The Predacons slept on the street outside the residence. After so much arguing and fighting, they balled up and set their chins upon each other's necks and backs.
This is how it must remain, Predaking thought, sweeping his tail around Darksteel's back.
A white streetlight burned calmly over them, but the night was cold and lulled them into a deep sleep. At dawn, a sea of marching feet roused the Predacons as the Vehicons walked outside. Bleary-eyed, the Predacons watched them pass. Once the loud machines rumbled to life and metal began to clang, the weary Predacons had no choice but to rise and stretch.
Predaking's body ached terribly and he debated if he should carry less than yesterday. After he transformed, he touched the patch over his eye and wondered how well it was healing.
What if my sight is not fully restored? Predaking thought. A flicker of anger made his body tense. The idea of ripping Starscream apart still enticed him although it also disgusted him.
He is gone now. Predaking checked Starscream's location, which felt quite distant. My optic will heal. Forget him.
The Predacons thumped along to the heart of the construction site, widening their eyes when they spotted the round green Autobot and the white one with twin swords on his back. The green Autobot had a tablet in his hands and was showing the screen to a group of Vehicons, explaining something to them. His companion stood wordless at his side, gazing harshly at all the Vehicons as though daring them to attack.
Darksteel mumbled, "Those Vehicons could take them out if they wanted to, and I don't see why they don't. There's only two Autobots and they don't have any special weapons on them."
The white Autobot hadn't heard him, but he watched the Predacons with equal suspicion.
They surely have no functioning communication or ground bridge systems since the warship's crash, Predaking thought. They are quite vulnerable.
Ignoring the Autobots, the Predacons began to work with the Vehicons. When Predaking saw Skylynx and Darksteel pick up lighter loads, he gratefully carried lighter ones as well. After repeatedly climbing up and down a certain building, Predaking halted at the top when the wind carried a chopping noise to him. He turned his head to a flying green vehicle circling the city's ruins.
"Decepticon? Or Autobot?" Predaking asked.
A cluster of Vehicons looked with him.
"Can't tell," a Vehicon murmured.
The flier departed. Neither the Predacons nor the Vehicons reported the sighting to the Autobots. Later, the sound of multiple chopping blades disturbed the air. Vehicons froze behind the controls of their construction vehicles. A storm of rolling wheels and tank treads came next. Immediately, Vehicons dove for cover within the buildings under construction. Some faces peeked out, but then ducked back in.
Heavily armored copters, tanks, trucks, and other four-wheeled vehicles burst onto the construction site. The Predacons bared their teeth and set their loads onto the ground.
"Let's shred 'em!" Darksteel cried.
The green Autobot and his comrade rushed between the Predacons and the army.
"Whoa, whoa!" the green Autobot exclaimed at Darksteel. "No you don't!"
The army rolled to a halt and the fliers hovered in place. Predaking scowled at the Autobot symbols marking them. Then, every bot transformed.
The green copterbot landed on his feet and lifted his chin. "Everything alright here?"
Both the green and the white Autobot flashed grins.
"Alright here!" the round green Autobot exclaimed. "And better now that you're here!"
The green copterbot strode forward and shook their hands. "Bulkhead, Wheeljack! It's been a while. It's good to see that you've managed to survive after all this time!"
"Same to you," Wheeljack, so he was called, replied.
"Your comrades back at the Well warned us about the Predacons." The copterbot snapped his eyes to Predaking, Darksteel, and Skylynx. "They haven't given you any trouble, have they?"
"None, since we joined sides," Bulkhead answered. "They're here to help."
"May I approach them?"
Predaking scrunched his brows upon hearing the question and Bulkhead's response.
"Uhh, yeah. They shouldn't bite."
The army of Autobots shuffled up behind the copterbot as he approached the Predacons. Every bot bore their blasters, and although they weren't pointed at the Predacons, Predaking huffed at their presence.
"My name is Springer, second-in-command of the Wreckers," he introduced himself. "We are a team of Autobots who were entrusted with defending Cybertron in the absence of Optimus Prime."
"Did you… hear the news?" Bulkhead asked quietly.
