Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Tip of a Feather. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I do not own Transformer, Hasbro does.
Optimus could tell who the two Autobots approaching were. He had made a mental note to never forget one of their faces, not now and not ever… No, it was just too hard to forget… Which made it nigh impossible to forget.
Stratosphere landed first, rolling in midair while digging in his massive feet so he did not squash the entire group under the weight of his bulk.
He looked upwards to see that a F/A 18 'hornet' was overhead, slowly transforming in a roll that almost sent him skidding across the ground.
"Kid," Stratosphere said as Contrail shrugged.
"I landed for a reason," Contrail said. "I don't get why they launch these things off boats," Contrail said.
"I see some Autobots take flight as well." They heard.
Contrail was met by a bird… Well, a metal bird the size of him and even rivaling Optimus. She surprised him with what he was dealing with for now as he looked to the side.
The bird blinked as Contrail hummed.
"Sir? The uh… She with you?" Contrail asked, trying, and failing not to let his awkwardness show.
"She is…. Let us go." Contrail heard before he looked at her before he sighed.
"Sure… Let us ride." Contrail said before he looked over at the others.
He blinked, shocked as his optics slowly opened and closed. It could not be.
It was Bumblebee, his armor shattered and cooked like a human would food on one of their cooking units, their armor was broken and his spark dim, his optics greyed out… He was dead, dead beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Contrail said nothing as he turned to Airazor, watching as she paused to look at the dead Autobot before glancing at the greyish blue one which stood, their combat mask reminding her of human fighter pilots.
It was something that made her think there was more to their fight.
Contrail simply turned his attention to the falcon, watching her extend her wings before he hummed.
"Lead the way," Contrail said before transforming and turning in mid-air so he could better follow the falcon who took off, Stratosphere who carried the Autobots into the air.
"I am sorry about what happened to your friend… He is not the first one to fall to the Terrorcons." She stated to herself with but a few seconds of silence.
She seemed to be close enough with the Autobots and Optimus had his guard down around her. Meaning? He had a lot more to learn.
And from what he had learned? Their trip to Peru would take at least several hours, especially since he could not flare his engine and outpace both of them.
"I'm Contrail if they didn't explain it," Contrail stated.
"Airazor," Airazor stated to which Fuse nodded before he hummed, relaxing at the end of the day.
He had so many ideas of what was growing in his brain. Who the hell was this? What had happened? Who had killed Bumblebee?
And right now? He felt like he was going to need answers.
"What exactly are we hunting for?" Contrail questioned as he kept pace with the two airborne fliers.
"A key," Airazor stated to which he glanced at her. "A relic which will doom this world and the entire galaxy," Airazor added.
"Sounds like every relic," Contrail stated. "You don't look like an Autobot unless I've not heard a LOT while I was cooped up," Contrail added.
"I am not an Autobot, I am a Maximal." Airazor stated.
"You're going to have to forgive me if I have no idea what that is," Contrail stated.
"The kid is pretty talkative; he talks a lot… Asks a lot of questions." Stratosphere stated before he sighed to himself before he relaxed to himself.
"We've been cooped up at a base for 2 years and we get called in to find someone dead and us traveling miles to get a key we ain't heard about until then," Contrail stated before he sighed to himself.
Contrail looked at Airazor as he realized it could not have been a Decepticon at the end of the day. A Decepticon was surgical and precise, and yet they would have fallen to Optimus the same way he heard one did a few days ago.
Whatever had killed Bumblebee was monstrous and bloodthirsty considering the damage inflicted.
"What's a Terrorcon?" Contrail asked a few minutes later. "Some kind of elite Decepticon assassin?" Contrail asked in a tone that suggested he wanted to know when it came down to it.
He seemed to be dealing with it in his way and yet? He was quiet. Contrail and the word quiet were something else at the moment.
He was too interested in it at the end of the day, knowing what was happening next before he relaxed once more. He clicked his gears and thought of what was happening next.
Perhaps it was honestly something that needed to be dealt with for now as he clicked his fingers. He was honestly throwing himself to the side with interest.
"Servants of Unicron… A dark god." Contrail heard as he sighed to himself before he relaxed.
Airazor looked at him, she could not read the body language of a Cybertronian while they were in this state. However? She could guess what was growing on his mind.
He was silent perhaps because his comrade had died, died in battle… But died all the same before he relaxed for now, knowing what was growing on his mind, he had to end it for now.
He was not going to be dealing with it for now as he paused to let it all sink in one way or another way of it.
