" Optimus asked.
"What do you mean?" he replied, very confused.
"Do you ever wonder about what's here?" Prime explained. "About how and why the life here does what it does?"
"Yeah. I wonder how the things here can survive and why the humans are so hesitant to tell us how they reproduce." Ironhide answered, some humor in his voice.
Optimus chuckled at this along with Ironhide until the Topkick asked, "What's this really about?"
Optimus thought for a bit on how to answer. It just didn't seem possible that a Snowy Owl could have changed its eye color and talked to him. Ironhide and Ratchet would probably think he needed to spend a day in the medbay. Lennox and Epps would probably think the same.
He just sighed and said, "Nothing of importance, friend. Let's go back to the hanger."
They both turned around and headed back.
He's not telling me everything, Ironhide thought. I guess I'll have to ask him later.
He thought this because just then, they heard the approaching helicopter carrying their favorite asshole, one Mr. Galloway.
Again, thanks for reading & reviews are very much appreciated! ^_^