"We did," Springer sighed. "We arrived at the Nemesis, apparently just after you had left. We were filled in on everything that happened. While we grieve in our sparks, we cannot get distracted now. Megatron may have renounced his cause and deemed that the Decepticons are done for, but we have no assurance that will be the case. We'll help you search for 'Cons and rebuild."
Predaking clarified, "We are not aligned with the Decepticons, though they created us. We will also provide aid with the construction effort."
A blue copterbot with a single yellow eye called out, "But you fought for them, didn't you? And ate some Autobots!"
Springer spun around. "Start nothing, Whirl!"
"Heheh, eating Autobots? That's a funny idea," Darksteel chuckled.
"Well you are Predacons," Whirl growled. "It's in the name, so why should I trust you?"
"Nah, these three never ate anyone," Wheeljack confirmed. "They caused us trouble before but hopefully that's the end of it."
Springer put his hand over Whirl's eye, which constituted his whole face. He then asked the Predacons, "What are you called?"
"I am Predaking." He swelled his chest and frowned at Springer.
"Skylynx."
"Darksteel."
"Welcome to the Autobots. We look forward to working with you."
"We are not Autobots," Predaking growled. "Consider our faction as the Predacons and nothing more."
"Alright, as you wish." Springer shrugged and turned to Bulkhead. "Now, tell us how the Wreckers can assist you here. Our fastest fliers are already out hunting for Megatron, Starscream, Shockwave, and other 'Cons across Cybertron."
"We're really glad to have your help," Bulkhead exhaled.
"We had other trouble with the Forged, so sorry we were late meeting up. We had no communication system either—too low on fuel to power anything. We're just as glad to have you and all the energon you brought back to Cybertron!"
Predaking registered some Vehicon whispers. Turning his head, he noticed orange-eyed faces peeking out from the building.
"Aight, you can all stop hidin' and starin'!" Wheeljack waved at them. "No one's gonna shoot you. You can get back to what you were doin'!"
The Vehicons crawled back to work while the Autobots spoke more. Leaving to follow the Vehicons, the Predacons listened to their whispers.
"What did he mean, Megatron renounced the cause? "
"Are the Decepticons done for? "
Work continued with the Wreckers dispersing and governing the Vehicons. While the Autobots did some heavy lifting, their suspicious eyes and broad-chested bodies intimidated the Vehicons into bowing their heads.
One of the jet Vehicons snuck off and flew out of Iacon, his engine heard by some of the Wreckers. Springer shouted at Bulkhead and Wheeljack, "One of your workers just fled the scene! And I don't think we can catch it!"
Skylynx called, "He's what they call a 'newcarrier'! I believe he is just spreading information."
"To other Decepticons?" Springer growled.
"Well, maybe it's for the best," Bulkhead said. "We want them all to hear about what happened to Megatron, don't we?"
"They might not believe it without proof," Springer replied.
Nothing could be done, so they continued construction work but with extra surveillance over the remaining Vehicons. Springer commanded Whirl to watch from the air to discourage others from leaving. All this was forgotten when evening came and a massive boom drowned out the racket of construction. The Predacons and Autobots rushed to higher levels to investigate while the Vehicons hid once again.
An unmarked grey spaceship with black windows dropped below the clouds and sailed toward Iacon. Autobots drew their blasters and remained still until the spaceship landed at the edge of the city.
"Friend or foe—what do you think?" Springer called.
"I think friend!" Bulkhead shouted. "Arcee and Smokescreen must've sent them here from the Hydrax Plateau!"
Darksteel murmured, "I kind of want to see this. Especially if it's actually a bunch of Decepticons and a fight'll break out!"
Most of the Wreckers headed toward the spaceship with Bulkhead and Wheeljack. Transforming, the Predacons flew toward the vessel but landed among the ruins to watch the interaction. Already, a staircase had lowered from the spaceship and a single lanky, white and blue copterbot stood waiting at the bottom of it.
Hearing wing flaps, the lone bot spun and saw the Predacons land. He covered his mouth, or the vented mask where his mouth would have been, with an unusually long forearm. The bot gasped loudly and his round yellow eyes froze on them.
