Spectre: Spent the time on College, now that the Semester had ended and collecting new TF figures. Loving Baiwei's SS Shockwave and Titans Return Windblade! I'll answer reviews at the next chapter.
Also been in a crappy situation. My Laptop's OS broke down and I have to get it checked, and the app is bugged, resulting in repeated phrases.
Chapter 13: A Lead
"There you have it! All you need to know about Memorial High and what it has in store for almost everyone!", the girl proudly stated as she and her charge completed their brief tour around the school, just in time for the first period to begin. "Remember, don't let the others vex you. I'm sure you'll do great in here!"
Arcee and her guide stopped at the blue nymph's assigned class for the day, having read her schedule where she'd be joining her charges in their classes. "I'll keep that in mind", the transfer student replied to the girl with an appreciative smile. "Thanks for showing me around the school, Alexis"
"Don't mention it!", Alexis replied in earnest, poising to make her way back to the Principal's office. "If you have any questions, don't think twice to ask!"
Arcee waved her hand in goodbye at the girl, turning her attention to the room where she had been assigned and feeling a rush coming from where her Spark should've been. She was all too familiar with being nervous but didn't take into account that her human core would make an involuntary movement at the same time that made it uneasy altogether.
She took a deep breath to relax from the pressure, knocking a few times before she slowly opened the door, just enough for her to get the teacher's attention and the latter to see her through the crack which prompted her to momentarily pause her discussion with the class. "All right class, we have a new transfer today", the teacher then turned to Arcee, motioning her to come inside. "Please come inside, dear"
As she did, the class fell silent, save for the curious whispers that were audible enough for her to hear. From the back, Miko waved her hand to get her attention, finding her seated close to Raf and Jack all bearing smiles to make her comfortable. "Now, will you please introduce yourself?", Ms. du Villon then motioned to Arcee.
Relaxing herself, Arcee cleared her throat and stood up straight. "Hello, I'm Sadie Smith", the former two-wheeler began almost clumsily; it has been eons since she made any sort of introduction in front of numerous people. "I've recently transferred and I hope we can get along"
She bit her lip right after that sentence, feeling uncertain of everyone's reaction and what it would bring her. And she braced herself for what was to come, something that wasn't on the battlefield.
And all of a sudden the classroom erupted into whispers and murmurs alike, all directed at her.
"Wow! She's huge!"
"What kind of workout routine does she run in? She's so fit!"
"Does she play any sports by any chance?"
"Do you think she has a cellphone number?"
"She's built differently! Wouldn't want to mess with her!"
While she stood still hearing those whispers clearly, Arcee resisted the urge to sigh in annoyance. Just relax, your job is to make sure you keep an eye on those three and not attract unwanted attention, she thought, wondering if this would be a recurring theme throughout her stay.
But luckily enough, Ms. du Villon noticed her sentiments and spoke up. "Settle down now, people!", the teacher ordered, looking over at Sadie with a smile. "Now with those out of the way, you may pick a seat of your choosing, Miss Smith. We hope that you will find Memorial High to be a remarkable experience!"
The class went silent again, mostly, while 'Sadie' looked around the room, conveniently finding an empty seat next to Jack. She sat up straight as she placed her backpack next to her, finding herself staring at Miko giving her a stupid grin of her predicament. "Are they really like that to newcomers?", Arcee couldn't help but speak up almost indignantly.
"Happens for a short while, but it'll fizzle out in no time", the teen assured her, feeling the need to at least give Arcee some breathing room. "I'd say you'd stick out like a sore thumb, but it'll be smooth sailing right after that"
Arcee glanced at the other students, many of whom were staring at her in a rather odd combination of curiosity, caution and admiration. Whereas the others looked a bit envious, especially as to how she looked, causing Arcee to have second thoughts on what she was doing. Why do I have the feeling that I shouldn't have taken the mission?, she thought to herself, before turning her attention to Ms. du Villon's literature class.
