Transformers Galaxy Force: Thunder Storm
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers
AN: Last chance for anyone wanting to submit a name for Coby n' Lori's son!
Chapter 172
Galactus was the first to materialize from the Warp, his tracking devices instantly discerning their location within Earthfall. He waited as the others appeared beside him nanoseconds later, just enough time for him to wonder, Why is the corridor upside down? Did we build it that way when... wait...
They had come out of the Warp upside down and on the ceiling! The collective CLANG that rang throughout the base was followed seconds later by the intruder alarm. "So much for trying to be stealthy. My bad," Rodimus winced.
"Get off of me," Emission grunted under his back.
"Sorry," he apologized quickly getting up and helping her to her feet. Tsunami and Galactus were quicker, and had barely grabbed their weapons before a security detail turned the corner and opened fire on them.
"Stun blasts!" Galactus called out. Since he didn't have the Matrix, he didn't have his trailer parts either, leaving him with a single laser rifle similar to Tsunami's blasters. It was still a powerful weapon, but he didn't want to use that much power against former friends who were just doing their duty. Tsunami's blasters pegged the first guard, and the second one got off two wide shots before Galactus knocked him unconscious with a shot to the chest. "Rodimus!"
"This way!" the Terraformer called out, leading them down the corridor. Two lefts and one right later, they were in the very storage room they needed. There in the corner, collecting dust and a few spiders, was an inactive Rumble. "Tsunami, cover the door!"
"We have to get going before they try to set up an Anti-Warp Field," Galactus said.
"Not enough time. I can't warp us all quick enough," Rodimus said. "Emission, get that thing back to the ship."
"Roger," Emission nodded. Unlike Rodimus, Noise Maze, Skywarp, and others, her Warp abilities were much more limited. She could Warp short distances, but that meant she couldn't transport the entire group with her. Just taking the Rumble would stress her ability to the max. Still, she quickly made her way over to it and focused, vanishing from sight.
"Our turn," Rodimus said, motioning to the other two to get closer to him. "Maybe we can get out of here too before... Damnit! To late! Barricade the door!"
Galactus touched the controls, causing them to slam shut just in time to block a security squad. "Do you have a plan to get us out of here?" he asked.
"Working on it," Rodimus muttered, scanning the crates. Spotting one, he grimaced. "How comfortable are the two of you with me carrying you two out?"
"Not very," Tsunami answered. "Why?"
"EMP Pulse Mine," Galactus answered, noticing what Rodimus was looking at. "First Gunner developed it soon after we arrived here and built the base two years ago. Testing proved it too dangerous to use as a viable defense weapon when we realized that it affected any electronics in a 20 mile radius, including affecting Transformers like a tranquilizer." A spot on the door began to glow. "Plasma torch, Rodimus. Hurry up."
"Wasn't there a way he tested it safely?" Rodimus asked. "I don't recall a mass blackout or having all of you unconscious."
"Test Chamber 5 was outfitted to contain and measure the pulse's power," Galactus answered. "The same chamber was then used to test the turrets that Earthfall now uses."
"That's what I thought," Rodimus said, breaking open the crate and fiddling with the Mine. "Tell me as soon as they get through that door, and then get ready to run. We'll have 3 minutes to reach Test Chamber 5 and seal ourselves inside of it."
"Are you crazy?" Tsunami yelled.
"Just trust me," Rodimus answered. "I don't want to turn this base into a shooting gallery." The door was now read hot and smoking, and seconds later it caved in. Tapping something on the Mine, he turned and yelled, "Go!" barreling through the still smoking doorway and sending members of the security squad flying. Galactus and Tsunami were hot on his heals, charging down corridors while firing stun blasts at any security forces they encountered that Rodimus didn't run over in the first place. They reached Test Chamber 5 and sealed themselves inside just in time.
Inside the storage room, the Mine went off. With the quick modifications Rodimus had made, it only went of at 30 percent of its original power, but it was just enough to bring down every system in Earthfall, make every Transformer in Earthfall fall unconscious, and do so without affecting anything else outside the base. It also didn't effect the three of them.
Turning to his companions, Rodimus smiled. "The shielding in this room doesn't just keep the EMP Pulse in during testing. It can keep the EMP Pulse out when we need it to. Inside the Test Chamber is a safe zone."
"I would have never thought of that," Galactus admitted, relaxing. "Good call, Rodimus. I'm glad we stayed at your heals."
"Inside the Test Chamber there be monsters," Tsunami muttered, raising her weapons. Rodimus and Galactus tensed up and followed her gaze, only to relax as they saw the three insect-like figures walking towards them.
"You can lower your weapons, Tsunami," Galactus said. "I don't believe you ever got to meet the Rumble Team."
"No, I don't think I did," Tsunami replied, relaxing slightly.
Rodimus, meanwhile, felt awkward. What are they going to do? Turn us in? Help us? Who's side are they on? He needn't have worried, as all three of them transformed and ran up to him, knocking him over in a group hug. Well, that answers that question, he thought before speaking aloud. "All right guys. That's enough. You can come with if you want, but we have to get out of here now."
