Author's note: I live! Just been bouncing through fandoms again. (Also, this chapter is the third draft.)
Project Abominus
Starscream wanted it known that he had objected to bringing more beasts aboard. Windrazor had listened to him only because Starscream's superior flying skills had let him out maneuver and shoot the flying Predacon.
The rest … well, the two headed one with wings was constantly challenging Predaking for control of the pack anytime they were out of stasis. The rest enjoyed mauling anyone who got too close when they were out of stasis. Shockwave himself had been to Knockout for repairs at one point.
"Master, these beasts are throwing off the Omega Lock schedule!" Starscream informed Megatron, who was scowling as yet another Vehicon was hurried to Knockout after getting too close to the Predacons.
"I agree, let's see what Shockwave has to say for himself." Megatron led the way. "You've been busy, Shockwave, what progress have you made with the Predacons?"
"They are resistant to regular reprogramming and the cortical psychic patch. However, their sparks are far more vulnerable, and their need for a pack is apparently part of a base programming." Shockwave pulled up the scans. "It was not difficult to manipulate that to form a familiar weapon." The scans of each Predacon flashed on the screen before shifting and joining into a larger transformer.
"You made them into a combiner?!" Starscream screeched.
"All except Predaking, he is too useful as a singular datapoint for such experimentation." Shockwave explained.
"All combiners have proven to be slow and unintelligent! Prone to falling apart when their parts have an argument!" Starscream pointed out.
"I calculated for that. As I mentioned before, the desire for a pack is a base programming, meaning that it will override any disputes in the face of a hunt."
"And what of your other project, the one you did not clear with me." Megatron asked.
Starscream perked up. That tone meant Shockwave was going to be in trouble.
"Due to the current instability and exclusion of Predaking, I felt we needed an enforcer. The tail of this Predacon will temporarily paralyze its victim." Shockwave explained.
"And the odds of this one being loyal to us are, what exactly?" Starscream could see so many problems with this. Just because the Predacons felt a loyalty to a pack, did not mean they would count the Decepticons as part of that pack, the ones now a gestalt were aware Megatron and Predaking were strong enough to fight them and (mostly) respected that, but not enough to not maul Vehicons and Seekers.
Shockwave had to know emotions were unpredictable by now, even if one could calculate which emotion someone defaulted to in a certain situation, that didn't mean he calculated correctly.
Especially since he always defaulted to logic when things went wrong.
"I have strengthened the loyalty programming. Betrayal will never cross its mind." Shockwave studied the tube. "That said, the specimen won't be ready until after the Omega Lock is completed. I cannot speed the growth as I once did."
"Then let's throw Predaking a bone in this situation." Megatron chuckled.
Medical Bay, Nemesis
"It's not that I don't mind patching you up, but shouldn't you let yourself heal a bit before fighting that pack of yours?" Knockout sighed. He was in danger of getting mauled and his paint job scratched, again.
"They don't acknowledge me as anything but an obstacle. I must show them I am capable." Predaking growled despite being in his mech form.
"You could do that by being cunning instead of being a brute." Knockout informed him. If Predaking was a Vehicon he'd have reason to use him for spare parts at this point.
"Explain."
"Do you think Lord Megatron is the leader of the Decepticons solely because he can fight better? Hardly. He's got the cunning to go with the brawn, he plans his battles." Knockout pointed out.
"Thank you for the compliment, Knockout." Megatron entered, Soundwave behind him, and Knockout thought his spark was going to leave his chassis. "I take it the last battle didn't go well?"
"Hunn-Gurr is determined to be leader, no matter how many times I defeat him." Predaking growled. "He's gotten Blight to help him."
"You need a lieutenant and enforcer. Shockwave was able to scavenge through the remains of his lab for remaining CNA, and has already begun creating one. Regrettably, it will be some time before they are ready, he cannot safely accelerate the growth as before."
"How long?" Predaking demanded, nearly knocking Knockout over.
Knockout didn't say anything, but he was tempted to make the welding process hurt.
"Shockwave believes they will be finished just after the Omega lock is finished. That is of course, barring any unexpected delays. That said, I have a mission for you and your pack. We require a distraction to gain materials for the omega lock's completion. As soon as you're patched up, come to the bridge."
"Of course." Predaking agreed and Megatron left with a short nod, Soundwave following him. "Finally, things are going our way. After a battle they are sure to listen to me."
"Only if it's successful." Knockout noticed the glare. "Just speaking from experience, I've seen a lot of unit commanders lose control over their units due to mission failures." He finished up the patch job. "It's not that I doubt you, I just prefer considering all possibilities."
"… I will not fail." Predaking declared as he left.
Knockout sighed and went to help the next Vehicon who was brought in.
Davis Dam, Lake Mohave, Nevada
From Soundwave's analysis, humans were defensive about their various power stations, especially the ones they claimed were natural resources.
Destroying one of these stations would be a distraction for the humans and the autobots as the Decepticons raided another location for the items needed.
Unfortunately for Predaking, that was the extent of the other Predacons listening to him.
"Autobot Groundbridge incoming." A Vehicon alerted him.
Predaking turned to see who was coming through, and Hunn-Gurr blasted him in the back the moment his back was turned.