"Listen, I do know! I do kno- "
"NO, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!", Ratchet angrily pointed his finger at Que, obviously not having the best time of his life as he continued to test the repaired consoles following the inventor's 'test run' on one of his new inventions with Bumblebee. "NO, YOU DON'T!"
"Geez, just relax Doc. Look on the bright side, the base is fixed up at breakneck speed", Wheeljack chimed in between them, trying to cool off Ratchet's mood when a repaired pipe above the ceiling partially fell and left hanging. "Mostly"
"Well, I thought it would be great to give a leg up for the team!", the inventor stated, continuing to repair one of the less damaged machines with his arm bearing a welding rod.
"Of course, right after you and Bumblebee nearly jeopardized everything that we need to survive...", the medic retorted, deciding to vent his anger in favor of making sure their systems remained in working condition. "You're fortunate that the Ground Bridge and the transmitters remain intact because you have no idea what I would-"
Before Ratchet could say anymore, an alarm came in to one of his transmitters, prompting him to temporarily cease testing to deal with the situation. The rest of the team heard it, prompting them to move in closer for the briefing.
"Well, what is it Doc?", Wheeljack was the first to speak up just as Ratchet had finished his analysis.
"Another Energon deposit", the medic reported from his station, analyzing the location further. "Likely another ongoing mining operation located here at the north just as we need another batch of Energon for the base"
"Good, cause I'm lookin' forward to stretching my joints", Wheeljack said with a smirk, all the while punching his fist in anticipation. "But best if we keep an eye out for the two new Cons that joined them"
Optimus carefully understood the information given and he turned to the medic. "Very well. Autobots, move out. But proceed with caution, we do not know what lies ahead of us"
Ratchet nodded and he activated the Ground Bridge, the green vortex swirling harmlessly just as the team prepared to head on over. But not before a certain blue bot came rushing to them.
"Wait a minute!", the team looked to find Que hurrying over them, carrying a wrapped bundle with him. "Here, take these! I've been saving them in case you're going after Con operations!"
The team was puzzled as they watched the inventor unwrapped the bundle to reveal four disc-shaped devices and four others that were only spear-like in shape, prompting Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Bumblebee to pick them up and figure out what they were for.
"What are these, Prof?", the Wrecker queried to his colleague, finding a functioning button at the middle but careful enough not to press it.
"Mute charges!", the inventor marveled in his latest handiwork. "The Cons won't know what hit them till they actually felt it!"
Wheeljack appeared to be interested at the function, whereas Bulkhead held the spear-like device with his servos, trying to find out what it was used for. "And these?"
"Boomsticks!", the inventor enthusiastically answered him. "As the name suggests, you'll be better off blowing things up in thirty seconds! Consider it as an apology for the mess earlier"
The three looked over at Optimus for approval to bring it with them, which they have when he gave them the green light via a nod. "We'll see to it that they'd work in the field, Prof. You can bet in it", Wheeljack said to his colleague, storing away the device.
"Oh if you can, bring over an intact Vehicon", the inventor informed them. "Since we're making sure that we needed to know their trail, I may be able to tinker around with its memory banks"
"Just as the use of liquor became unpopular during the early 20s, Attorney Wayne Wheeler used this chance to initiate the Volstead Act of 1920 to ban alcohol entirely, kickstarting the Prohibition Era of our nation"
Mr. Lewis' lecture on History class was on full swing with the students paying attention and jotting down notes while the others simply looked bored or uninterested altogether, something that Arcee found herself becoming part with in the latter. Several times, she felt like she just wanted to sleep during the discussions since she had finished her first two subjects, and her back was feeling heavy as to how long she remained crouched on her seat.
But all she could settle with, is her hand holding the side of her head to stop her from falling over and dozing off. It didn't take long for her partner to notice her inactivity and she slightly nudged her to the side with his elbow.
"You okay, Arcee?", he whispered to her, sounding as if it were amusing to him. "You look bored"
"Tell me about it", the bluenette responded with a roll of her eye. "Miko wasn't kidding about the whole deal with school"
Jack chuckled at that. "Well, that's how school is, but we're gonna need it if we're gonna find a job after we finish"
"But can't you just get a job without having to be in school?", she asked, curious.
