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Command Bridge

Back in the day of the Great War's full height, every major Decepticon capital ship had been equipped with an omniglobe so that Megatron would never lose his ability to fully command his empire regardless of his whereabouts. Every Cybertronian had unique neural pathways and only one Cybertronian had ever held the mantle of Decepticon Leader - Megatron. Anyone else would get their circuits fried if full connection was attempted. A chosen few of Megatron's most trusted lieutenants had been partially tuned to utilize these devices of immense information processing and Scorponok was one of those.

The strain from utilizing a partial hypercognizance shell was tremendous but he could not fully interface with an omniglobe designed to integrate seamlessly only with one particular Decepticon. Ceaseless stream of data flowed through Scorponok's central processing unit as the enormous Decepticon warlord browsed through the vast archives of Decepticon Central Intelligence while simultaneously taking in all the realtime field reports from his various operations. Ever since his return into the Semper Tyrannis through the ground bridge, Scorponok had been obsessed with tracking every piece of information available about Jhiaxus, Autobot penintary installations and the service record of the so called Mostructor Six. He had left Cipher and Minwipe and a group of technicians to attempt to recover all possible information lost in the broken datapads they had brought from the planet below. As fascinating it would have been to find the contents of those datapads first hand, Scorponok simply couldn't allow to waste his time on something he was able to leave for others to work on.

Jhiaxus' name was a dead end, leading only to archaic mentions here and there before the scientist's name had been seemingly completely forgotten. There was also a multitude of closed files by no other than Shockwave that could have potentially shed some light on the case. But cracking Shockwave's files was extremely slow and tedious task. Even now, after thousands of years after the scientist had disappearanced, the Decepticon Secret Service had managed to open only 27% of Shockwave's vast archives. The one-eyed freak certainly knew how to crypt his files.

With the Monstructor Six, Scorponok was having more luck. The six Decepticons had served on multiple fronts with their paths crossing only randomly. It was as if these six had lost whatever connection they had had while serving under Jhiaxus. Memory alteration after their capture was a logical reason for this. Scorponok himself wouldn't certainly have been above such action had he wanted to keep the six alive but harmless. Nevertheless, all six had their tracks leading eventually to the hands of the Autobots as the result of various circumstances.

And given how Autobots often failed to just get rid of their prisoners the most effective way, it was only matter of utilizing his agents to determine their current whereabouts...

Command Bridge

The doors to the bridge slid open, allowing Mindwipe entry. During his time serving under Scorponok, he had learned enough other tasks to make himself a useful bridge officer in addition to carrying out his primary function. The other Decepticons on the bridge.

He held his hand in front of his face for a moment, its blackened steel freshly polished. His entire body once again free of that organic filth he had been forced to endure down on that world. It was an experience that Mindwipe hoped he would never have to repeat again.

Since returning to the ship, Mindwipe had largely exiled himself to a small station where he and Wheelie had been steadfastly entering whatever fragments of data could be recovered from the datapads they had collected down on LV-117. Much of it was beyond Mindwipe's realm of understanding or experience. There had been, however, some tidbits of information regarding the Monstructor Six that Mindwipe had found especially intriguing.

"Mighty Lord Scorponok," Mindwipe said by way of greeting, following his words with a swift bow before approaching one of the bridge panels and pulling up the information he had be collating in another area of the large vessel. It was complicated, but he had been coming up with only one dead end after another. With the Decepticons, Megatron only saw fit to maintain a relatively small number of prisoners, thus prisons were hardly a necessity. Death was the typical outcome of a battlefield capture. For the Autobots, however, prisons had been one of the key requirements of their being able to hold on to the moral high ground, such as it was. That, in turn, had lead to the creation of a fairly expansive and complex prison system. One that Mindwipe had found difficult to navigate.

"I have been working to ensure the collected data is transferred in to our systems, as commanded. Cipher is likely enjoying the process much more than I," Mindwipe said, his left actuator progressively pulling up one holoscreen after another. "But cross-referencing what we've found here with what we already know has been...challenging. At best. The Autobots have covered their tracks well. Nevertheless, the legends surrounding the idea of monstrous gestalts is quite pervasive in our planet's mythology. It still amazes me that some of the things we used to say to scare protoforms were, in fact, true."

Cipher’s Laboratory

So sure was he that something of use would be found on the conglomeration of broken and damaged datapads that Cipher had quickly bypassed the Command Bridge and instead made his way to his lab where he could work in peace and quiet.

The very second the door had slid open the scientist was inside and clearing off a place on one of his workplaces and gently placed down the pile of pads he had tucked under his arm. With a bright, broad smile on his face, Cipher took a seat. He cast his gaze over the whole of the prizes taking in each and every one with barely bated breath. Where to start? Here? No, here!

Cipher carefully scooped up one of the more damaged pads and turned it over in his hands noting all of the cracks and blemishes coursing over the device’s casing.

“Oh, what I could find in you. You will all be the key to finding precisely what my Lord is after.”

