Answers to reviews:
bigvic150: If they do, i ain't telling.
Bromega2477: Not sure it works like that.
3bodyjaa: Sure.
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers Prime. I only own the OC George Edwards/Bladewolf.
After the new arrivals got settled in and I explained to them my origins which shocked them, things went off pretty normal. Well, whatever you call normal around here, anyway. Ironhide and Chromia were out scouting for Energon in one region while Trailbreaker and Hound were in another. Flareup was with Bumblebee, Cliff, Firestar and Jazz in SAFE practicing. Red Alert was with Ratchet organizing all the medical equipment from their ship and into the base along with some much needed Energon as well. Optimus and Elita were on top of the base, most likely talking after a long time away from each other.
We had helped the new 'Bots gain their vehicle modes. Elita scanned a McLaren MP4-12C Spider. Ironhide scanned a GMC Topkick which just made him look more like his movie incarnation, Flareup picked a Kawasaki Ninja, Chromia had chosen a Mercedes Benz GLA, Jazz picked a Pontiac Solace GXP much like his movie incarnation like Ironhide. Hound picked a simple Military Humvee, Firestar had chosen a 6 wheeler Holden Commodore Ute, Red Alert picked a Chevrolet Tahoe with a paramedic retrofit and finally Trailbreaker picked out a 2016 Ford Flex.
I was walking through the Ops center when I heard Miko talking on the com-link and saw she was contacting Bulkhead who had gone on a Energon mission in Russia. "Marko! Marko! Marko!"
"Miko?" Bulkhead answered eventually with a groan, sounding like he had just gotten the scrap kicked out of him.
Miko made a buzzer sound. "You're supposed to say polo!"
"Huh?" Bulkhead went silent for several seconds before he spoke again. "Miko, let Ratchet know I need a Groundbridge."
"Coming up Bulk." I said as I walked over to the controls, locked onto Bulkhead's position and activated the Groundbridge. Soon enough Bulkhead came through, groaning. "Primus, Bulk, what happened out there?"
"Breakdown." Bulkhead groaned.
"Sweet! You 2 had another fight!" Miko said with excitement. I rolled my optics in amusement as the others arrived. Ratchet immediately had Bulkhead in his lab, getting checked over with Red Alert. As this happened, Bulkhead explained what happened while he was in Russia. He tracked the strange Energon source in Russia, but got jumped by Breakdown which led to a fight between them. Obviously, considering they have history.
"Engaging the enemy on your own was foolish, Bulkhead." Optimus scolded the wrecker.
'I'm not surprised, considering he went 1-on-1 against Breakdown.' I thought.
"Breakdown jumped me. I knew I could take him. Ugh!" He groaned at the welder Ratchet uses on him.
"Stay still." The medic advised.
"But we should see the other guy, right, Bulk?" Miko asked hopefully and confidently of her guardian's ability to fight.
"Uh… yeah. About that." Bulkhead uncomfortably replied.
Miko looked at him surprised. "You didn't torch him?" She asked.
"Not exactly. I-I figured you all did." He figured what happened but we shook our helms no.
"Oh." She replies a little saddened at the news.
"When I came to, Breakdown was just gone. I remember hearing a copter. Uh… Maybe it was agent Fowler." I narrowed my optics at Bulkhead's explanation, trying to remember though my use of foreknowledge of what episode this was. Let's see, Breakdown and Bulkhead fight... Bulkhead gets knocked out... wakes to find Breakdown gone... heard a helicopter...
'Oh no. I know which episode this is and who took Breakdown.' I sighed. Arcee glanced at me but I sent reassuring feelings to her.
"Not me." Speak of Fowler and he will arrive as the agent made his way in. "But I have an idea who. Show me where this Con-napping occurred."
"I know who it was." I said, gaining everyone's attention. "Now I remember, Breakdown was taken... by MECH."
Ratchet displayed the area Bulkhead had been bridged to. "This is where we picked up Bulkhead."
"The Kamchatka peninsula in eastern Russia. Much of it was abandoned when its volcano first erupted. My intel reported MECH activity there earlier today." Fowler explains.
"MECH? You mean those techie guys?" Miko asked and we nodded yes.
"The very ones who know of our existence on your planet." Ratchet dauntingly stated. Not many people do know about the Autobots and Decepticons and unfortunately, MECH is one of them.
"They must have tracked one of us there." Bulkhead commented.
"But what would they want with Breakdown?" Miko asked.
"To gain enough information and data from Breakdown so that they can create their own Cybertronian." I said grimly, shocking all those present except Optimus who was staring at the computer screens. "MECH will open Breakdown up, and extract any useful information on Cybertronian biology and technology as they see fit, enough to make their own Transformer."
"Ratchet." Optimus suddenly spoke, gaining our attention. "Open the Groundbridge, we will rescue Breakdown."
"What?!" The 'bots except me shouted in surprise and shock.
"Optimus, you can't be serious." Arcee said.
"MECH can melt him down for all I care. Let the 'cons rescue their own." Bulkhead voiced his dislike of the 'con.