Jack pinched his chin momentarily. "We technically could, but chances of getting higher paid jobs would be slim if we didn't get to finish high school and later college", he explained to her.
Arcee understood what he meant. But given that he already have a job at KO, times are a bit rough for Jack and June back at the house since their expenses needed both of them to work harder. And his way of earning by working at KO was him helping his mother who had been raising him alone, so Arcee could get where they were heading to.
Still, she couldn't help but feel bad for them, wondering as to how she could help them too since she's temporarily living with them at the meantime.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the sound of the bell rang, indicating that History class was over and that it was the beginning of lunch break for the students. Arcee could feel her stomach yearning for consumption at the thought of food, despite Miko's statements concerning what the school serve at the cafeteria.
"Alright class, that is it for today!", Mr. Lewis announced to the students who were putting away their things in their respective bags. "We'll be having a quiz next meeting, so refer to pages 209 to 213 for the overall coverage"
Arcee stood up from her seat as soon as the teacher left the room, feeling the burden of her back leaving her when she took a long stretch ro relieve her joints before she put away one of her textbooks. That is when Miko and Raf walked by them.
"Finally, we could take a break from all that!", the girl's boisterous tone filled their ears as she looked at her friends. "Come on, you guys! We wouldn't want to wait in line at the Cafeteria if we didn't get there first!"
Raf and Jack were all set, but the bluenette didn't feel the same way. "You three go ahead. I'll head over to the lockers first, so I'll just have to catch up", she informed them. "Need to loosen up a bit from the books behind my back"
The three looked at one another, before Arcee gave them a curt nod to let them know that she'll be find. "Alright, just meet us back at the Cafeteria if you're done!", Miko spoke on their behalf.
She watch them depart before she headed over to the hallways where came upon dozens and dozens of lockers, with the students carrying on with their own business department or were chatting with their friends. The textbooks she had been carrying from her backpack were already becoming a burden for her back. But the school at least provided its students with lockers to store what they needed in each class so it wasn't all that inconvenient, which is why Arcee taped her schedule at the side of the locker to remember today's agenda.
Okay, let's see... geography, social studies, mathematics and French class for today's period..., Arcee thought as she sorted out the textbooks she needed, noticing how simplistic their subjects are. Their curriculum is nowhere near as complicated like that of the Academy at Cybertron, so this should be easy.
Well, should anyway. Arcee couldn't say if her human brain would be as efficient as her original processors as a Cybertronian but doesn't mean she wasn't going to try. She closed her locker and picked up her bag, that is when a group of people gathered along the hallways.
It was some kind of commotion, and of course, her curiosity got the better of her. Until she saw what was going on that left her gears grinding.
"Hey what's that you got there, some kind of video game or something?" Vince sindely asked after he had forcefully took the laptop away from Raf, despite his protests while Jack and Miko stood by to help out the younger boy.
"Hey! Give that back! I have a lot of important stuff on there too!" the prodigy cried as he desperately attempted to take it back, but his height compared to Vince made it impossible for him.
"I'm just taking a look, twerp." the bully retorded as he easily held Raf back with a single hand while the boy persisted, without avail. "Got some lessons made for class?
"Give that back to Raf, Vince", Jack spoke up with an indignant tone to help out Raf, shifting the bully's attention away momentarily to the older teen. "Or the faculty would hear of this"
"The little guy and I were just having a little fun, Darby.", Vince smugly reponded. "That explains why you're such as a buzzkill every now and then"
The bully felt a finger poking behind him, causing him to turn around with a sneer. Only to drop when he got a good look at the stone-cold face of a bluenette he met back at the mall's parking lot, where her eyes narrowed into an annoyed glare directed at him and his antics.
