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Korean Peninsula

No one followed him. In a way that was almost as disconcerting as the ideas flowing through his processor. Sitting atop a small mountain range somewhere in Korea and hidden by the lush canopy overhead, Thundercracker concentrated on the current state of the Decepticon Empire.

He remembered being approached by Megatron to join his cause to free them from Autobot rule and bring equality between the Cybertronians. It was something he believed in then as much as he did to the current astrosecond. The question was, did he think any of the current “leaders” have the same belief?

Megatron fought for a cause, not for personal glory, at least as far as Thudnercracker saw. He knew Starscream longer than he did Megatron, making it safe to say the Seeker Commander could be blinded by his own ambition an glory too easily and Shockwave… he knew nothing about the powerful strategist aside from his logical pursuits. He never performed an action without examining everything first. That meant he saw a strategic advantage over Starscream and any that stood with him, but how could one so cold understand the sparks of those unlike him?

Megatron held the Decepticons together through the force of his will and brute strength. None dared to oppose him openly and those doing so behind closed doors often cost them their spark. Without him they were little more than a motley group of mechs fighting for their own status. Perhaps there was another way? One that would lead the Decepticons into a new age of unity and victory.

Thundercracker’s red optics flared at reaching his decision. At best he risked being exiled from the Empire, at worst it’d cost him his spark. Either way it was something he needed to attempt. Searching through his databanks, he instructed his communication algorithms to develop a new signal, one that could only be traced by one Cybertronian. Communications not being one of his strengths, it took his systems a pair of breems to develop the proper code. With a final sigh he took the proverbial plunge and opened a channel.

>>Thundercracker to Soundwave. Come in Soundwave.<<

If this didn’t work he’d be on the run from both factions. Not something any mech would look forward to.

Message from Soundwave to Thundercracker

>>"Signal: Received. Proceed with message."<<

Western Shore of the Korean Peninsula

Oil Slick offered only a brief nod of thanks to Darkride. It was not in his nature to display much more then that and he knew it was all the interrogator would expect. It wasn’t as if he was doing him a great favor as the other Decepticon stood to benefit greatly from these machinations as well.

The chemist turned and began to jog away from Darkride, building speed as he transformed into his motorcycle mode. He quickly moved to one of the primitive roadways and sped off. As he drove he considered a map of the Earth he had downloaded prior to leaving the Ultrax. Calculating the time he had left until his rendezvous, the speed at which he could travel and population densities he located a meeting spot an adequate distance away from their base on the peninsula.

Oil Slick pulled off of the road and drove a short distance off of it. As fast as he was in his vehicle mode he would need flight speed to reach his target destination. He would have to fly low to avoid detection and maneuver around pockets of population, but at the very least he would be near his desire location before he had to signal Tracer. Transforming, the Decepticon leapt into the air and took flight in his robot mode.

Off the western shore of the Korean Peninsula

Okay, now what? Thundercracker took less than an astrosecond to begin. Doubt crept into him the moment he heard Soundwave’s voice respond but he went too far to turn back now.

>> I wish to see Shockwave about a way to end this… civil war. Before we hand a victory over to the Autobots.<< Thundercracker didn’t add the part, that he started, knowing it wouldn’t get him anywhere.

Bottom of the Sea of Japan

Onslaught had seen fit to continue assisting with the trenchwork that was being established around the dome structure that would surely serve as the core of their latest base of operations.

Part of him, from a strategic sense, was tempted to try and find a way to get the Obliteration down here, so that it too could be integrated--perhaps entirely--with the base that was being constructed here. But he was not feeling that generous. Having the Obliteration in orbit over this terrestrial mudheap was far too valuable an advantage to give up idly.

He hadn't dug a trench himself by hand--so to speak--since the very earliest cycles of the war. It felt good to be getting back to some of his roots as a soldier, even if the stakes were higher now than they had been at any point in recent memory.

