CHAPTER 3: FIRST TASTE OF DANGER
When Jeopardy came to, the first thing he heard was frantic, heaving breaths beside him. His vision slowly adjusted to the dim, windowless room, thick with stale air. The dull ache in his wrists confirmed he was shackled, his arms pulled uncomfortably above his head, his body hanging slightly off the ground. He glanced around, spotting Hermit and Impulse similarly bound by chains connected to the ceiling. But it was the sight to his right that concerned him the most.
Stormsurge, her face contorted with panic, was desperately struggling to pull her hands free from the shackles. Tears streamed down her face as she thrashed against the restraints, her sobs echoing in the otherwise silent room.
"No, please, Primus no, not again, DON'T DO THIS TO ME AGAIN!" she cried, her voice trembling as she fought against the cold metal.
"Again?" he asked softly, his voice still weak. Stormsurge froze, her tear-filled optics locking onto him, as if suddenly realizing she was no longer alone in her suffering. But instead of calming down, her breathing grew more erratic, hyperventilating as she tugged harder at the chains, the metal biting into her wrists.
"Storm, you're going to hurt yourself. Stop struggling," Jeopardy urged gently, trying to sound reassuring. But she wouldn't listen, her desperation mounting with each passing second. With each time she tried to pull her hands through the shackles, the further they dug into her skin.
"Storm, stop! You're only going to make it worse," he called, his voice sharper this time, and it worked. She looked at him, her optics wide and filled with terror.
"Jeopardy..." she said, her voice shaking, barely more than a whisper.
"Storm, it's going to be alright. We're going to get out of this. I promise."
"But... but..." she stammered, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
"What's important right now is that you don't panic," Jeopardy continued, keeping his tone calm. "You're only going to hurt yourself more."
Stormsurge's breathing hitched as she felt the small, glistening streak of energon from her now cut wrists, down her arms to her shoulders. Tears welled up again, and she began to sob, overwhelmed by fear and pain.
"Storm, don't," Jeopardy urged softly. "Look at me. Just look at me. Don't think about the chains. Don't think about the cuts. Focus on me. We are going to be fine."
Her optics darted between him and her shackles, her fear still bubbling just below the surface. "How do you know?!" she yelled, her voice breaking through her tears.
But before Jeopardy could answer, the door to the room slid open with a hiss, flooding the space with harsh light.
The silhouette of a figure stood in the doorway, framed by the light. "Oh, Primus, are you actually crying?" a cold, feminine voice mocked. The figure stepped into the room, revealing herself: Flamewar. She twirled an electric prod in her hand, her expression one of pure amusement.
"This is too good. I didn't even have to try this time," Flamewar sneered, her optics locking onto Stormsurge. She approached with slow, deliberate steps, her free hand reaching out to cup Stormsurge's chin. "Oh, is this your first time being interrogated?" she asked in a mockingly sweet tone, the kind one would use on a frightened child. "First time doing anything? You look brand new... but not for long." Her voice dropped into a darker tone, laced with sadistic intent.
Flamewar's attention shifted to Jeopardy. "And you, taking on my Vehicons by yourself," she said, walking over to him. "You have to be the dumbest bot I've ever come across." She chuckled, clearly pleased with herself.
Her optics scanned the room, noticing Hermit Crab and Impulse still unconscious. "Oh, looks like some of you are deep sleepers," she mused, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She ignited the electric prod, the sharp crackle filling the air. "Let's fix that."
With a quick jab, she slammed the prod into Impulse, who screamed as the electricity coursed through him. Flamewar didn't waste time, driving the prod into Hermit as well. "AHGHGH- OH FRAG!" Hermit yelled, jerking against his chains.
"Oh frag is right, my vertically challenged friend," Flamewar taunted, sneering down at him.
Impulse, despite the shock, let out a wheezing laugh. "Hah, she just called you short."
Ignoring Impulse, Flamewar held up the electric prod, pacing in front of them as if savoring the moment. "I'll make this simple for you four..." She pointed the sparking prod in their direction, her expression turning deadly serious. "Where. Is. Optimus Prime?"
"Let's start with you," Flamewar said, her voice dripping with malice as she stepped back toward Stormsurge. The clinking of the chain echoed as Flamewar shook it, watching Stormsurge struggle in her restraints. "Oh, are you uncomfortable? How would you like to get out of these chains?" she taunted, pulling the chain tight for emphasis. "Just tell me what I want to know, and I'll let you out early."
"Storm, don't listen to her, she's—" Jeopardy tried to warn, but Flamewar whipped around and stabbed him with the electric prod mid-sentence.
"I wasn't talking to you yet!" she snapped, the electric crackle filling the room as Jeopardy's body convulsed from the shock, his scream biting at the edges of the dimly lit space.