"He was asking nicely", 'Sadie' reiterated what her partner had said, though her tone was icier and firm. "So give it back while you still can"
Vince wasn't letting this one slide, not even to a woman and setting aside his earlier thoughts about her back at the mall. "Just relax, lady", he replied with a scoff. "Rafe and I are just having a little fun here"
"Not the way I see it.", she said back to him, making it clear with her tone that she wasn't buying any of it. "Because someone like you shouldn't even pick on someone your own size"
Again, the bully didn't get the memo, and Miko was already at the process of recording the whole thing with her phone just in case. "And what are you going to do about that then?", he boasted, confident that she wouldn't make the good out of her word.
"Stick around and find out.", 'Sadie' retorted, inching closer to Vince to the point where she was literally looking down at him and her voice became much colder. "Must've been hard for you trying to make up for something that is small as your ego"
The hallway fell in complete silence, watching with curious intent at the 'newcomer' who came in defense of the prodigy. Her presence alone was imposing; she was older and way taller than most boys and girls in her department and her physique was nothing to scoff about. It was clear that she wasn't meant to be messed with.
From the sides, Sari and a few students who had been unfortunate victims of Vince, watch in admiration at her stance towards Raf.
This time, Vince fell silent, with sweat dripping down at the side of his head; this newbie wasn't kidding nor she would be intimidated by him. "So unless you got better things to do, give Raf his computer back and there wouldn't be any trouble", she continued, growing tired of him. "If you got the guts to keep going"
A few tense moments passed, and the bullt finally relented by giving Raf his computer back, glaring at Sadie before storming off the hallway. Arcee breathed a sigh of relief, glad that it was over with and how much of a nuisance he was.
Raf looked up at the tall bluenette, bearing a grateful smile to her. "Thanks for your help, Arcee", the younger boy said to their guardian, holding his computer for dear life. "I can't really do much with Vince or the others"
"That was a good call, Arcee", Jack patted her at the shoulder, clearly approving that she took another route at handling that situation. "Wouldn't want you to get into trouble at your first day"
Miko put away her phone, having saved the recording of the standoff. "Man, I'd love to see you plummet that jerk into the gabage bin!", she groaned.
Arcee couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. "Tempting, but my job is to keep an eye on the three of you till Ratchet and Que found a way to change me back as per Autobot rule number one", she reminded them, crossing her arms. "But that doesn't mean I'm letting anyone have their way and get away with it"
Miko let out an exaggerated feigned gasp, appearing touched of the proclamation. "Aww, please protect us, Sadie-Senpai!", she whined, embracing her waist with her arms. "What could we do without you??"
The bluenette was taken back at the gesture as she was weirded by it, with Jack and Raf grinning at the gesture before going to the Cafeteria for lunch.
Deep within the mines, numerous tracks that were once used by humans paved the way for Decepticon miners harvesting copious amounts of Energon using either hand-held or vehicular drills, working almost uninterrupted as the flow of harvested energon was being sorted in numerous crates prepped for transport on board the Nemesis.
"Optimus. Bee. I have a clear visual on Con activity", Bulkhead contacted the two through his communicator, with Wheeljack kneeling beside him as they observed the overall operation. "What's your status?"
"Energon Drillers near our positions", Optimus relayed the team from his position and of Bumblebee's, watching the vehicles continuously harvesting fresh Energon within the mines and carefully analyzing their movements. "Disabling them would hinder their operations, even if temporarily. Once they have been dealt with, we are to extract the mined Energon then contact Ratchet to activate the Ground Bridge"
Wheeljack took his time to analyze their overall numbers, noting their size would garner attention from big name Decepticons if they could hold out long anough. "Do we go for the smart approach?", the Wrecker relayed to the team. "Or the dumb and loud one?"
Optimus was about to give his reply when two Vehicons came across his and Bumblebee's concealed position, falling silent to hear the chatter between the two drones.
"They found what again?", one of the Vehicons asked of his partner, sounding dumbfounded.
"They got a location of another one of those relics we're looking for", his partner answered him. "Soundwave just got the coordinates and are getting ready to move out till we're done with this dump"
"Any clue where it is?"
