Chapter Two
"I don't like it. It's too obvious. It has to be a trap." Ironhide motioned to the human's table, covered with the various objects the species seemed to believe necessary.
"It's not that obvious, though," Lt. Col. William Lennox replied. "Satellites have flown over Greenland … " he shuffled through some papers, "well, regardless, they've been over that place a lot, and haven't seen any sign of anything. Yet these villagers and a couple science stations in the middle of nowhere spot a jet? Not once, but several times? If it is Starscream, and he's trying to lure us in, why hide from the satellites? That's the sure way to get our attention. It's just weird."
"Starscream is infamous for laying traps. For that reason alone, I tend to agree with Ironhide." Optimus Prime nodded to his long time friend. "However, Lt. Col. Lennox also makes a valid point. I believe the description, 'weird,' applies well here."
"Are we sure that the villagers and scientists even saw a jet? Maybe it's some other plane?" Sideswipe asked.
"One of the outposts got a brief video. I examined it. In fact, I thought we all had," Ratchet commented, glancing at Sideswipe. The other bot shrugged. "There wasn't as much detail as I'd have liked, but it appears not only to be a jet, but it also matches the basic structure of an F-22 Raptor."
"There are no F-22's stationed anywhere near Greenland. Hell, none of our birds are up there," Lennox said.
"Could another government have jets in the area?" Optimus asked.
"Not that they're saying."
"So. Either an unknown jet is skirting inhabited areas of Greenland, and yet avoiding every satellite overhead, or Starscream is up there doing … " Optimus shrugged, "something."
"It is entirely possible that he underestimates the local humans ability to detect his presence. He has never been spotted near any of their establishments," Ratchet suggested.
"Possible." Optimus mused. "Starscream was last seen with Megatron. We cannot overlook a possible lead to Megatron's location. We must investigate this."
"We bringing everyone?" Ironhide hefted one his cannons up. "It's been too long since we had us a good rumble."
"No. This may be a diversion, or a trap. Recon only. You and Sideswipe will go. If they're trying to draw us away from N.E.S.T. headquarters, I want to be ready to roll for whatever they have planned."
"On it." Ironhide punched Sideswipe in the shoulder as they moved off.
Is that a good idea, Optimus? Those two, on recon? Rachet asked his leader over a private comm channel.
They are two of our finest warriors. If trouble finds them, they have the best chance of holding out until help arrives. We need everyone else ready here, in case this is a diversion, and the Decepticons strike elsewhere.
You misunderstand my concern. I concur with the logic of your plan, but 'recon' implies stealth and observation. Those two are more likely to 'recon' with their guns or blades.
Optimus watched the two Autobots in question, and could not disagree with Ratchet. Perhaps he should include at least one other on the mission.
"I'm just saying, it's kind of ridiculous," Sideswipe said.
"Yeah." If Ironhide had not been in his alt-form, a black GMC Topkick pickup truck, he would have nodded.
"Where's the logic in it?"
"I'm not arguing with you."
"What kind of species names a island almost completely covered in ice, 'Greenland?'"
"Apparently humans."
"Here's the interesting part. Did you know there's actually an island they named Iceland? And it has quite a bit more vegetation – or 'green' – than Greenland."
"You're really stuck on this, aren't you?" Ironhide considered his companion.
"It just makes no sense."
"Hey," Lt. Col. Lennox broke in, patting Sideswipe's hood, "as interesting as this conversation is, the locals aren't used to talking cars, are we're coming into dock. Oh, and Sideswipe, don't forget your 'driver.' We don't need a repeat of the airport."
The three of them waited on the deck of a cargo ship N.E.S.T. 'borrowed' for this operation. Normal procedure involved dropping the Autobots off with a C-17, but here the huge military transport would stand out like a Vegas show girl at a church service. And facing Starscream in the air while packed in a cargo hold was a guaranteed way to die fast. Instead, they flew north and rendezvoused with the cargo ship in Iqaluit, Canada. From there, they voyaged across the Davis Strait toward Greenland's capital, Nuuk. The cargo ship traveled slowly, giving Lennox's companions plenty of time to explore various idiosyncrasies of the human race. Of course, he couldn't discount the idea that they might be teasing him. He couldn't tell. Reading the facial expressions of a dashboard was beyond him.