Stormsurge's optics widened in horror, watching Jeopardy writhe in pain. Flamewar, noticing her reaction, smiled wickedly and leaned in close. "You see that? That could be you. But you don't want that, do you?" she cooed, her voice full of venom. "Just tell me where your leader is, and you get to go free."
Stormsurge shook her head, her voice trembling. "W-what about them?"
Flamewar chuckled coldly. "Depends on how good they behave." She raised the sparking prongs of the prod to Stormsurge's face, the faint crackle of electricity close enough to prick her cheek. "So... got something you want to tell me?"
"I-I don't know anything..." Stormsurge stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, her body shaking from fear.
Flamewar's optics narrowed, her smile fading. "Hmm, I didn't know fear could make you stupid." She didn't give Stormsurge time to respond before jamming the electric prod into her neck.
Stormsurge screamed, her body jolting violently as the current coursed through her circuits. "I REALLY DON'T KNOW!" she cried out, her voice strained from the pain.
Flamewar leaned in, the cruel gleam in her optics unwavering. "Try again."
"NO, PLEASE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!" Stormsurge sobbed, her words desperate and broken, her body trembling from the shock.
"Are you sure?" Flamewar hissed, readying the prod for another strike.
"SHE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING, YOU CRAZY GLITCH!" Jeopardy yelled, his voice hoarse but furious. His words made Flamewar pause, her gaze shifting to him with a cold, predatory smile. Slowly, she pulled the prod away from Stormsurge, letting her slump against the chains, sobbing uncontrollably.
Flamewar approached Jeopardy with a quiet, deliberate pace, her optics gleaming with dark amusement. She stopped right in front of him, leaning down until her face was inches from his, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "That wasn't very smart."
Jeopardy's spark raced, but he didn't break optic contact. "We don't know anything," he repeated, his voice filled with as much defiance as he could muster.
Flamewar's grin returned, the same sadistic smile she had given Stormsurge. "Wrong answer," she purred, before jabbing the electric prod into Jeopardy's side. The jolt hit him hard, his body jerking violently as pain shot through every part of him.
His vision blurred, the room spinning as he struggled against the chains, every nerve in his body screaming. The pain was unbearable, his systems threatening to shut down under the strain, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of hearing him beg.
As Jeopardy's body hung limp in the aftermath of the shock, Flamewar stepped back, letting the silence settle over the room. The only sound left was the quiet sobbing of Stormsurge and the labored breathing of the others.
"Alright, let's try this again," Flamewar muttered as she stalked over to Impulse. She twirled the electric prod in her hand with a menacing gleam in her optics. "Hey, big guy, you know anything?" she asked, her tone dangerously sweet.
Impulse grinned, unphased by the situation. "Come closer, and I'll tell you," he said, his voice low as if he was about to share something important.
Flamewar raised an optic ridge but obliged, leaning in slightly. "Looks like one of you has their head screwed on right," she said, expecting useful information for once.
Impulse leaned in as well, lowering his voice. "He's sleeping with Megatron," he whispered conspiratorially, before immediately bursting into laughter at his own 'joke.'
Flamewar's face twisted in disgust and anger. Without hesitation, she jabbed the electric prod into his side, sending a sharp jolt of energy through his circuits. But unlike the others, Impulse's reaction was more of a wince than a cry of pain. He gritted his teeth and let out an exaggerated grunt, though the shock clearly didn't faze him much.
"Do any of you actually know anything?!" Flamewar yelled, her voice full of frustration.
"Oh yeah, I have no fragging clue where Optimus is," Impulse admitted, still grinning through the shock. "But the look on your face was priceless. Totally worth the pain. Speaking of faces, by Primus, yours is a sight to behold."
Flamewar paused, taken aback by the sudden change in tone. "Excuse me?"
Impulse's grin widened. "You got a name, sexy?"
Hermit, hanging beside him, was completely flabbergasted. "Impulse, are you hitting on a Decepticon?!"
Impulse shrugged as much as his chains allowed. "Hey, when given the chance, I'm gonna shoot my shot."
Flamewar blinked in disbelief before shaking her head. "You know what? I take it back. This one is the dumbest." She raised the prod and stabbed him again, but Impulse's bravado never wavered.
"I'll give you four some alone time," she said, voice dripping with disdain as she turned away. "After that... I might just put you out of your misery."
With that, she strode out of the room, leaving the group in darkness, save for the faint flicker of broken lighting overhead. The air hung thick with tension, the dim room filled only with the sound of their labored breathing.
Impulse groaned, though he was still grinning. "You guys see that? Totally nailed it."
Hermit, exhausted and unimpressed, sighed. "You're going to get us all killed."
