Transformers Prime: A New Adventure.

Chapter 80: Service Bots.

In the Autobot base, Arcee and Elita One look over at Shortout, who clenches his digits before looking down at his sword.

Shortout remarks, "I see that Ironspan and Victoryjump are themselves again, even despite the fact that Victoryjump is our spy until the events of the '"Partners"' episode come around."

Miko says as she disengages her Iron Man suit, "I wish you went after Victoryjump, you can fly after all!"

Shortout retorts, "Chase an Ironspan clone to Megatron's cloaked warship with no reinforcements and wage a one man war against over up to less than nine hundred and ninety-nine googolplex Decepticons, both named and generic troops with no names? No, thanks, kid. I want the Decepticons either gone or imprisoned, but what you're implying what I should've done would've been a suicide mission, one that would make my chances of survival drop to negative zero."

Arcee snarks, "Sure could've fooled me."

Fortressimus retorts, "You were the idiot who wanted to settle scores with and without backup, even despite being told even a little later that Airachnid's arrival was supposed to be a containment mission, kill if not possible."

Arcee huffs.

Optimus then says, "Nevertheless, I am glad that all of you went to the New England-Acadian Forest to contain Airachnid."

Shortout then asks, "Fortressimus, when you told us that different Transformers Prime timelines in the form of fanfictions from your Earth depicted Airachnid as an Autobot, how did those fanfictions depict her as such?"

Fortressimus answers, "The most common cases are either someone close to Optimus and Ratchet successfully convincing Airachnid during the war on Cybertron to defect, thereby making her the first Decepticon turncoat in the Aligned continuity, or upon being imprisoned here in the base, she winds up suffering a nightmare where her spark and ethereal form are dragged into Unicron's Pit by the deceased spirits of the Bots and other creatures she killed mercilessly and with no regrets. Why do you ask?"

Shortout asks, "What if, and this is a big if, we find some way to replicate those cases of convincing Airachnid to switch sides while showing her evidence of how her future will end up being upon her going offline?"

Arcee gawks as she exclaims, "You can't be serious!"

Fortressimus answers, "Well, at least it'll be better than killing her indiscriminately. And we could easily benefit from having two Arachnicons that can easily control rebellious Insecticons."

Optimus then says, "Indeed, Fortressimus. We will make the successive capture of Airachnid a priority in any Decepticon engagements where she's present. For now, it is best if we lay low for a while."

Fortressimus then asks, "So, any signs of new Decepticon activity?"

Optimus says as he points to an area in Europe, "A small group of Decepticons were spotted heading to this sector of the European continent."

Shortout asks, "Any identifications, sir?"

Optimus answers, "It appears to be Knock Out, Victoryjump, Breakdown, Goldglide, Duneframe, Torrentfire, Dynamostop, Topbite, Wrangleburner, Ditchbite, Switchlock, Ripricochet, Leoswitch, Auroraside, Comethorn, Thunderslinger, Athenaraker, Deliriumshift, Dinodrive, Talonbrawn, Earthflight, Ditchwhip, Silverburns, Landasor, Frostsinger, Strikerwar, Shadedagger, Kaliriah, Coldflint, Lapclang, Shuttershade, Kojiro Anchorena, Rashflame, Whamarmor, Knifeline, Crowjack, Vaultpin, Clubstrike, Rubyswitch, Ridewear, Speedtread, Shadespook, Sidlepad, Hardtimber, Yellow Giant, Lightdraw, Fallbattery, Moongleam, Tarrachen, Specterist, Airblend, Screwcharge, Copperwing, Orbderm, Blockhide, Shimmerheart, Leakmask, Brasspunk, Steelride, Strikenight, Blastdread, Fallsmack, Riderboom, Hidestriker, Swipestrike, Headwild, Nightdown, Steeldown, Strikersteel, Wavearmor, Downsky, Crossdead, Fallshadow, Steelwar, Rushbeat, Cloudwar, Screamwar, Nightcloud, Screamstrike, Hidefall, Blastwar, Wargrim, Hornsteel, Screamsteel, Hornnight, Blaststeel, Swipegrim, Laser Alert, Roadframe, Metro Aid, Subhopper, Blitzwipe, Chainhammer, Divecrusher, Afterlord, Beachplay, Clifftwin, Bluehandler, Omegawave, Beachplex, Ripperbite, and Victorygate. Without our equipment being upgraded by the Forge of Solus Prime, the computer would've been able to only transmit their Energon signals and not assign any names."

Shortout asks, "What do you suppose the Decepticons are up to now?"