Approaching Mongolia

Oil Slick continued his flight silently. Internally he was calculating his speed and distance to his destination while watching his chronometer. He had agreed to send the rendezvous coordinates at a specified time. He had to make sure he would arrive their before that time was reached. While he didn’t expect that Tracer would lay some sort of trap for him he still wasn’t going to take that risk; being careless in a deal like this would likely get him killed.

Satisfied that he would reach the rendezvous well ahead of the appointed time he finally sent a signal to Tracer with the coordinates of the meeting location, a location he was nearly on top of now.

Bottom of the Yellow Sea

Uh oh.... Maybe Bonecrusher was right, maybe I shouldn't have transformed so much down here.

Scavenger was doing his best to keep track of any problems with the dome, scanning it with his shovel, but he was having some trouble. He was getting mixed readings that kept changing, making it hard for him to determine whether there really were any cracks. On top of that moving was becoming more difficult as he felt stiffer, needing more effort to move around, even in his excavator mode.

Ah no, no, I can't mess this up! Slaggit, Scrapper's not gonna be happy.

"Uh, boss?", Scavenger meakly said to Scrapper, "I'm uh, having some problems with my sensors. I, uh, may have taken in some salt water when a transformed...... a few times."

Message to Thundercracker from Soundwave

>>"Shockwave status: currently occupied. Pertinent information can be sent to me and passed along to Shockwave. Additional information will also help to determine if face to face meeting is necessary."<<

Heavily Encrypted Message from Razorclaw:

>>”Attention all Decepticons, this is Lord Razorclaw on board the Ultrax. I have beaten Air Commander Starscream in melee combat and thus assumed the role of supreme leader. Regardless of Shockwave’s recent message to all of you, he is not worthy of the throne left behind by Lord Megatron. Only a seasoned, capable warrior and former gladiator such as myself can successfully lead the Empire to ultimate victory over the Autobot suppressors. However, we are being hindered by a rift within the ranks created by the Military Operations Commander. I will need all of your support in order to quash his little rebellion and thus make our forces whole once more. Only then can we hope to eliminate the Autobot threat once and for all. If anyone sees fit to oppose me, you will face a similar fate that has befallen Starscream. Like Megatron before me, I will not tolerate weakness or betrayal. Both will be dealt with swiftly and harshly as I see fit. Consider all that I have said and accept the new Predacon regime and you will be rewarded in the cycles to come.”<<


Encrypted Private Message from Razorclaw to Onslaught:

>>”Commander Onslaught, this is Lord Razorclaw. I know my recent message to the masses might have come as a bit of a shock. It was an unexpected but necessary step in order to accomplish what needs to be done for the betterment of the Empire. I hope that I continue to have your support in this endeavor as it will be crucial for us to reunite the Decepticons if we are to be successful in defeating our true enemies, the Autobots. I am placing you in charge of the Yellow Sea base site. Ascertain and provide me with the current status of the structure. How long will it take before the base is operational enough to be occupied and adequately defended from any possible attacks? I await your response.”<<

Bottom of the Yellow Sea

Bonecrusher looked over to Scrapper when he said for him and Long Haul to go and pick up supplies. He looked over at the heavy loader and he knew that he wasn't going to be happy about that. This brought a grin under his Faceplate.

"Sure, Scrapper," Bonecrusher said to Scrapper before looking back to Long Haul, "C'mon, 'Haul, faster we do it, the faster we get it done!"

He began to swim off in the direction of where they last left their equipment, leaping off ledges when he was swimming too close to them and bounding off the ground when he began to sink. He smashed through stone that dared rear it's ugly face in front of him, a cloud of dust and sand emitted from where the stone once was whenever he struck into them.

He didn't like the sand. It was rough, irritating and it got everywhere. But not like the steel he used to work with. That was smooth, enjoyable and easier to work with.

>>Ugh. It'll take a week just to get the sand out of my joints.<< Bonecrusher said to his comrade, whom he guessed was trailing behind him.