"Impulse, WHY?!" Jeopardy exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.
Impulse shrugged as if the answer were obvious. "She's hot."
The others stared at him, incredulous, even Stormsurge momentarily pulled out of her terror, stunned by his audacity. They waited, clearly expecting some kind of explanation that made sense.
Impulse, oblivious, just grinned. "Her name is literally FLAMEwar. What's so bad about that?"
"Are you serious?" Jeopardy asked, exasperated.
Stormsurge, her panic momentarily overtaken by frustration, snapped, "Impulse, if I'm going to die, I do NOT want the last thing I hear to be your attempts at flirting!"
"Attempts?!" Impulse protested, completely unfazed. "I will have you know I was pulling femmes left and right back in Praxus."
"THIS IS NOT PRAXUS, THIS IS A WARSHIP!" Jeopardy yelled, his voice echoing off the cold metal walls.
Impulse, still grinning, waved them off. "Look, all I'm saying is, she could come around. With my natural charisma, I'll seduce her right into my lap, swipe the key, and we'll be smooth sailing in no time. No one can resist my roguish charm."
Jeopardy rolled his optics. "Does anyone have an actual plan?"
"I'm working on it," Hermit muttered, shifting his arm in the cuff. He managed to push he hand over the cuff, giving him enough room to transform his hand into a welder, allowing him to slip through the shackle. In a few seconds, he freed himself and Impulse.
"Alright, let's go HERMIT!" Impulse cheered as Hermit freed him. Impulse immediately ripped open Jeopardy's cuffs with ease.
Jeopardy quickly moved to Stormsurge, carefully lifting her and freeing her from the chains. He set her gently on the ground, but her body was trembling, still shaking from the fear and the pain she had endured.
"Told you we'd get out of this," Jeopardy said softly, his voice filled with a quiet reassurance.
Stormsurge didn't respond verbally. Instead, she collapsed into a desperate, tight hug around his abdomen, clutching onto him as if he was her only tether to safety. Jeopardy froze, momentarily taken aback, his arms hanging awkwardly in the air before he slowly wrapped them around her, returning the embrace.
"Oh, uh, um, ok, guess we're doing this now," Jeopardy said awkwardly, trying his best to comfort her.
Impulse piped up with a grin. "There room for a group hug here?"
"Not now, Impulse," Jeopardy replied firmly, giving him a pointed look.
Impulse shrugged again, unbothered. "Alright, but when you're ready, I'm here."
The door to the room slid open once again, revealing Flamewar, her menacing figure returning to continue the interrogation. Impulse acted with surprising speed. "I got this," he declared, charging straight at her.
Flamewar barely had time to react before Impulse slammed her into the wall with a heavy thud. He followed up with a powerful punch to her head, the impact knocking her out cold. She slumped in his grip, unconscious.
"She's probably fine," Impulse said nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just taken down a high-ranking Decepticon. Without missing a beat, he slung her limp form over his shoulder, carried her back into the interrogation room, and set her up in the chains she had so gleefully used on them earlier.
"Alright, let's go find our ship," Impulse declared, dusting off his hands. The group, now freed, quickly followed him out of the room, eager to escape the Decepticon warship.
As they navigated the dark, winding corridors of the warship, Impulse's enthusiasm led him to stop at a door labeled Armory. He grinned, clearly thrilled by the prospect of getting his hands on some heavy firepower. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up," he said with a gleam in his optics and a single goal in mind: grab the biggest gun he could find.
Inside the armory, Impulse helped himself to an assortment of explosives, tossing a few over his shoulder as if they were casual souvenirs. He then found guns for his companions, carefully selecting blasters that would suit Hermit, Jeopardy, and even Stormsurge. For himself, Impulse chose a massive minigun that hummed with raw firepower, its flame decals denoting its owner being Flamewar.
Satisfied with his haul, he rejoined the group, striding down the corridor with his new gear. "Alright, now we're ready for anything," Impulse said, slinging the minigun across his back with a grin.
As the group reached the hangar, they spotted several Vehicon drones guarding their ship. Impulse, without consulting the others, stepped confidently out of the hallway and walked toward the Vehicons with an air of nonchalance.
"Hey, dudes," he said casually. "Flamewar sent me from the bridge. She wanted me to take that ship to Megatron, tell him all the good news about how we just found Prime. So, just head back to the barracks, I can handle it from here."
The Vehicons stared at him, rifles slowly raising, clearly not buying it.
Impulse sighed dramatically. "The hard way, then? Fine with me." Without hesitation, he pulled out the massive minigun he had taken from the armory and unleashed a torrent of fire across the room. The hail of bullets tore through the Vehicons, reducing them to scrap in seconds.
