Everyone watched with anticipation breath as Pulseshot's pod was placed in Chamber N. Matt and Anna were present, curious about what this prisoner would be like.
The pod was opened, everyone present looking inside. Pulseshot had a silver and blue color scheme, with her wings on her back. Her optics flashed green, and she rose to her feet before noticing Optimus.
"You're here?" she gasped, astonished, before holding her hands up. "Listen, you gotta believe me, I didn't do anything-"
"I believe you, Pulseshot," the Autobot leader interjected. "I only wish to know the facts of your situation."
The prisoner pressed her lips together, considering her words carefully. "After you disappeared, sir, and the civilians evacuated, the Decepticons turned their sights on eradicating those of us still on the planet. Suffice to say, we began losing our way without you. Practically everyone but Elita did, as I soon discovered."
Chapter 15: Combined Efforts, Part 1
Hectate, 2.5 thousand years ago
Pulseshot sat with the rest of what remained of Optimus' inner circle inside the rinkydink moonbase, watching as Elita-1 addressed the others. Above the meeting table stood a hologram of Cybertron.
"There's been a lot of activity around the Crater," she began, gesturing to an area where the ground had opened up. "Plenty of energy readings going deep inside. At first, I assumed it was nothing, until I received this transmission just a few solar cycles ago."
The hologram was replaced by a series of sound waves, as audio began playing. "This is Slipknot calling Moonbase One," a voice responded. "I think I've found somethin'. Some kinda Decepticon camp. I dunno what they're doin', but… ain't pretty. I lost my wheels givin' 'em the slip, so a pickup would be-" And the transmission ended.
"Eh, Slipknot was never the brightest fuse on the circuit board," one of them sniffed. "He probably found some independent scavengers and panicked."
"It could be a trap," suggested Speedstar. "They got Ceppies that can manipulate soundbytes, how do we know they haven't manufactured Slipknot's call?"
"They're right. Plus, the Decepticons control the surface," another one added. "They've had plenty of time to map out the Crater and prepare an ambush."
"I'm not suggesting we send every single available unit," said Elita, "but I do want to know what it is the Decepticons are doing."
"I'll go," said Pulseshot, standing up. "I can take a small team, see if I can find Slipknot myself."
The rest of the council agreed, and Pulseshot went to leave.
The Crater was a name given to an area of Cybertron that had deteriorated due to the prolonged conflict. The surface had rusted away, revealing several deep, long-forgotten caverns.
Inside one of these caverns, a Cybertronian body had been placed on a table, their vocal modulator surgically removed from their throat. Two other Cybertronians sat nearby, the taller one standing up as something entered the cavern. This one was black, with a translucent red chest; they didn't carry the insignia of an Autobot or Decepticon, but instead a mercenary.
"Head's up, Shockwave, we got company," he announced, his voice sounding modulated, "comin' in hot."
A small robotic bird flew into view, the black mech's chest opening up; the bird transformed into a cube and slotted inside, their carrier transmitting the Autobot's meeting.
"It seems your plan worked, Soundblaster," responded the other mech, Shockwave. He was colored purple, a single yellow optic in his head and a large blaster on his left arm. "The Autobots believe the late Slipknot sent that message."
"No shiz my plan worked, nobody can mix a sicker distress call than me," responded Soundblaster. "My main bird Sunder says you gotta shuttle coming this way, so I suggest you unload that coffin and get those beats rockin'."
"Of course. You will be compensated for your efforts."
"No biggie, doc. Lemme know how the final mix sounds." Soundblaster transformed into a van and drove off.
The shuttle landed right above the Crater, Pulseshot leading her team of Autobots downward. As she flew in the air alongside another Cybertronian jet, three vehicles drove along the ground.
"Top: nothing here," said the leading vehicle, a green and white car named Wheelspin.
"Tail: nothing here either," commented the rearmost vehicle, Wretch, a brown armored van.
"Nothing from the skies either," agreed the jet, Turbulence. "Makes me wonder why we're flying to begin with."
"We need to get to the source of that signal as soon as we can," answered Pulseshot. "And flying, in case you haven't realized, is quicker than walking."
As the team reached the right layer, they converted to robot mode and began to walk inside. Pulseshot and Turbulence led the charge, checking through each room when they came across an abandoned workshop.
"Thrash, see if you can find anything," called Pulseshot, a small orange mech pushing past them to analyze the room.
"Found something," Thrash called only a moment later, a waver in her voice.
The rest of the group looked over, realizing just what he had seen:
Slipknot's corpse, with his vocal modulator placed on the table next to him.
"How long has he been grey?" asked Pulseshot, Wheelspin walking over to the table.
"About ten solar cycles, give or take," he answered. "But more importantly, that's the same amount of time ago he supposedly sent his message, and his voice chip is missing."
"Speedstar was right, this is probably a trap," remarked Turbulence, glancing back the way they came.
"Or maybe the Decepticons got him after he had sent his message," assured Pulseshot, taking another glance around the room. "Let's put metal to the pedal, everyone, before we get company."
"Slipknot…" Optimus remarked, hand placed to his chin in thought.