"Got it, but that info's classified", the drone responded. "Been given strict orders not to give any more because of possible leaks"
His partner didn't say anymore and they continue to make their way back to the mines after their patrol. From their position, Optimus carefully calculated their chances and of the opportunity presented to the team and he had an idea.
"We will have to activate Mute Charges to conceal our positions and to take one of their own to base", Optimus stated, with Bee pulling out the device as did Wheeljack and Bulkhead. "Only then we secure their energon deposits"
The team went to work right after their leader had tinished, activating disc-like device by embedding in into the ground while activating special communication pieces that Que provided in order to hear their teammates after the the charges wer activated. "Let's hope this works", Bulkhead muttered, setting up the charges once the rest have done so. "Wouldn't want this to end up like Bumblebee's new tech"
Wheeljack had finished setting his own charges, smirking at Bulkhead. "It won't. Que tested it out back at the Jackhammer, and I'd say it's a keeper depending on who's using it. Charges are set, Optimus"
Seeing Bumblebee having activated his communicator, Optimus moved out to their next phase of the plan. "Activate in three. Two. One."
The three charges were activated, generating a vibration-dampening field around them and small pulsing of blue particles from the base of the charge came out of them. As expected, the Vehicons present did not hear the activation, nor they actually heard what was happening around them.
With that said, the Autobots emerged from their positions, raining down blue blaster fire at the unsuspecting Vehicons. Four miners who were working were quickly taken out by Optimus and Bee in mere seconds. Those who saw what was happening were quickly taken down, with their attempts to make contact with their comrades literally falling deaf.
One of the Vehicons made a run for it on one of the stationary consoles to raise the alarm, only for Wheeljack to throw one of his swords and impale his head on a nearby wall before his servos even touched the console.
"Now this handy", Bulkhead commented, seeing that the other miners continuing their work from the side, unable to hear the commotion around them. Seeing the Drillers near them, Bulkhead rushed ahead and pulled out Que's other invention. Activating its detonation sequence, Bulkhead plunged the device onto the vehicle. "Boomstick, armed and ticking!", Wheeljack called out to the team once he had activated his and done the same process as Bulkhead.
Optimus and Been had activated theirs, moving to a safe distance before the devices exploded and destroying the vehicles that still went unnoticed by the remaining miners.
And it was all in the day's work on what happens next.
One hour later...
"You didn't have to come after me"
"Yes, I did. Because I love you"
Click!
"My powers have doubled since the last time we fought, Count!"
"Good. Twice the pride, double the fall!"
Click!
"Enough! You are all beneath me! I am a god! And I will not be bullied by-"
Click!
"I need to know now! Know that, can you love me again?"
Click!
Dozens of programs and nothing ever worth watching, Airachnid thought with a frown, switching off the television, remaining slumped on the couch with their hands remained bound in handcuffs. Two days ago, Prime had given her permission to have a 'timeout' from her room, allowing her to use the TV for her entertainment for about two hours under supervision and if the other fleshlings aren't around. But so far, calling it entertainment would be a stretch, as no program had even provided her with that.
And from the other side, she looked at the Autobots surrounding one of the Vehicons they had captured from their latest escapade, trying to extract any information through other means that they could. But the way she saw it, they haven't even gotten far.
"Any luck?"
"He had went into Stasis Lock right after thorough questioning", Ratchet informed the white Wrecker beside him. "Even with the base being undetected, I'm also trying to not have our location leaked to the Decepticons through this Vehicon"
"He's as tough as nails if he decided to keep his mouth shut", Wheeljack commented, almost as if he was impressed. "That's not what you see everyday from an average Vehicon"
"Still, he's got intel on where Megatron has his sights this time", Bulkhead spoke with concern. "And we don't have much time until we could find out where it is"
"We could use the Cortical Psychic Patch", Que suggested from the side. "If our guest wouldn't be able to cooperate"
"After what happened with Bee and Megatron that one time?", the green Wrecker interjected incredulously . "Not a chance if we're gonna risk letting the Cons know where the base is this time. Unless there's another way..."