As the last drone fell, the others ran out from cover, stunned by the carnage.
"How did that even work?" Hermit asked, bewildered.
Impulse shrugged. "Beats me. Come on, before they realize we left."
Without wasting another moment, the group sprinted to their ship. Stormsurge jumped into the pilot's seat, and with quick precision, she guided the ship up and out of the hangar, speeding into the black void of space.
"WOO, LET'S GO STORMSURGE!" Impulse cheered, clearly enjoying the thrill of their escape. But then, the sound of explosions rocked the ship, and it began to rattle violently as the Decepticon warship opened fire on them.
"Must go faster, MUST GO FASTER!" Hermit shouted, his voice rising in panic as he peered through the viewport at the incoming blasts.
"This doesn't go any faster!" Stormsurge yelled back, her hands gripping the controls tightly as she tried to maneuver through the barrage.
"What about that button?" Impulse asked, pointing to a mysterious button with a double-arrow pictograph.
"Impulse, wait, we don't—" Jeopardy started, but before he could finish, Impulse slammed his hand down on the button.
Suddenly, the ship lurched forward with incredible force, throwing everyone back as the transwarp drive activated. The ship rocketed through space, the stars turning into streaks of light as it accelerated beyond anything they'd expected.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Hermit yelled, clutching the nearest seat for dear life.
"I don't know!" Impulse groaned, pinned against the back wall by the sheer speed.
Stormsurge, fighting against the force of the acceleration, managed to reach the control panel and slam her hand onto the button again. The ship abruptly stopped, causing everyone to be flung forward violently. Impulse, in particular, was shot straight into the pilot's chair, colliding with it and then sliding off onto the floor in a heap.
"Ugh... worth it," he groaned, still sprawled on the ground as the others tried to catch their breath.
The cockpit fell silent for a moment, everyone recovering from the whiplash of their sudden escape.
"Let's... not do that again," Jeopardy muttered, pushing himself upright.
"Agreed," Stormsurge replied, shaking her head as she checked the ship's status.
"Hey, at least we're not getting shot at anymore," Impulse said, still lying on the floor, grinning despite the chaos he'd caused.
Hermit, glaring at Impulse, sighed heavily. "Primus help us all."
"What the hell was that?" Jeopardy demanded, glaring at Impulse, still sprawled on the floor.
"Whatever it was, it burned through a lot of our fuel," Stormsurge noted as she examined the control panel.
"This ship must have a transwarp drive," Hermit realized, his optics scanning the readings. "That's how we jumped so fast."
"Awesome!" Impulse cheered, still grinning despite the chaos. "So, what now?"
"Now," Hermit said firmly, "we find somewhere to land and get fuel."
"Like that?" Stormsurge asked, pointing out the viewport to the planet below them, its surface dotted with vast plains and distant mountain ranges.
Hermit squinted at the display. "Yeah, that should work for now. Take us down."
Stormsurge nodded and gently guided the ship toward the planet. As they descended, the atmosphere shimmered against the hull, the ship shaking slightly as it pierced through the atmosphere, heading toward what they hoped would be a safe place to land.
Stormsurge was once again the first to leave the ship, stepping onto the barren terrain and taking in the surroundings. The rest of the group followed, cautiously surveying the area.
"So, Hermit, mind telling us where we landed?" Jeopardy asked, stepping up beside her.
Hermit checked the navmap. "According to this, we're on Archa-7."
"Is that good?" Jeopardy pressed.
Stormsurge shrugged. "Guess we're gonna find out."
Hermit activated his radar, scanning for any signs of energon. "My radar says there's a source of energon about 12 megakliks west of here."
"Then let's get moving!" Impulse said excitedly, bouncing on his heels before stopping abruptly. "Oh wait, totally forgot to give you guys these!" He rummaged through a pack, pulling out several weapons.
"For Jeopardy," Impulse said with enthusiasm, handing over a rifle and a sleek, revolver-style pistol. "I found this gun and a cool-looking pistol."
Jeopardy took the weapons, eyeing them uncertainly.
"And for Storm, some self-defense," Impulse said, passing her a railgun. Stormsurge hesitated, holding the railgun vertically and awkwardly as if it were a foreign object.
Finally, Impulse handed Hermit a submachine gun. "And for you, Hermit. Feels powerful, right?"
"Uh..." Stormsurge mumbled, looking uncertain as she awkwardly held the railgun.
"Impulse," Jeopardy began, his tone dry, "we don't know how to use these."
Impulse waved it off, completely unbothered. "Ah, you'll figure it out. It's as easy as pointing it forward and pulling the trigger!"
"Somehow, I doubt that," Hermit muttered, already imagining all the things that could go wrong.