Their ship pulled into dock and Lennox climbed into Ironhide's cab. He glanced over, confirming Sideswipe had produced a holographic 'driver.' They had barely driven two blocks into the port before Ironhide braked suddenly, tires screeching. Sideswipe, disguised as a sleek Corvette Stingray, easily pulled up before rear ending them.
"What?" Lennox glanced around, reaching for his M4A1 hidden on the floorboards.
"A signal just went off. In Cybertronian. I jammed it. But I don't think I got it fast enough. It's a good bet someone knows we're here."
Soundwave, Starscream opened a private channel to the orbiting Decepticon, careful to keep his vocals neutral. Something had tripped a sensor, then immediately killed the signal.
Yes, Starscream?
Report.
Unlike the previous times he'd asked, Starscream carefully listened to Soundwave's reply. He noted the other Decepticons' locations, and confirmed that the spymaster accounted for each bot. As anticipated, besides himself, Laserbeak and their 'great leader' Megatron, there were no other Decepticons in Greenland. The Autobots had arrived. Finally.
He paced a short distance from the other two. Keeping his peripheral attention on them, he transmitted a brief, private signal to his sensor network near the interrupted node. That would activate them, providing a trail for the Autobots to follow. Right to Megatron.
Now Starscream needed an excuse to leave. Time for the next stage of his plan. He strode back to the avian robot.
"Laserbeak." The serpentine neck snaked toward him, head bobbing. "Does Soundwave have his spies in the human city of Boston?"
"Yes."
Starscream nodded as if he had not already known the answer. "What have they learned of the extra human troops arriving there?"
A small N.E.S.T. facility located there monitored that city and surrounding areas. Starscream had covertly watched them – and Soundwave's spies – since he had discovered them several months ago. He had kept the knowledge to himself, waiting for a fortuitous situation to use it.
Laserbeak was silent a moment, communicating with Soundwave. "The situation needs further investigation."
"Indeed," Starscream filled his vocals with scorn, secretly pleased. The pieces were in place. Soon, very soon now.
"What now?" Lennox asked.
"Same plan. We recon, find some solid info to bring back," Ironhide replied. He carried the human down a rural road, Sideswipe cruising behind them. "And maybe scrap Starscream while we're here."
"Huh. I don't remember that last bit when Optimus laid out the plan at HQ."
"Works for me," Sideswipe's voice transmitted through Ironhide's speakers. Lennox sometimes forgot the Autobots could listen and speak in each others interiors.
"They know we're here," Lennox reminded them.
"They know we're somewhere. Maybe. I cut that signal off fast."
"You're moving too slow," Sideswipe grumbled.
"We're being cautious. We're reconning. Means we gotta be like normal vehicles, not show off."
"Means we gotta be boring?"
"Stop griping. Wait ... " Ironhide pulled over. He muttered, "Would you look at that."
"Did it see us?" Sideswipe asked.
"It's not reacting yet, so I don't think so."
"You guys want to fill me in?" Lennox asked, scanning the rocky scenery.
"There's another scanner up ahead, like in the city. But this one hasn't detected us. I'm going to jam it."
They tracked down the sensor after Ironhide neutralized it. After some discussion, they concluded the nodes likely were most likely an early warning system. Why have a warning system, if there wasn't something to protect here? It was their only lead – so far, there'd been no reports of a mysterious jet since they'd landed – and they decided to follow it. That meant trying to find more. After some searching, they did. Two Autobots and one human set off after it: heading toward the center of Greenland, and its immense glacier.
Author's Note: This is still Starscream's story, but I needed/wanted to write the Autobots' response to what he's doing. So that's why this one is mostly about them. I couldn't help but add the part where Sideswipe echoes Starscream's thoughts from chapter one. I also wanted to keep this roughly the same length as the first chapter, so I ended up with four segments in this one. I didn't think any of these were long enough, or made sense enough, to stand alone as a chapter by themselves. Next chapter should be the final one, except perhaps for an epilogue. Thanks for reading!