The team watched as Airachnid leaned forward at the railings, watching the whole attempt of interrogation unfold, finding herself at their attention when they looked at her, unsettlingly. "And what would you have me do this time?", she asked, almost sarcastically.
Airachnid watched as the rest of the Autobots and their human ally had left the area, with eerie silence taking over as a result. From her seated position, stood Optimus Prime watching his subordinates leave until he shifted his attention to her, after they had retrieved the Liquefier and the Polarity Gauntlet before the Decepticons could have taken it.
The Prime remained stoic at her attitude, calmly and rhetorically choosing his words. "Why did you help us, Airachnid?", he asked of her. "Knowing that every failure would mean greater chances of escaping or even greater consequences"
She looked at him, finding the statement to be ridiculous. "To what end,? Where else would I go? Because if you're going to find my place amusing, I'm certain thay you have greater insults than that"
Optimus did not respond at that, instead choosing another topic for her. "Do you know, Airachnid, what the Autobots fight for?"
She rolled her eyes at that. "Freedom, in all things. And of sentient beings. Also peace"
"It is. And it is not enough to end the violence as one commits upon another. It refers to peace within as well. You cannot have one without the other"
"And where are you getting at?"
"You have none from within", he pointed out to her. "It manifests in different ways. Arrogance, cruelty, overconfidence"
Airachnid gave out a laugh at that. '"Isn't that your motto? Freedom is the right of all sentient beings? I'm simply exercising mine as I please"
"And so it is", he continued. "You have been known to deviate yourself from the rest of your tribe", he took a pause right after. "Until it had warped after what happened at Eukaris"
Airachnid's face turned soured, turning into a frown. "And what if you have known, Prime?", she retorted."Your pity won't get you anywhere"
"And this is why I only wish to at least partially correct our mistake by ending the war that had caused it" , the Prime continued. "I would not be able to bring back those who were lost that day, and I have no desire for others to suffer the same fate as they have"
"I can promise your safety from the Decepticons if they ever find out you were here, as I do with whoever I can." He continued to observe her, the former Decepticon's eyes lingering with bitter and hateful resentment. "For the sake of everyone. Of yours, and those who fell that day, can I trust your word?"
Airachnid remained silent at that, deciding to test her fortune with their leader. "And what's in it for me if I keep on talking?"
She replied with silence, the air being the only sound heard within the room until the Prime looked back at her, his expression becoming firm. "If you continue to cooperate with us, then I will consider reasonable requests that you may ask"
A spark of intrigue had ignited, but it sounded too good to be true. Had it been from another Autobot, she would have brushed it off as a joke. "It all sounded as if I were making a deal with Unicron" , she sarcastically commented. "What miracle could have possibly happened for you to even think of that?"
"For the pain you brought upon us, I should be obligated to leave you the you are as punishment. Arcee thought it only fair – your life in exchange for her partners. But-
"But what?", a tone of impatience was evident in her voice, she wanted to hear what the Prime had to say further.
The Prime's optics narrowed. "It would have been a waste of time, for you and ours. As well as what you know and are capable off. Which is why I have chosen to have you remain here than be turned over to Agent Fowler"
He then turned his back at her, poising to make his way out. "Make your choices carefully, Airachnid. Doing the opposite explains as to why you are here in this planet and with us"
She fell silent at that, becoming unsure as to what she would ask him. Until, almost as if she were in a trance, called out to him. "Say I have escaped and made a choice that involves the fleshlings you called friends, what would you do?"
When she looked up, she could feel a chill run down her spine as the stoic mask that the Autobot leader typically wore fell.
"Then I'll make sure it will not happen again", she watched him turn his head, with narrowed optics that effectively silenced her. "Permanently"
Spectre: I was initially going for an omake of Lugnut, Blitzwing, Breakdown and Knockout playing Uno while the miners that Optimus and the team took out tried to get their attention to no avail due to the Mute Charges activated, but I decided to show Optimus and Airachnid's conversation after chapter 10 and the deal they have with one another.