As the Wreckers arrived, Predaking wondered if Decepticons would pour out from the large ship and attack them. Predaking couldn't spot any insignia on the bot to determine whose side he was really on. However, the spaceship seemed large enough to carry many more Cybertronians.
Wheeljack transformed with the other Autobots. He groaned, "Oh, it's you."
"Oh joy, a bigger welcome party than the last!" The copterbot threw open his arms. "Now tell me, you see them too, right?"
He pointed his long arm in the direction of the Predacons.
Wheeljack drawled, "Yes, Froid, those are our new supposed Predacon allies. They can transform and talk too. Try not to freak out."
Froid jolted. "Really now? Were they created by Shockwave?"
"Yep."
Bulkhead said, "So, you know him, Jackie?"
Springer said, "I know him too. Froid was the psychiatrist of the Wreckers after you left."
"'Xcept we didn't need no psychiatrist," Wheeljack growled. "So he just sat around drinking up our energon until Magnus kicked him out."
Froid's arms fell and his eyes narrowed. "Well dear, not everyone's forged to be a rough brute! And yes, I remember you too. Is anyone going to be friendly to me today?"
"Where'd you get this ship?" Wheeljack questioned. "You got anyone else onboard?"
"No one else, and your comrades already checked."
"Well maybe we wanna check again."
Froid stalked away from the stairs, spreading his arms and raising his chin. "Go for it! Just be quick. I'm exhausted and looking for a place to settle down. Do you have any houses yet? I'm looking to re-establish my office for bots that will actually appreciate what I do."
"You'll get an apartment and be happy with it," Wheeljack uttered.
Bulkhead patted the air with his hands. "Don't you think you're being a bit too harsh, Jackie? Maybe it's just your nerves. He's not a Decepticon, you see?"
"Hard to be sure. Froid's never killed a Decepticon, so it's a little suspicious."
"With these arms and my condition? I couldn't harm a zap-mouse," Froid replied. "And no, I'll need a house . I'm not setting up my office in an apartment. Imagine! No, no. I want to be accessible from the street, easy to reach, you see?"
Springer sighed and shook his head. "Froid's not a threat. There are bots who can benefit from his therapy too. I say just give him what he wants and use his ship to travel until the Nemesis is fixed."
Wheeljack marched into Froid's ship with a drawn blaster, followed by Whirl who spat, "I don't trust long-arms here either! I tried his therapy thing and it didn't even work for me!"
Froid called after him, "Darling, you have to come more than once for it to work!"
Froid impatiently tapped his foot while waiting. A soft crunch came behind the Predacons with a clang of a rolling pipe. Predaking glanced back to find two curious Vehicons.
"Autobots are returning already," one of them said.
The Predacons transformed to speak.
"So, there are more Autobots in space?" Skylynx asked.
"Probably many more," the other Vehicon replied. "There were battles on other planets, but we don't know who won. So either a lot of Autobots will come home, or Decepticons, or both. Since Optimus sent out a message calling Autobots home, we'll see them come first."
When the Autobots finished checking the ship, Wheeljack, Whirl, and a few others quietly came out. For a few moments, they were wide-eyed and shaky, enough to prompt Springer to ask, "What is it?"
The Autobots' faces returned to normal.
"We didn't see anything," Wheeljack reported. "The place was full of arts n' crafts though."
"Of?"
"Blue flowers."
"Is that it?" Springer asked. "Then why did you look disturbed?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Whirl?" Springer said.
"I didn't see anything," he replied.
"I'm just going to take a look for myself…" Springer decided.
He walked inside; the Predacons watched. When Springer exited, first his eyes were huge, before they returned to a normal size.
"There is nothing dangerous within Froid's ship," Springer reported. "And no one else."
"I told you," Froid stressed.
"There are no houses I can give you right now," Bulkhead told him. "We can get started on some though, since we'll need them anyway for larger Cybertronians…"
Bulkhead glanced at the Predacons.
"So we'll move your stuff into an apartment for now, alright, Froid?"
Froid nodded, then he stalked into the city with the Wreckers carrying his personal possessions for him.