KABOOM!
A massive explosion knocked me off my peds and I was half-thrown onto one of my own workbenches. I shook my helm, trying to clear the static from my optics as a cold dread settled into my spark. Times up. The rear guard that Ironhide had assigned to protect my lab while I finished packing things up...they... [DAMN DECEPTICONS! They were only cadets, barely a deca cycle out of the academy.] The emote-fins on either side of my helm flashed briefly in my anger. As the smoke from the explosion cleared, I said a small prayer to Primus... [Torque... Straightline.
...May your Sparks join the Matrix... the bravest of Cybertron..., I paused a moment as a figure appeared in the ruined doorway. Through the haze, I was able to make out triangular protrusions of kibble on their back identifying them as a Seeker and the light blue and gray color scheme brought a name roaring to the forefront of my processor. "Thundercracker!" My fins' flashing brightly with my accusatory tone. "Have Decepticons become so cruel that they'll even snuff out the Sparks of the young!" I narrowed my optics as I swung my chassis off the bench, trying to put some distance between us. A sharp laugh answered, "Ha! You Autobots are all the same...so noble...so brave...SO STUPID!" A burst of plasma narrowly missed me as the smoke fully cleared.
A high pitch whine came from the barrel of the rifle that was now pointed directly at me as its emitter spun down. "Wheeljack...why Shockwave wants any of your useless junk is beyond me but orders are orders. Come quietly or come in pieces! Either is fine as long as I don't offline you." The seeker said smugly in his characteristic drawl. As I pretended to weigh my decision a compartment on my left arm slid open and deposited a small device into my servo. "I think I'll choose the third option...Catch!" I dove to the side as I tossed the device at Thundercracker" A metallic clink confirmed that it had found its target. "I didn't say there was a third...huh?" He didn't have time to react as the magnetic mine now stuck to his rifle suddenly went off. "Fragging Autobot!" he shouted as it was now his turn to be thrown backwards.
I scrambled to my peds as I quickly subspaced' as many tools and gadgets as I could before heading out a hidden exit. [Ironhide's gonna strip my varnish for this...still... without his rifle he won't be offlining anymore Autobots today... and who knows... maybe that blast was enough to send his sorry aft to the Pit.] I thought wryly as I made my way through one of Cybertron's many darkened corridors toward the extraction point. The sound of heavy boots slapping against metal echoed loudly in my visor as I ran down the stairwells of the ancient city. Each step seemed to echo in my helm like a drumbeat. I glanced over my shoulder; two more Seekers were chasing after me but I was confident that they would not catch up in time. I took a running jump at the wall behind me and launched myself into the air. As soon as my feet hit the ground again I immediately began sprinting along the top of the wall. [Magna boots. A useless invention? [I think not] The pursuing seeker went right by me, not realizing what I was doing until felt two shots from my photon blaster. They cried out in surprise as I shot past them and continued on my way. I hoped that the others made it out ok.
As I arrived at our temporary headquarters, I could see that the door was open and Optimus Prime stood silhouetted against the dim glow of a sensor station. His optics followed my approach, "You alright Wheeljack?" "Yes sir. Just a bit shaken up. It was an ambush." He nodded his head as he motioned for me to enter. "Hmmm...Perhaps you should go and rest. We can discuss it further later." "No thank you. I need to get back to work. I snagged a few thing that ought to give us just the edge we need. Optimus was silent for a moment as he looked at me intently. "You know I support your creativity Wheeljack, but sometimes...it does tend to...backfire." He said. I did not miss the slight emphasis on the word 'sometimes.' I sighed before answering him. "I guess you're right, sir. But I just couldn't let those Seekers ruin my stuff." With that, I entered the building and headed straight for what passed for a workbench.
I felt the familiar tingle of excitement as I laid out my inventions. I had been able to save quite a few, but some favorites were missing; the energy siphon (A device capable of absorbing massive amounts of energy), the matter duplicator (can copy any device right down to its molecular structure), the shock blast cannon (is supposed to use concussive blasts to blow the enemy away, but...more often than not just explodes...) and my hover drones (better spies than Soundwave's cassettes will ever be, but I digress). I gazed at my newest device (which I had already stored, thankfully). A masterpiece of engineering, it can teleport anyone, anywhere with the simple press of a button...and a mild explosion.
It was an idea I had gotten from a long forgotten book I had once read on the subject, something about a trek amongst the stars. I had already figured out the basic method, but the problem was how to get the person to actually want to go. Being blown to atoms and reassembled elsewhere wasn't as interesting as one might think. Fortunately, or unfortunately the opportunity to use the device arrived...with a much less impressive boom. Our scout, Jazz, informed me, that Megatron and the Decepticons were approaching or base. They were coming in from several directions, all converging on our coordinates. I knew then that we were going to lose, but that didn't mean we were going to die.
The fighting began as several Seekers blasted the reinforced doors wide open. Megatron, being wielded by soundwave fired into the base. Several allies were struck; Cam was blown apart with one shot and Twinduel's torso was severed (non-fatal as long as his spark chamber wasn't compromised). I charged forward, firing my photon blaster. The Seekers ducked and dodged the shots; I did not expect them to stand there and take the hits. I needed to create some distance for my friends. The device doesn't discriminate. It transports any within a 20 M radius. It was now or never! BOOM!