Jeopardy refocused the group. "Alright, let's focus on the task at hand. Hermit, lead the way."
With a nod, the quartet transformed into their vehicle modes and sped off, heading west toward the location Hermit had pinpointed as the energon deposit. The landscape stretched out before them, harsh and unwelcoming, but they pressed on, hoping their journey would yield the resources they needed.
The group arrived at the source of Hermit's energon signal, what they found was an old, crashed Decepticon ship. The wreck loomed ahead of them, its hull battered and corroded, clearly abandoned for some time.
"Do we have to go in there?" Hermit asked, already scanning his radar for an alternative source of fuel, clearly not thrilled by the idea of entering a Decepticon vessel.
"YOU don't have to," Jeopardy replied, his tone resolute, "but we need energon."
He turned to Stormsurge. "Stormsurge, go with Hermit Crab back to the ship and bring it over here. Impulse and I will go inside, see if we can find any energon."
Stormsurge gave a slight nod and transformed, driving off with Hermit in tow as they headed back to retrieve their ship. Meanwhile, Jeopardy and Impulse approached the wrecked Decepticon vessel, the wind whistling eerily through its torn metal.
Impulse looked up at the ship's twisted frame. "Looks abandoned. Probably been here for a while. You think the crew's still alive?"
Jeopardy swallowed nervously, glancing at the looming wreck. "I hope not. I'm not exactly great at combat."
Impulse clapped a hand on his back, grinning. "Oh, don't worry. If anything's still alive in there, I've got your back." With that, he forced open a corroded door, the metal screeching as it gave way. "Femmes first," Impulse joked, stepping aside and making a mock bow.
Jeopardy gave him a dry look. "Haha, very funny."
"Glad to see you're coming around to my sense of humor," Impulse quipped as they stepped into the dark interior of the ship.
Jeopardy looked around at the dimly lit, debris-strewn corridor, his optics scanning for any immediate threats. "The energon would be somewhere near the engines, so we should head to the back of the ship," he said, his voice low.
Impulse looked around, clearly disoriented. "And where would that be?"
Jeopardy stepped back outside for a moment, reorienting himself with the ship's layout before stepping back in and pointing down a long hallway to the right. "That way," he said, leading the way down the corridor.
As Jeopardy and Impulse ventured deeper into the ship, the once familiar dust and rust gave way to a new, unsettling sight: cobwebs and thick, intricate spider webbing, covering parts of the corridor.
"What's this?" Impulse asked, poking at the webs with mild curiosity.
"I don't know," Jeopardy replied, frowning. "Probably some kind of alien debris."
Impulse raised an optic ridge. "You think we'll find organic life here?"
"It's a possibility," Jeopardy admitted, glancing around uneasily. The cobwebs were an ominous sign in the otherwise mechanical and metallic environment.
Impulse continued walking, then glanced at the surrounding wreckage. "What do you think caused the ship to crash?"
"Probably a space battle," Jeopardy suggested, his optics scanning the walls, still on alert for any signs of life, or danger.
They moved further down until Impulse stopped at a sealed door, his curiosity piqued. With a grin, he pried it open, revealing a cargo hold. His optics widened in excitement.
"OOOhohohohoooo, Jeopardy!" Impulse shouted, his grin growing even wider. "We have hit the JACKPOT!"
Jeopardy stepped inside and saw exactly what Impulse was talking about, an entire cargo hold filled with energon cubes, neatly stacked and glowing faintly. There was enough fuel here to last them for a long time, perhaps even an eternity.
"That's... a lot of energon," Jeopardy said, impressed but also wary. "Now we just need to figure out how to get it all out of here."
Impulse, without hesitation, rushed over to a section of the wall. With a mighty pull, he ripped the decayed metal apart with his bare hands, revealing a large opening to the outside world, where the bright sun bathed the planet's surface.
Jeopardy blinked, momentarily surprised at the brute strength on display. He stepped closer to the hole, peering outside. "That'll work," he said, relieved to find that they were still at ground level.
"Come on," Impulse said, beaming. "Let's start hauling this energon out of here before something decides to crawl out of those halls."
With renewed energy, the duo began working quickly to get the energon out of the ship and prepare for transport back to their vessel, the strange, abandoned ship creaking and groaning around them as they moved.
As Stormsurge and Hermit Crab arrived at the opening Impulse had made, they immediately got to work loading the energon into their ship. Hermit surveyed the haul, estimating how long it would last them. "With all this energon, we won't need to land for a long time."