Elita One answers, "Possibly a new plan of attack on either an Autobot on patrol or mining Energon. They have a flying warship as their mobile headquarters. Literally mobile, as because they have a highly advanced cloaking shield, they can easily move across the world and even past the Earth's atmosphere without being seen or risking being shot down. If human weaponry could take down Trypticon, that is."

Shortout then inquires, "Why not just try to find it so we can get aboard, disable the power core, and raid the Energon Vaults to increase our own Energon supplies?"

Optimus then says, "Even if we could do that, the Decepticons outnumber us considerably, even outside of the fact that we have reprogrammed Decepticons turned into Autobots as well as Counterbat sending out signals from the Allspark to alert only any nearby and far away Autobots, and as well as our armies of clones. Even with our large number of flying Autobots, flying Maximals, and flying Predacons, we would be at a disadvantage if we fight Decepticons in a scenario where they have an advantage they use all the time."

Fortressimus then asks, "Shortout, why do you have so much hatred for the Decepticons?"

Shortout then answers, "During the early days of the war, when Sentinel Zeta Prime was having Triple Changers be made, I was drafted into the program alongside a friend of mine, called Worldeater. As we would go on to discover, Worldeater was a Decepticon double agent. When she was discovered, she nearly killed other friends of mine, and when my carrier tried to protect me, Worldeater killed her. I got so p***** that I fought Worldeater until I was able to beat her to death. Since then, I have felt Triple Changer hatred for the Decepticons. But that doesn't make me out to be prejudicial to Decepticons like Airsized who are fully and successfully convinced to join the Autobots."

Fortressimus nods in understanding.

Shortout then steps closer to the screen and says, "Let's see here... A number of Decepticon troops are headed to that European sector over water, so I'm betting that they might be fliers, because Megatron doesn't want to get any dirty particles from Earth seawater on his servos, let alone accidentally get himself wet in general. That leaves some Vehicon Jets and Victoryjump, and a quarter of them are heading to the location on dry land. I'm willing to bet that they might be Knock Out, Shadedagger, Kaliriah, Shuttershade, Kojiro, Rashflame, Whamarmor, Knifeline, Clubstrike, Speedtread, Shadespook, Sidlepad, Lightdraw, Screwcharge, Orbderm, Leakmask, Brasspunk, Steelride, Strikenight, Blastdread, Fallsmack, Riderboom, Hidestriker, Swipestrike, Headwild, Nightdown, Steeldown, Strikersteel, Wavearmor, Downsky, Crossdead, Fallshadow, Steelwar, Rushbeat, Cloudwar, Screamwar, Nightcloud, Screamstrike, Hidefall, Blastwar, Wargrim, Hornsteel, Screamsteel, Hornnight, Blaststeel, Swipegrim, Laser Alert, Roadframe, Metro Aid, Subhopper, Blitzwipe, Chainhammer, Divecrusher, Afterlord, Beachplay, Clifftwin, Bluehandler, Omegawave, Beachplex, Ripperbite, and Victorygate. I don't think Megatron would have no reason to have Victoryjump get back up after Megatron gave him a pounding for attempting to terminate him during the incident where he awakened Stakeface. Something doesn't add up there."

Optimus replies, "Hmm... I agree, Shortout. This does not bode well. We must find out what the Decepticons are up to and stop them."

Starscream then says, "Shortout, you along with me, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Skyquake, Dreadwing, Ironspan, Acid Storm, Ion Storm, Nova Storm, Bitstream, Autoclave, Brownout, Blast, Blazewake, Red Wing, and the other Aerialbots will chase down Victoryjump and lure him away from any civilians. The rest of you go after the other Triple Changer and Grounder Decepticons."

An away team consisting of Optimus, Shortout, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, Prowl, Brawn, Huffer, Trailbreaker, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Aureole Rusher, Warmheart Spirit, Guidewing, Hotsun, Carmine Wraith, Funnel Hoofer, Bonanza Marshal, Boonwings, Guardian Angel, Glisten Sprinter, General Softheart, the rest of the Aerialbots, the rest of the Autobots with names that are synonyms and antonyms of the names for Decepticons from the Jagex Transformers Universe video game and the 2012 Transformers Online video game, and the army of OC Maximals went through the Space Bridge portal to the coordinates of the Decepticon signals.

Shortout transforms to his jet mode before taking off like a shot.

He along with the Aerialbots and the Transmetal Maximal fliers knew what was gonna happen, which is why when the Decepticon Jets led by Copperwing fired missiles at their heroic antitheses, they managed to dodge the missiles.

Copperwing remarks, "So, it is true; the Autobots not only have a lot of their original fliers and Triple Changers, but also the ones from the exploration missions, the ones from the War for Cybertron, and the ones said to be created by Primus when he was revived."