"Megatron isn't the type to rescue his own soldiers, Bulkhead." I pointed out with my arms crossed. "He would just let Breakdown get whatever MECH is planning to do with him because he allowed humans to defeat him, a weakness Megatron doesn't like to see nor tolerate in his ranks."
"Bladewolf is correct." Optimus said with a nod.
"Okay. But this is Breakdown we're talking about." Arcee reminded us of the fact again but Optimus was not budging.
"Guys, think of this way." I said, gaining everyone's attention. "We leave Breakdown to be tortured and experimented on by MECH, then they gain enough data to not only create their own Cybertronian, but defeat us. Plus, humanity is not ready for advanced alien tech such as ours. Think of it as us not doing it to save Breakdown from a cruel fate, but to prevent MECH from becoming a bigger threat to us and the world."
The Autobots exchanged looks, contemplating and considering what I had just told them. I knew they didn't like the sound of MECH, a human organization, becoming advanced enough to destroy us but they will if they get what they want from Breakdown.
"Wolf's right." Fowler agreed with my point of view. "We know MECH is obsessed with obtaining groundbreaking technology."
"As Bladewolf stated, we cannot let Cybertronian technology fall into their hands." Optimus said, his tone was calm but it indicated not to argue with him on his decision.
"Come on, Bulk! You got to go with."
"Don't want to." Bulkhead continued to sulk, despite Miko's encouragements.
"Bulkhead." Optimus stated the wrecker's name.
"Optimus, I'm sorry. I just can't do it!"
"I support your choice."
"W-w-what?!" Both he and Miko muttered at the same time in surprise and utter confusion.
"Given your history with Breakdown, your judgment may be clouded and thus jeopardize the mission. Besides, the Decepticon may be more in need of a medic than another warrior." Optimus elaborated more on why Bulkhead shouldn't come.
"Locked and loaded, Optimus." Ratchet tells him as the Groundbridge activated. It was just me, Bumblebee, Arcee, Optimus and Ratchet going since the other 'Bots were adjusting to being on Earth and on routine Energon patrols, taking the chance to explore Earth and get used to their new home. Cliffjumper was with Jazz, taking the chance to speak to his old friend again.
With everyone on the mission ready and waiting, it was time to move out. "Autobots, roll out!" At Optimus's words, we ran in and transformed as we passed through the Groundbridge portal. It took a little bit for us to properly pass through one end and make it out the other but we made it. As soon as we did, everyone transformed and readied their weapons, as did I. As expected, the place was completely abandoned and devoid of life as we scanned the area, but with our optics, and Ratchet's device.
"No signs of life… Human or Cybertronian." Optimus stated as we all relaxed just a little.
"I found tracks." Bumblebee said, gesturing to tire tracks on the ground.
"Forget the tracks, Bumblebee. I'm picking up a faint Energon signal 3 klicks North by Northwest." Ratchet stated and gestured in the opposite direction.
"Breakdown." Optimus mentioned the 'cons name.
"But we shouldn't be getting a reading unless…" Arcee trails off, letting what she means hang in the air.
"His Energon's been spilled." Ratchet stated what it meant with grim tone.
We followed the signal, checking all corners of the buildings in case we got a surprise attack from MECH. We stopped briefly as Ratchet looked at his device, checking the readings before he spoke. "This way." We followed him to a big open clearing with a large house ahead of us, a fountain in the middle that wasn't running water. Arcee, Bumblebee and I ducked to both sides of the wall in case there was any surprises there.
We then ran in and paused when we saw something sitting on top of the fountain, it was an optic.
"Breakdown's eye." I stated with a shiver running though me as Arcee and Bumblebee shared disgusted looks with one another. Optimus was as impassive as ever, having seen far worse in this war.
Ratchet crouched alongside Optimus. "Move, I might be able to salvage some of the last images Breakdown saw. It might give us a clue to finding MECH." He said, making a shooing gesture with his servo as he pulled some kind of medical tool that had a video screen on it out of a sub-space pocket. He placed Breakdown's optic into a special slot in the top of the medical tool and pressed a button below the screen.
Soon enough, an image came on which showed a man in dark uniform with goggles on before a drill came into the eye, causing us to gasp in surprise and horror at the fact they drilled out Breakdown's eye and left it here like some kind of trophy. Soon enough, an image was displayed, showing the leader of MECH himself. In the background, Breakdown was being drilled on and experimented on. He wasn't even screaming, so MECH most likely disabled his receptors to feel pain, that way he wouldn't scream. Least they don't take pleasure out of hearing their victims scream in pain.
Silas looked at us. "Well, well, Optimus Prime and Bladewolf. A pleasure to set eyes on you 2 again."
"Of course, he remembers us from our last encounter with the train and DNGS." I said to Optimus who nodded.
"He's converted the optic to a 2-way feed." Ratchet explained to us.
"You must be Silas." Optimus stated more then asked.
"In the flesh." Silas nodded, "But being that our captive is not one of yours, I have to admit I was expecting Megatron."
"In this circumstance, Autobots and Decepticons share a common foe." Optimus replied.
This angered Silas. "MECH is anything but common. Our guest is yielding quite a bit of information about your biomechanics as you can see. Although Breakdown himself can't see so well anymore."