Jeopardy nodded in agreement, focusing on the task at hand. Yet, while the others worked, Impulse found himself distracted. He kept glancing back toward the dark hallways they had come from, an eerie feeling creeping over him. Faint noises, creaking, tapping, echoed through the corridors. These weren't the sounds of an old ship settling, but rather, something else. It almost sounded like someone, or something, was moving through the halls.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Impulse wandered away from the group without saying a word, venturing deeper into the ship. As he walked, the tapping grew louder, more distinct. He clenched his fists, "Hello, is anyone out there?" He called out, "I'm just warning you, I've got a mean right hook, and I like to ask questions later!" His voice echoed down the dark corridor.
Turning a corner, Impulse suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, his optics widening. Right in front of him was a massive, gold, black, and purple mechanical spider, its multiple eyes gleaming in the dim light.
"Oh scrap!" Impulse shouted, reaching for his minigun, but before he could spin up the barrels, three figures dropped from the ceiling with heavy thuds behind him. Two of them quickly grabbed his arms, pinning him in place, while a third figure stepped forward and delivered a harsh electric shock that coursed through Impulse's body, forcing him to his knees. His muscles twitched painfully, and he groaned, his bravado barely hanging on.
"Whoever you are," Impulse said through gritted teeth, "I am gonna enjoy ripping you a new one."
The spider then began to shift, its legs folding and twisting as it transformed. In the shadows, the mechanical arachnid morphed into the silhouette of a feminine figure. The dim lighting made it hard to pick out any specific details, but Impulse could tell she was tall, slender, and had an unsettling grace about her.
"Oh… oooh," Impulse mumbled, momentarily stunned by the transformation. But before he could say anything else, two sharp limbs lashed out from the figure's form, stabbing lightly into his shoulders. He felt an overwhelming sense of lethargy wash over him, his strength sapped in an instant. His vision blurred as he struggled to stay conscious.
"Dude… uncool…" Impulse muttered, but it was no use. The world faded to black as he slipped into unconsciousness, completely at the mercy of his mysterious captors.
Back in the cargo hold, Jeopardy was the first to sense something off. His optics narrowed, and he paused, listening intently. "Wait, guys, do you hear that?" he asked, turning to Stormsurge and Hermit.
Stormsurge shook her head. "No..."
"Exactly," Jeopardy replied, his voice tense. "It's quiet. Where's Impulse?"
Hermit, without missing a beat, muttered, "Well, at least we finally get some peace and quiet."
"Hermit," Stormsurge chastised, shooting him a glare.
"What? You have to agree he's not exactly soft spoken."
Jeopardy wasn't in the mood for jokes. "You two keep loading as much energon as you can," he said, pulling out his pistol with a determined look. "I'm going to go find Impulse."
Without waiting for a response, Jeopardy ventured into the dilapidated ship, the dim corridors swallowing him as he moved deeper into the wreck. His optics scanned the rusted walls and decaying structure, his pistol raised, ready for anything.
The eerie quiet pressed down on him as he retraced his steps, searching for any sign of Impulse, his mind racing with possibilities. Something about the ship's unsettling atmosphere made him feel like they weren't alone.
"Impulse," Jeopardy called out softly, his voice barely echoing in the corroded halls. There was no response, only the faint creaking of metal and the distant sound of scurrying that made his circuits tighten.
He pressed on, ready for whatever might be lurking in the shadows, hoping Impulse hadn't gotten himself into deeper trouble than they could handle.
Impulse groggily blinked his optics open, his limbs sluggish as he became aware of his situation. He was strapped to a large web, his arms and legs spread out, the sticky strands holding him in place. As his vision cleared, he spotted the femme fatale who had knocked him out earlier, now standing before him with a sly grin.
"Enjoyed your nap, handsome?" she remarked snidely, her voice carrying a venomous edge.
Now, in the brighter light of the room, Impulse could see her more clearly. Her form was striking, purple skin accented with a black chest, legs, arms, and shoulders. A bulbous spider-like abdomen protruded from her back, with two sharp, metallic spider legs extending from her sides. Underneath her black and golden helmet, two sets of bright eyes glimmered ominously, and four additional eyes gleamed from her pelvic plate, giving her an unnerving appearance.
"Who the hell are you?" Impulse asked, struggling against the webbing, his muscles straining but getting nowhere.
She chuckled, clearly amused by his effort. "My friends call me Blackarachnia. And what about you, big guy? What's your name?"
"Impulse," he grunted, still trying to free himself from the sticky restraints.
"Don't bother," Blackarachnia purred, watching him struggle. "I've caught much bigger bots than you in my web. Sorry about that but we couldn't take any chances. Cause, you know, you were pointing a minigun at my face."
Impulse let out a dry laugh. "I take it I made a bad first impression?"