Primus comes up in his jet mode and says, "You got that right, you disgraceful son of mine!"

Copperwing exclaims, "That voice! It's Primus!"

Copperwing shrieks as he tries to escape Primus' heavy firepower.

The Vehicons then try to open fire on their All-Father, but that proved to be a grievous error, as Primus either killed them or reprogrammed them into Autobots before multiplying them in different frame classifications as well as paint jobs, gender identities, and so forth.

In no time, Primus, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Sunstorm, Hotlink, Bitstream, Nacelle, Acid Storm, Ion Storm, Nova Storm, Blast, Brownout, Blazewake, Skyquake, Dreadwing, Autoclave, Hooligan, Cloudcover, Dirge, Ramjet, Thrust, Seastorm, Slipstream, Space Case, Wheezing Arrow, Wingstun, Snipeburner, Darkwing, Dreadwind, Eaglehawk, Tornadorazor, Earthdive, Falljack, X-Gunner, Thunder Shadow, Razorcross, Killviper, Manvulture, Nightbat, Lionjack, and Sabresheath engaged in a dogfight with Rashflame, Whamarmor, Knifeline, Crowjack, Vaultpin, Clubstrike, Rubyswitch, Ridewear, Speedtread, Shadespook, Sidlepad, Hardtimber, Yellow Giant, Fallbattery, Moongleam, Tarrachen, Airblend, Copperwing, Blockhide, Shimmerheart, Voltwind, Duskgaze, Acidmaster, Ionmaster, Novamaster, Chronodrive, Terrorburst, and a few generic WFC Decepticon Seekers, and Primus proved to be superb in dogfighting and aerial combat maneuvers just because, well, he was the god of the Transformers in a Multi-Changer frame version of his current form, courtesy of Fortressimus Prime.

Below on the ground, the Grounder Autobots plus Transmetal Maximals with ground vehicle modes revved their engines and unleashed parts of their firepower on Knock Out and his fellow Decepticon Grounders, but they always missed. But thankfully, they held off on using any of their guns that fired bullets rather Energon lasers.

Just then, an explosion sounded from the airspace as a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet was pursued by eight Vehicon Jets and that was reduced to seven Vehicon Jets as Shortout stopped only to fire an onslaught of lasers and bullets from his cannons.

Shortout remarks, "What's wrong, Rashflame? Can't shoot down any of us?"

Rashflame roars back, "Keep saying that when I shoot you down, Autobot!"

Primus replies, "Think again, scrap heap!"

Primus fires laser blasts from his underslung Stellar Converter Cannons and Rashflame dodges the laser blasts, unaware that the laser blasts were concealing some heat-seeking missiles.

Rashflame then does some dogfighting to avoid the missiles.

Terrorburst fires some air-to-air and heat-seeking missiles at Primus, and one of these missed shots of missiles impacts against triplet rock formations on the road where the Autobot and Decepticon Grounders were having their chase, but the rock formations don't appear to be affected that much.

Primus then says, "If you shoot at any more of the Earth's natural formations, I'll smite you all!"

Elita One then says over the commlink, "Um, Father, we don't need the road to be smashed to pieces."

Primus replies, "Tell that to the Decepticons who have good aim but are unable to land a hit on me due to my being an ancient God of Light with billions of years of experience in even dogfighting whenever I needed to interact with my children away from the Well of All Sparks."

Terrorburst roars, "Clubstrike! Destroy Primus!"

Clubstrike answers, "And risk getting rid of the only one who can rebuild Cybertron from the ashes of war, greatly multiply our people, and help us if we need more help to defeat Unicron? No, thank you!"

Primus remarks, "Well, at least one Decepticon has some form of common sense."

Primus then fires a Stellar Converter Heat-Seeking Missile at Knock Out, which slams into the ground in front of him, sending him flipping and turning in the air and forcing him to revert back to robot mode.

Shortout and Cliffjumper then shot the remaining Decepticon Fliers out of the air with their air support's help.

Shortout lunges towards Rashflame and punch-kicks her into a rock formation.

But then, Victorygate tries to engage Shortout, but Primus defeats the Decepticons swiftly, showing that he was no slouch when it comes to combat.

In no time, the Decepticons were forced into retreat, but not before Rashflame alerted Megatron to the realization that Primus was alive and even though he's the God of Cybertron, he decided to help the Autobots.

Megatron didn't like that.

Megatron then says, "If Primus is alive, then that means that sooner or later, we will encounter Unicron. We must be prepared."

The End.

(Author's notes: See you all in chapter 81: Creation of AEPT.)