"We don't fear you." I spat with disgust at these humans.
Silas smirked in a sinister manner. "Oh but you should. In fact, I would strongly urge that you NOT stand your ground."
The moment Silas cut the video link, a rapid beeping started chiming from the clock tower.
Quickly looking up to where the beeping was coming from, I saw that the side of the clock tower facing us was lined with bricks of C4 that had been disguised as part of the wall, but now were flashing a red number 3 before changing into a number 2 a micro-klick later.
"Well... Slag..." I said, then brought my servos up in front of my faceplate and closed my optics, knowing that we didn't have time to turn and run away from the bomb, and that all we could do is stand there and prepare ourselves for the worst.
The timer on the bomb hit 0.
I didn't hear the explosion, likely because my audio receptors shut themselves off to prevent any damage from happening to them, but I definitely felt it. The explosion was mostly a huge shock wave, but it still felt like both Optimus and Ironhide had just kicked me in the chestplates with all their strength, and then punched me in the faceplate multiple times for good measure.
I didn't even know I was flying through the air until I felt myself crash through the roof of a human building, with something or someone else landing on me almost at the same time I crashed through the roof. But, it luckily didn't feel like I had been damaged enough to warrant a visit to the med-bay later.
My hearing gradually returned to me, but all I could hear once my hearing fully returned was the crackling of fire and pained groans from my fellow Autobots, including a more high pitched and feminine grumble from the bot who landed on me.
I looked to see none other than Arcee laying on my chest.
Her optics were closed, so she was probably still recovering from the explosion, and she appeared to be covered in explosive residue. But, in my optics, the black powder did nothing to tarnish her beauty.
"Arcee? While I like the view, would you mind getting up? I can't exactly move at the moment," I said with a bit of a smirk as I gently nudged her.
The blue and pink femme's optics fluttered and she slowly opened her optics and blinked rapidly once they were open. Judging by the blank look in her optics, Arcee was still dazed from the explosion and didn't know where she was. But after a moment, she shook her helm and the look normally in her optics returned. She then saw where she was laying and smirked at me.
"Comfortable babe?" She asked.
"Very." I chuckled. "But we have a job to do."
"Shame." Arcee said as she got to her pedes.
I sat up and stretched my neck cables, the closest thing a Cybertronian could do to cracking their neck like a human. "Remind me to blast Silas to kingdom come the next time we see him in person." I growled as I rolled my arms and shoulders.
"Get in line." Arcee agreed with me,
I gestured to the massive hole in the building we crashed into. "Ladies first."
Arcee smirked at me. "Such a gentleman" She said, stood up, and then walked out of the building. I stood up and stepped out of the building as well. We soon joined the others who recovered from their rough landings.
Arcee sighed as she placed her servos on her curvy hips. "So, any idea where they're keeping the rest of Breakdown?"
Suddenly the com-link opened and Breakdown's voice came through. "Bulkhead to... Well, anyone," the Wrecker said through the channel. "Rendezvous at my coordinates, I'm in need of backup." With that, he closed the channel, but not before sending a data packet through the channel that likely contained his coordinates.
Confused as to why Bulkhead was even out in the field instead of back at base, I opened the data packet and raised one of my optic ridges at the series of numbers that made up the packet. According to the data, Bulkhead was 5 miles east of our current position, just outside the mine shaft this town had been built to support.
"Why isn't Bulkhead back at base?" Ratchet asked, voicing the question I was about to ask myself.
"Let's ask him when we find him." I said before we all transformed and drove off to Bulkhead's coordinates. We heard and saw explosions in the distance, and arrived in time to see Starscream, several Decepticon flyers and Breakdown transform and leave while Bulkhead stood there, waiting for us.
"Weren't you supposed to be at base?" Ratchet asked with annoyance as we transformed.
But Bulkhead seemed to exited about something. "Did you see? I beat Breakdown and bashed them all with his own hammer! I won the rematch!" The wrecker proudly, happily and excitedly announces to us all.
Arcee, Bumblebee and I look at each other before we realize what he meant and why he had rescued Breakdown.
"I'm sure Miko will be proud." Arcee said good-heatedly.
Soon enough, we got a Groundbridge to base thanks to Cliffjumper...
That's it for this chapter everyone.
Mech=Man.
Femme=Woman.
Carrier=Mother.
Sire=Father.
Helm=head.
Optics=eyes.
Audio Receptors=ears.
Shoulder-Joints=self-explanatory.
Backplates=again self-explanatory.
Chestplates=don't make me say self-explanatory again... Wait.
Servos=hands/arms.
Digit=finger.
Pedes=legs.
Spark=basically a Cybertronian's soul.
Chassis=body.
Frame=also a term for body, but used differently.
CPU=brain.
Processor=can also be a term for brain.
Astro-Klick=one millisecond.
Nano-Klick=one-tenth of a second.
Micro-Klick=one second.
Klick=one minute.
Breem=one hour.
Solar-Cycle=one day.
Mega-Cycle=one week.
Jour=one month.
Orbital-Cycle=one year.
Vorn=eighty three years.
Centi-Vorn=eight thousand three hundred years.