She had seen several warriors… Many warriors had a similar look on their faces. It was like her commander when he had decided to hold off the rest of the enemies.
To be fair? The idea that she had been able to think of it now was… Odd. She didn't know what to tell him or Optimus to ease the pain, the death of Apelinq was something that had hurt Optimal until they had lost him.
"You've been on Earth a long time? You sure seem to know where you're going." Contrail stated before he paused.
"Centuries," Airazor stated before she sighed. "And even then? I prayed they would not find the key…" Airazor stated.
"Well, this plan is going to take a while," Contrail said. "You really should see a mechanic, Stratosphere. You do need to fix those dents up." Contrail said.
"And you need to be less chatty, lad. You never talk for a long damn time then you never shut up." Stratosphere stated before he sighed to himself.
Airazor chuckled to herself, knowing that he was amused more than anything. She could see the group had been relaxed at the moment, fighting on the frontlines of battle.
"And you never get to do a damn thing, old man. Your 2 centuries older than me… At all, at anything when it comes down to it, I don't want to hear it." Contrail stated before he seemed to think.
"Frag ya, lad," Stratosphere stated before he relaxed. "Frag you," Stratosphere stated before he sighed to himself.
He had been in so many damn fights for now that it had almost baffled him. Yet? Contrail had always been like that and the damn annoying little idiot was a damn good flier for now as he paused to think of what their move was going.
Contrail was interested in what was going on, he was figuring out what was growing on what was happening for now.
Contrail was silent, knowing that speaking would only cause more problems and there was little to say as Stratosphere accelerated ahead.
Contrail and Airazor looked at each other. The two were silent, knowing what the future would bring and it was clear that another battle awaited their group, it was in the very blasted air itself.
"I am going to take a wild guess and say these Terrorcons are as dangerous as all of us combined at the same time?" Contrail asked.
"They are… Optimus has told me they remind him of the Decepticons… I know of them… But I have seen one shatter under my talons, they are less dangerous, however." Airazor stated.
"I doubt that very much, Lady," Contrail stated.
"The Decepticons are not exactly the most pleasant bunch… Not from what Bumblebee transmitted after we showed up." Stratosphere stated.
"Exactly," Contrail stated. "If these guys are worse than the Decepticons? Why is there still a city standing where we landed? The cons wouldn't even leave a building upright unless they needed it." Contrail stated.
It wasn't a lie and she knew it. The one Decepticon she had disposed of… She had known their kind; they were just as dangerous as the Predacons as well.
Still? The soldiers they had to fight would be something new. There was always going to be another fight ahead, knowing what was growing in the mind… All of it was hard enough to figure it out.
She also knew there were a few more Maximals, she had sent word to Air Hammer… There was something else to try and figure out what was growing on his mind before he paused to let it all end.
(1 hour later)
It was clear that their group could pass over the ocean, knowing what was going on… All of it would be for little… And even then? He would be something for now, something he could not allow to have happened, knowing what would be happening.
The second they passed into Peru? He knew they would have to land, not only was he better as air support? His American form would easily give him away. To be fair? He was a soldier either way.
"You know neither of us will be able to try and find this key while it's somewhere in a temple," Contrail stated. "No offense… He is too big, you uh… Stand out too much, and I look like a damn plane from the States." Contrail stated.
"I was not planning to retrieve the key," Airazor stated. "It is not my call to make. I will grasp the key in due time, my worry comes down to the Terrorcons and their allies." Airazor stated.
"Allies? These guys have friends?" Contrail asked, swerving closer.
"We have seen those drones before… They belong to a Predacon called Scroponok…. We think their master might have loaned them to him before the deal went sour." Airazor stated.
There was some silence, a measure of peace which he was growing on the mind. He had not the desire to deal with it, for now, growing more and more impatient.
He was unable to figure it all out either way. There were more soldiers there either way. He wouldn't be able to think much less act.
Part of him knew the next of mind would be harder to figure out what was growing on his mind.
"So, their boss has more tricks up his sleeve, that's what I'm guessing?" Contrail asked.
"Scourge will not rest until he has the key which means he will not rest at all, so yes," Airazor stated with a sigh.
She knew damned well what awaited them at the end of the day, logically would come from it all. There was such a desire to even the odds either damned way.
He was growing evermore tired, even a little and he knew it, he knew more and more at the moment, not at all growing for now and for good reason when all was over.
The group slowly broke through the clouds, an hour or so left at this rate even if they were to have been speeding ahead.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter is delayed; the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words. it will show more of the group landing in Peru and set up a few changes… This is not shot-for-shot Rise of the Beasts. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!