"I'd call it... intriguing," Blackarachnia replied, her voice oscillating between malicious and playful. "You see, I've been stranded on this rock for Onyx knows how long, with only three other Insecticons left for company. And they're very poor conversationalists. You, on the other hand... you're a breath of fresh air."
"Well, then you've hit the jackpot," Impulse grinned, despite the situation. "I love talking."
Blackarachnia's optics gleamed with amusement. "Then I think this may be the start of a wonderful thing. So, tell me, what's a big, strong bot like you doing in my forgotten corner of the galaxy?"
Impulse shrugged as best he could, his grin unfaltering. "We were looking for energon and stumbled across your ship's cargo hold."
Blackarachnia raised an eyebrow. "My private stash? Didn't the Autobots ever teach you not to steal from a poor, helpless femme?"
Impulse smirked. "You don't look so helpless."
She smiled at the flattery, leaning in slightly. "And you don't look too bad yourself. Tell me, are there more of you?"
"Oh yeah," Impulse said casually. "They're still in the cargo hold, last I checked."
"Excellent," she purred, her grin widening as she turned her head to the ceiling and whistled sharply. From above, three large, black and purple Insecticons descended, their mandibles clicking as they landed. "Bombshell, Kickback, Shrapnel," Blackarachnia commanded, "make sure Impulse's little friends know my stuff is off-limits. But be gentle, I don't feel like cleaning up your messes again."
"YES, YOUR MAJESTY," the three Insecticons said in unison, their voices a strange, metallic harmony. They crawled toward the hallway, ready to enforce Blackarachnia's orders.
"Now," Blackarachnia said, turning her attention back to Impulse, her tone flirtatious, "where were we?"
"You were about to untie me?" Impulse suggested with a smirk. "I mean, at least take me out on a date first before we try something like this."
Blackarachnia giggled, clearly enjoying the banter. "Keep talking, and I'll consider it," she teased, leaning in close, her sharp optics locked onto his.
"The untying me part or the date part?" Impulse asked, willing to lean either way at this point.
"Depends on where this goes. Right now, I just want to hear everything you have to say," Blackarachnia responded, clearly willing to let this go on as long as she felt like.
Jeopardy continued his cautious search through the dimly lit corridors of the ship, his flashlight casting long, eerie shadows as he moved. He could hear the unsettling clinking of metal overhead, and when he looked up, his light caught a gaping hole in the ceiling, dripping with energon-covered webs. His pulse quickened as his instincts kicked in. He pulled out his rifle, scanning the area, and nervously fingered the buttons. To his surprise, a bayonet shot out from under the barrel.
"Oh, that's convenient," he muttered, giving the weapon an approving look before continuing his search for Impulse.
Suddenly, his commlink crackled to life. "JEOPARDY! JEOPARDY! IS THIS THING WORKING?!" Hermit's voice yelled, sounding panicked.
Jeopardy pressed his comm. "What's going on?"
"Insecticons! They showed up and started attacking us, they're blocking the energon!"
Jeopardy tensed, gripping his rifle tighter. "Just get Stormsurge on the ship and keep what you've managed to load safe. What's her status?"
"She ran into the ship the moment they showed up!" Hermit shouted, clearly frustrated but relieved.
Jeopardy exhaled softly in relief. "Good. I'm gonna keep searching for Impulse. You and Stormsurge taxi around the ship until I can get him out." He ended the call, refocusing on his mission.
As Jeopardy moved further into the ship, a sudden, cold, wet sensation splattered onto his forearm. He froze, slowly looking up. His flashlight beam cut through the darkness, revealing a horrifying sight, Kickback, an Insecticon, clinging to the ceiling, its many eyes glinting in the light. Before Jeopardy could react, Kickback let out an ear-piercing screech and dropped from the ceiling, landing with a heavy thud directly in front of him.
With a surge of adrenaline, Jeopardy raised his rifle, squeezing the trigger. The gun exploded with force, sending 21 streams of energon in a tight spread pattern across Kickback's body. He hadn't aimed precisely, but with the spread of the shotgun-like blast, it didn't matter. The streams tore into Kickback's limbs, causing the Insecticon to stagger back, screeching in pain.
Jeopardy fired again, and again, not giving Kickback a chance to recover. "A shotgun?" he muttered in surprise as he realized the nature of his weapon, and without hesitation, he pulled the trigger one more time, sending Kickback reeling.
Not waiting to see if the Insecticon was fully down, Jeopardy bolted. He rushed down the corridor, his flashlight swinging wildly as he frantically searched for Impulse, his heart racing as the sounds of combat echoed behind him. He had no time to waste, Impulse was somewhere in this ship, and with these Insecticons crawling around, the situation was only getting worse.
Eventually, he picked up on something unmistakable, the sound of Impulse talking... and talking... and talking. He followed the chatter like a beacon, zeroing in on a doorway bathed in soft light.