It didn't kill him, but it did knock him down.
Predaking snarled, done with the insubordination and transformed to launch himself at Hunn-Gurr.
The other Predacons obeyed his commands heading towards the dam.
Their roars were echoed by the arrival of Predacons who had joined the Autobots.
Predaking couldn't waste time on that. Hunn-Gurr had challenged him for the last time.
The two roared and clawed at each other, completely ignoring the battle.
Predaking got his jaws around one of Hunn-Gurr's necks, but as he clamped down he realized that left him vulnerable to the second head.
He didn't let go, determined to get the other to submit.
Predaking was not expecting Ripclaw to arrive, jaws clamping on the other neck and shaking his head side to side.
Hunn-Gurr shrieked, and in a move that was more desperation than plan, writhed in such a way that Ripclaw was slammed into Predking and shocking both into letting go.
Ripclaw snapped at Predaking, before dodging a fireball.
"To me, Predacons!" Hunn-Gurr shrieked.
Predaking wasn't the only one stunned by the fact the other Predacons suddenly combined.
"Abominus shall crush all!" The combiner announced.
"Predaking, retreat, Abominus will take over from here." Shockwave ordered.
Ripclaw howled and his pack formed up behind him for a moment before lunging forward to battle. A large plane flew over head, transforming into a large transformer equal to Abominus's size.
Predaking fell through a ground bridge into the medical bay of the Nemesis.
Knockout was there, and immediately began working on him.
"Your wings are mostly undamaged. Looks like they were going for the lines." Knockout diagnosed. "I'll get you patched up. Again. What did you do, turn your back on the problem pred?"
Predaking looked away.
"You did, didn't you?" Knockout began patching him up. "At least you survived. That's more than I can say for some."
Predaking took advantage of the fact Knockout didn't expect him to talk to think. Ripclaw's pack had rallied behind him. He had no fear of them attacking him.
That was what Predaking wanted. And what he wasn't going to get with the pack he had.
Ripclaw had saved him from being attacked, but hadn't acknowledged him at all, save for a snap when he had been too close.
By the time he was patched up, the decepticons had returned with only half their objective due to the rest of the Autobots interfering, and his pack mates had been brought back and shoved into stasis pods. Predaking barely listened to the discussion of the new Autobot, a shuttle that apparently shouldn't exist.
"They were all wiped out on the Autobot side! We made sure of that!" Starscream screeched.
"Mm, not quite, there's that Omega Supreme fellow, though he's yellow." Knockout noted.
"What?" Predaking looked at him for a moment in confusion while the others decided to ignore the comment in favor of figuring out the shuttle's identity. Soundwave was looking up expeditions listed in the Iacon database.
"We're talking a garish shade of how-have-you-not-been-shot-down-yet-yellow, it's ridiculous that he hasn't been shot down." Knockout explained when he noticed the look. "And somehow he still managed to get behind our lines to rescue Autobots. So did Bumblebee, now that I think on it."
"I see."
"Mm, and in other news, Predaking had some of Ripclaw's paint and mesh on him. Initial analysis shows some similarities to the unstable cyber matter, I sent everything to Shockwave's lab." Knockout announced, interrupting Starscream.
"How was his mental state?" Shockwave asked.
"His pack follows him without question, so clearly within acceptable limits." Predaking growled.
"He did come to your aid, perhaps his feelings are more in your favor." Megatron noted.
"Unknown. He was focused on attack. He may have simply decided to take advantage of Hunn-Gurr's distraction." Predaking admitted. Next to him, Knockout shifted slightly.
"Who cares! The Autobots are gaining more numbers! What's next, that ridiculous Ark coming to earth?!" Starscream asked. "Or some random stragglers?"
"Relax, Starscream, we can narrow down how many autobots are left. Dreadwing left a list of the bots he killed." Knockout pointed out.
An error message popped up on screen.
"It seems Dreadwing deleted all his reports and those of his brother." Megatron observed. "Soundwave?"
Soundwave responded by pulling up a corrupted file.
"He left a program to corrupt any file with his name. Soundwave is unable to restore the files erased until the program is dealt with." Shockwave noted. "A tactic we used back on Cybertron to erase names of those unjustly detained. It will take time to remove the program."
"As long as his name isn't mentioned in a report, it's not a high priority. Let's refocus on our next target." Megatron regained control of the meeting.
Predaking left it with a sense of foreboding. The pack was in stasis until Shockwave could patch them up, the newest member of the pack was yet to emerge and yet… Predaking felt like he was in danger.
He transformed and headed to his perch outside the Nemesis.
Whoever Dreadwing was, he had left the decepticons angry. Predaking was loyal, but if there wasn't a new pack member on the way, he would have left to find Ripclaw despite the Autobots.
End Note: Autobots are gaining numbers, meaning it's going to be harder for the Decepticons to divide and conquer.
I also went scrounging through some of the trivia for the show, so decepticons and autobots might get a couple more friends each.
Next Chapter, Dr. Keen begins her interviews with the kids and a few giant robots, Ratchet and Wheeljack with Skyfire's assistance make a breakthrough on the Synth En and Fig says no to a superior that he probably shouldn't have.