"He was a Neutral who joined the Autobots shortly after your disappearance," replied PENI. "You may not have met him, sir."
"I did," he replied, setting his hand down. "I found him trying to steal Energon from the launch bay. I told him he should find a purpose instead of petty theft. I can only assume he found it."
"My question is," remarked Quatrei, "you saw his voice box taken out, but you didn't think it was a trap?"
"That's what I'm wondering too," muttered Speedstar, but was quickly shushed.
"It was a possibility, but I wanted to cover all of my bases first," she answered. "Anyway, we had gone deeper into the Crater, checking every room for suspicious activity. And we found it."
Pulseshot and Wretch stepped into one of the many empty chambers, discovering ten recharge slabs laid out in a circle. As the two of them stepped closer, they heard frantic chatter over the comms.
"Pulseshot, it's Thrash! There's Decepticons here!"
"Wheelspin here, surrounded by-AAGH!"
"We need to go back for them!" shouted Pulseshot, but before they could leave they found multiple Decepticons blocking the doorway.
Seeing they were surrounded, Pulseshot dropped her blaster and Wretch dropped his hammer, the two watching as Shockwave stepped in, the rest of the team escorted in behind him. Wheelspin was offline, but scans showed his spark was still functioning.
"A very efficient infiltration," the purple Decepticon remarked. "Had I not been warned of your arrival, I might never have known you were here."
"Shockwave?" Pulseshot took a step back. "How did you know we were here?"
"I sent a message claiming to be from one of your comrades. Your illogical devotion to each other ensured that a sizable team would be sent to his rescue. I had anticipated a much larger force, but this will be suitable."
Realizing that their mission was indeed a trap, the silver jet looked down at her feet in dismay. Shockwave's guards began escorting the quintet to the slabs. As the group was strapped down, they also saw five other Decepticons being prepared.
"I require test subjects from both factions for this experiment," stated Shockwave, as the floor began lowering beneath them. "Is the Enigma prepared?"
"Yes, Shockwave," answered one of the guards, delivering a box his way.
A plinth rose up from the floor in the middle of the slabs, as Shockwave opened the box. Pulseshot did her best to look over, but she couldn't get a good look at what their captor was trying.
"Sorry for interrupting," interrupted Quatrei, "but when you mentioned an 'Enigma,' was that the Enigma of Combination?"
"Yes, as we quickly found out," the silver mech responded.
"What's the Enigma of Combination?" asked Matt, Pulseshot regarding him with surprise. "Hi, I'm one of the natives."
"Um, hi. Anyway, the Enigma of Combination is an ancient artifact from our past. It had the power to take multiple individual bots and turn them into one giant bot."
"One of many examples of ancient technology blurring the line between magic and science," commented Optimus, before covering his mouth sheepishly. "Sorry for interrupting. Continue."
"Right, anyway, I recognized the bots that were with us." Pulseshot projected five images from her head. "Were any of them apprehended with us?"
"Scanning images. Referencing prison registry," stated PENI. After a few seconds, she responded, "Affirmative. Prisoners Motormaster, Breakdown, Knock-Out, Offroad, and Dragstrip are listed as being captured."
"Hey, I used to race those guys on Velocitron," remarked Rodimus, who was quickly shushed as Pulseshot began again.
The floor stopped moving as Shockwave placed an object on the plinth: what looked like a sphere with two triangular prongs sticking out either side. All of a sudden, it began to light up, sending a red beam of energy towards Pulseshot and a purple beam towards Motormaster.
The beams hit the two, then began spreading towards each of their teammates. The leaders began groaning from the energy coursing through them, before their bodies began to change.
Pulseshot was the first to feel herself transform in a way she had never anticipated; her body felt like it was becoming a giant torso, as wires shot out of where her limbs were towards her other teammates. Upon contact, they transformed to their alternate modes, then they began shifting further, with two sprouting hands while the others folded to resemble feet. Pulseshot's chest opened up as a head took its place at the top of this new combination, and she… no, she wasn't herself anymore.
"I am… we are… I am Concordia." The new combiner declared, looking at her hands.
"Doesn't matter who you are," a new voice declared, another combiner staring Concordia down. "My name's Menasor, and now that we're both together, I'm gonna tear you apart."
"The first test will commence shortly," both combiners heard Shockwave announce. "Two natural-born combiners shall face off in combat. Concordia versus Menasor. The first test begins… now."
"…it gets hard describing what's next," said Pulseshot. "Because, well, we were five minds in one. It's tricky to tell which thoughts are mine and which ones were Wretch's, or Turbulence's, and so on."
"Just try your best to describe the experience in your own words," assured Optimus. "If that doesn't work, we shall find some other way."
"If I may offer a way," commented PENI, a panel on the wall opening to reveal two cords, "you can see her experiences directly, sir."
"A cortical patch would offer a direct link to your brain module, Pulseshot, but I will only take it if you agree."
With a nod from the jet, the two plugged the cords into the back of their heads, bodies slumping down as their shared experience was projected on a screen.
Not much to say here, other than the fact that Soundblaster's speech is inspired by Soundwave from Transformers Cybertron.
Next time: Concordia is put through her paces, as Pulseshot dwells on her past before the war.