Peeking through the doorway, Jeopardy saw Impulse still tied up in the webbing, his limbs spread out but far from uncomfortable. Sitting beside him in the webbing was Blackarachnia, who was laughing, genuinely laughing, at whatever story Impulse was spinning. Her dark, dangerous appearance seemed almost disarmed by her amusement.
When her laughter finally died down, Blackarachnia grinned, her eyes twinkling with genuine mirth. "Oh, Impulse, this may be the best time I've had in a thousand stellar cycles."
Impulse smiled, always ready with a quip. "Glad I could help. Now, about letting me out..."
Blackarachnia's grin turned mischievous. "On one condition," she purred, her voice thick with suggestion.
Impulse, without a hint of hesitation, responded, "Oh sure, what is it?"
"You stay here. With me," she proposed, her tone laced with a seductive edge.
Impulse blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, well, as cool as that sounds and all, I kinda have a prior obligation to some really cool people. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're great, but I'm just not ready for that kind of commitment."
Blackarachnia's expression hardened slightly. "So, you'd rather go back to the Autobots who barely tolerate you?" she asked, her tone sharp.
"Barely's a strong word," Impulse countered, clearly trying to keep things light. "They're just... hard to reach. But I feel like I'm making progress. Jeopardy at least seems to like me, and Stormsurge doesn't entirely despise me. Hermit's a bit tricky, but he's... well, a hermit. Long story short, I'd like to go back to my friends, please."
Blackarachnia's eyes darkened, her voice taking on a more dangerous tone. "They'll have to pry you from my cold, offline hands."
From behind, Jeopardy finally stepped into the room and pressed the cold bayonet of his shotgun against her back. "That can be arranged," he said sternly. "I'm only gonna say this once: let him go."
"JEOPARDY!" Impulse cheered, delighted. "Meet Blackarachnia, she's a bit clingy, but pretty cool once you get to know her."
"For another time," Jeopardy muttered, pulling out his revolver and shooting through the webbing restraining Impulse's wrists.
"Thanks, man! Good aim too." Impulse said, tearing his legs free from the remaining webbing.
Jeopardy kept his weapon trained on Blackarachnia, not taking any chances. "So, Blackarachnia, you gonna let us go?" He tapped her back with the bayonet again.
Blackarachnia, knowing the situation had turned, acknowledged, "I know when I'm beat. You got me." She sighed, a dramatic tone in her voice. "A queen surrenders with honor."
"Woah, you're a queen? Who would the king be?" Impulse asked, always ready to flirt, even in the middle of an escape.
"Who cares? Let's just go," Jeopardy cut in, urging Impulse to start moving.
"And to think," Impulse quipped, standing over her, "I was almost beginning to like the web."
Jeopardy shook his head, guiding Impulse away as they hurried back toward the ship, leaving Blackarachnia defeated in the web behind them as they rushed to regroup with the others.
Jeopardy and Impulse hurried out of the wrecked Decepticon ship, just in time for Stormsurge to land their own ship nearby. The ramp extended, and they wasted no time getting onboard. As soon as they were inside, Stormsurge quickly lifted the ship off the ground, preparing for a rapid takeoff.
"What happened to you guys?" Stormsurge asked, her optics scanning the two bots, noting Impulse's disheveled state, his extremities still had some webs stuck to them.
"Some spider femme had Impulse tied up," Jeopardy explained succinctly, still a little shaken by the encounter.
"Ugh, Insecticons are the worst," Hermit grumbled from the passenger's seat of the cockpit, clearly not thrilled with the situation.
Impulse, however, seemed far more nonchalant about the whole thing. "Oh, it wasn't that bad. She was nice. Fun to talk to, actually."
Jeopardy shot him a look. "She wanted to keep you there forever."
Impulse waved off the concern with a casual shrug. "Blackarachnia was just lonely. I mean, you try going two thousand stellar cycles without anyone to talk to, marooned on a distant planet with dwindling energon. You'd get cabin fever too."
Jeopardy raised an optic ridge. "So you have no issue with her saying we'd have to pry you from her cold, dead hands?"
Impulse chuckled, shaking his head. "I mean, if I was her, I'd be possessive of the first real connection I'd had in ages too. It makes sense."
Stormsurge blinked, her optics flickering with surprise. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but that's a very mature take, Impulse."
"Obviously," Impulse said, with a smirk. "I'm not an idiot."
"That's still up for debate," Hermit grumbled from the cockpit, already preparing to activate the transwarp drive. With the push of a few buttons, the ship's engines hummed to life, the transwarp drive ready to send them far away from the planet and the danger they'd just escaped.