Rumble One said a phrase that caused Tsunami to snicker. When Galactus gave her a look, she explained, "I picked up some Micron dialect from Bud and Hop when my hands were still in casts. I can't speak the language, but I think he just said something along the lines of, 'Since when did Dreadlock become an ass?'"
"Wish I knew," Rodimus muttered, unsealing the chamber so they could escape. "He was always looking out for us before. Now it seems like he's got some sort of agenda against us."
"Maybe his position went to his head," Galactus mused aloud as they began heading through the corridors. "He wouldn't be the first."
Noticing the hurt tone in his voice, none of the other's asked Galactus to elaborate. Twice, Rodimus tried Warping them out of the base, only to find that the EMP Mine had not effected the Anti-Warp Field, much to their frustration. They made their way out carefully, watching carefully for and avoiding any areas where security guards were piled on the floor in case the Mine had not been as effective as they had hoped and they woke up a guard. The night greeted them as they stepped outside. For a moment, it seemed that they had succeeded.
If only it were that easy. Lights came on instantly, and the six of them found themselves surrounded by two dozen security guards hovering in the air around them. Dreadlock approached on foot, smiling behind his protective faceplate.
"Very clever, Rodimus," the Chairman chuckled. "Warping in to bypass my interception squads, using a prototype EMP Mine at decreased power, and even enlisting the help of your old friends, the Rumble Team. There's just one thing you didn't think of: that I wouldn't have guessed why you were here.
"I heard the report of the destruction of your ship. I thought about First Gunner's sparkmate, Uranium, leaving Seibertron some time before, and I began to wonder if perhaps the two seemingly unrelated instances were actually related. It didn't take me long to guess why you were here, when it would have been a bad choice for a fugitive. The answer is quite simple, actually. I'm surprised I didn't see it before, why you so eagerly defy my decision to uphold your conviction, why Lori tries to defend you. You've got her wrapped around your finger, Rodimus. She's pregnant, and to keep her under control, you need a protoform."
Rodimus Convoy's optics narrowed to slits. "You make me sick, you Spyware!" he growled loudly. "You actually believe the shit Human Liberation fed you? You actually have the gall to twist my relationship with my sparkmate into such a perverted form? You make me sick!"
Ignoring the Terraformer's rant, Dreadlock turned to the others, "And to think you're helping him, Galactus. Couldn't you have been a good boy and stayed in the brig?"
"At least I have a clear conscience where I stand," Galactus retorted. "You're like Master Galvatron all over again, drunk on the power you hold."
"And you would know all about that, wouldn't you," Dreadlock chuckled, causing Galactus to visibly flinch. Tsunami was the only one who noticed it, and began wondering how deep the painful history between Galactus and his old enemy actually ran. "Still," Dreadlock continued, "You can surrender now, give up Uranium and Storm Gunner's location, and maybe I won't carge you with the numerous other crimes you've committed since you escaped Seibertron."
"What I want to know, Dreadlock, is how you knew the Alliance was destroyed?" Rodimus said, his voice cold. "How do you know about something that happened only hours ago, when the only ones who should know right now are the Destrons? No Cybertron Army tech or personnel was around at the time."
Dreadlock's optics narrowed behind his visor, "News travels fast."
"Especially in small circles, traitor," Rodimus countered. His companions caught on to his reasoning. Truthfully, there was no way for Dreadlock to know such knowledge unless he was in contact with the Destrons. That meant that the Trial was fixed by Nemesis Convoy, and that Dreadlock was no longer a Cybertron.
"Sky Shadow," Galactus whispered slowly. "You're Sky Shadow."
"Give the former Soushireikan a prize," Dreadlock/Sky Shadow said sarcastically. "What are you going to do about it. No one will believe you."
"They don't have to," Rodimus answered. "Eventually, you will be found out. These guards you have around us are illusions created by the lights. Hologram projectors are hiding in the fixtures. Your guards aren't casting shadows!"
The others, Sky Shadow included actually turned and looked to she he was right. Damn, the traitor thought, I should have thought of that. That short distraction was all Rodimus needed. He charged toward Sky Shadow, sending a burst of electricity ahead of him. Caught of guard. Sky Shadow fell to Rodimus Convoy's surprise attack. Rodimus soon had him on the ground, sword at his neck. "Are you going to kill me, Rodimus?" Sky Shadow asked. "That's not your style."
"I would like to kill you," the Terraformer answered. "But I won't. I want you to be alive so I can laugh at your face when your cover is blown. Say goodnight." Reaching down, he grabbed Sky Shadow's head and sent an electrical shock strong enough to knock him out for a few hours into the traitor's processor. Then he stood, his sword dissipating. "Let's get out of here."
As Tsunami led them back to her ship, Galactus approached Rodimus. "You did the right thing," he said.
"I don't know," Rodimus sighed. "Dreadl... I mean, Sky Shadow could cause a lot of suffering before he's discovered."
"True," Galactus agreed. "But if you killed him then, it would have done nothing. The truth would have died with him. A true leader never kills out of spite. Otherwise, we are no better than our enemies, who care nothing for the truth. Killing him would have simply cemented a lie."
Rodimus nodded. He had a lot to think about, but he needed to save it for later. Right now, he had a sparkmate about to give birth, and he needed to be there for her, especially if their plan failed. No, he thought. It won't fail. It can't. I just need to believe.
