Chapter 20: A Plan Revision
That night, in the Autobot Base, the team have been observing news reports of claimed and alleged Decepticon sightings around the world. The locations in question are familiar to Sly.
Sly: (To himself) Australia. Scotland. The Caribbean. These are all places Cooper Clan members lived in. But how would the Decepticons know these? They don't have the Raccoonus. Do they even know that not all my ancestors had Allspark fragment interactions?
Wheeljack: Hey Sly! You mind if I take some measurements of you?
Sly: Sure. For what?
Wheeljack: (While measuring) Something I think you'll really need for your planned mission tomorrow.
Sly: Which is?
Wheeljack: Oh yeah! By the way, Prime wants to talk with you outside.
He once again walked out of the base to talk with Prime, but he knew Optimus wouldn't be disappointed at his team losing a fragment to the Decepticons, would he? The Thief went outside and again saw the leader bot, faceplate again retracted, sitting on the same rock the last time they had a private conversation like this. Sly climbed up to the same smaller rock beside Prime's to sit. Both started talking without looking at each other.
Sly: Soooooo… we lost a fragment to the 'Cons today and I know that's preeeetttyyyy bad!
Optimus: The lives of my allies are more important to me than Allspark fragments. It is the type of thing a good leader does.
Sly: I can attest to that. So, what's the plan tomorrow?
Optimus: This is going to sound insane coming from me, but Sly, the plan involves you getting intentionally captured by the Decepticons.
Sly: WHAT!? I did the same thing during the Egypt mission and you semi-chastised me for it!
Optimus: I know what I said. You were reckless back then not telling anyone about it, but this time I have it planned out. Tell me, what is a major Cooper Clan location that the Decepticons have not searched as far as we know?
Sly:...A place in England where Sir Galleth Cooper used to thieve.
Optimus: I am expecting Decepticons there tomorrow. You and I will go there and you have to genuinely act like you are terrified when kidnapped by a Decepticon.
Sly: I would probably feel embarrassed even if no one else is seeing it, but go on.
Optimus: When they take you to their lair, you will finally rescue CarmElita-One…. I MEAN Carmelita.
Sly: Yes! I'm ready! Oh, sorry! Go on.
Optimus: But that's not the only thing I need you to do there. Find a way out of the cell and then both of you sneak around the base and steal Decepticon intel. We will also have a tracker on you so we will finally locate the lair and prepare for battle with the opposing faction.
Sly: Alright! Alright! I'm getting it! But where on me will you put the tracker? I feel like even for a Master Thief like me, a base of huge Tyrannical bots will be hard to maneuver. And how will all the others play into this?
Optimus: I will tell you that now.
Optimus explains the entire laid out plan to Sly. It is very complex. One of the most complex plans he has ever heard. It is his usual type of stealth mission with a bit of higher difficulty on top of involving other Autobots preparing for battle as well as finally saving his beloved. He knows it'll be tough, but the Cooper is willing to take the risk.
Sly: I'm all in!
Optimus: Excellent!
The two stargaze for a while until Optimus speaks.
Optimus: Let me tell you a story. A long, long time ago on Cybertron. There were three close friends. Orion Pax, a Data Clerk, Dion, a dock worker, and D-16, a miner.
Sly: Wait. So you Bots used to call each other by numbers?
Optimus: Yes, but we eventually gain normal names by various circumstances. Bumblebee was called B-127.
Sly is about to question what he hasn't yet: How Cybertronians are exactly born, but just lets Optimus continue.
Optimus: Back then, our professions were determined by how we looked the way Primus intended us to.
Sly: So what you're saying is….. You bots were racially profiled or something?
Optimus: A bit like how you organics describe that term, yes. D-16 had bigger ambitions than mining all his life, so he escaped the grounds and went up to the surface and became a famous gladiator fighter after beating the once champion, Cy-Kill. It is then he became friends with Orion and Dion. The three were like brothers, but over the years…. all the fighting…got to D-16's processor…..then he was corrupted and manipulated by….bots with very dark sparks shall we say. He developed an unhealthy desire for conquest and when his friends tried their best to convince him to stop….he brutally killed Dion…one of his brothers….
Sly had an idea, no, knew who two out of the three of these bots Prime spoke of even though he didn't say. He also vaguely connected the other stories and information Prime told him the other night in his mind. The Leader's sad face gave it away for him.
Sly:...And Orion Pax?
Optimus:...He… also perished at the hands of D-16…who never seemed to feel any regret and his anger led him to join the first army of what would become the Decepticons. it is a story of tragedy, I tell you.
Sly, feeling tired and wanting to give Prime a moment of self reflection, went back into the base and to bed.
That night he had many dreams. The most important was finally seeing Carmelita again and her in his arms, but he also thought "Was this what the Cooper Bloodline was leading up to? They were all great thieves but some interacted with alien artifacts and am I going to be the one to transition this legacy from thievery to some Alien alliance heroism?".
Also he noticed Optimus started calling Carmetlita by her actual name, which made him happy as if both of their top priorities of defeating the Decepticons and saving Carmetlita are equal now.