With a slightly giddy laugh Cipher dug into the task at hand fist removing the outer casing and then plunging in and working over the electronics within. What secrets did these precious tools hold?

“I knew you all would come in handy. And I must make it my mission to thank those…”

He stopped prematurely before mentioning those who had helped him locate the pile of damaged equipment that now lie before him.

“No. I refuse to acknowledge them. I am not crazy and I have no intention of dwelling on the fact that there was anyone other than my Decepticon brethren that aided in locating that bunker. Lord Scorponok would have my head if he thought something was amiss.”

With his right hand the scientist frowned and gently rubbed his neck. The thought of those enormous pincer-like hands encircling his throat and then squeezing….

“Ugh. No. I will not…now, my little pads, let us see what secrets you hold.”

The Commander’s resident linguist set to work tweaking and bypassing until finally he came across a faint energy reading. Amazing, there was still a tiny bit of charge. A smile formed on the slim mech’s face as he made a few preliminary connections to his personal computer terminal and began to roam through the pad’s contents.

The dark screen soon illuminated but quickly darkened again. Cipher growled in frustration while trying once more to strengthen the connection between his terminal and the pad. There was another flicker and finally a hazy image began to appear. The resolution was terrible but the scientist was still able to determine that what he was seeing was, in fact, the written Primal Vernacular. This was not unusual since the glyphs that were sprawled on the wall in the bunker were written in the ancient language.

Unfortunately the entire contents of the pad included nothing but inventory…and not even inventory that would reveal anything that had been occurring at the site. Cipher disconnected the pad and tossed it to the corner of the desk and picked up another. As with the first device Cipher set up the new one in the same way he had done the last. This time the device booted up faster and with a clear picture.

The glyphs that scrolled over the screen were slightly different. It was another list but this one was a list of just words, but these weren’t of the Primal Vernacular…these was much older.

“My, my, my. What do we have here? A sample of Old, Old Cybertronian and on an insignificant datapad in some unknown bunker.”

Cocking his head to one side Cipher took to decoding the pad’s contents. It may not be anything important or of any use to their mission, but it was important to the scientist.

Decepticon Dropship ST – 4

Breaking through the atmosphere wracked the ship with more turbulence than when the small group had arrived. The radiation that surrounded the planet made travel difficult but with Cybertronian technology on their side the Terrorcons had nothing to fear.

The time it took to leave the planet and finally make it into the dark void was a little over two breems…possibly some kind of record, Rippersnapper mused.

The rest of their travels passed by in silence and quickly. A broad smile creased the white and blue mech’s face as the majestic form of the Semper Tyrannis came into view. He slowed their approach and opened a comm channel to the Dreadnaught.

>>”Tyrannis, this is Rippersnapper on board the Decepticon Dropship ST – 4 requesting permission to approach and dock.”<<

Command Bridge

"There is a glimmer of truth in most myths Mindwipe. How warped and twisted the truth becomes over time is another thing." Scorponok spoke up while observing the various screens of the Command Bridge, including those Mindwipe had presented to him. "Take the legendary leader of Omega Sentinels for example. Omega Supreme was once believed to be a mere myth until he was found again by the Autobots and convinced to join their cause."

"And how many other myths have become reality?" The massive Decepticon warlord continued, "The Acropolex of Nyon and the Trypticon Station - both relics of the forgotten ages and ultimately proven to be something far more than any of the stories indicated. One can only imagine what is hidden behind the concepts of the Thirteen, the Guiding Hand and Knights of Cybertron. And yet, we cannot waste our resources running after mere myths. We need something tangible. And that is exactly what we have now in Jhiaxus and his creation. "

At this point Scorponok's attention turned away from Mindwipe's findings, his gaze focusing to the data on the screens of the Omniglobe. "Nevertheless, I see no new leads I had not considered already in your work. I have spread the word to my agents. Now we can only wait for confirmation of the continued functionality of the Six while reaping the crop of our work elsewhere."

>>”Tyrannis, this is Rippersnapper on board the Decepticon Dropship ST – 4 requesting permission to approach and dock.”<<

Finally. Scorponok thought as Rippersnapper's boarding request came though. Having the Terrorcons back would allow the Decepticons to finally leave the Lenocinium Velnero system to pursue other goals.

"Finback, let the Terrorcons to board the Tyrannis and set the course to Nebulos system. There are some preparations we need to do."

"Aye aye Captain." Was the short response of the crusty old navigator who immediately set their new destination coordinates into the Tyrannis' flight computer and took control of the ship's tractor beam suite to carefully direct the dropship ST-4 into the hangar of the mighty warship. Once the dropship had been secured in the hangar, Finback closed the hatch and prepared the enormous starship for a quantum jump.

Roughly a klik later, the Semper Tyrannis had left the Lenocinium Velnero system, leaving behind only traces of discharge of its engines.

Decepticon Dropship ST–4

Sinnertwin could feel the tremors as their little dropship was allowed re-entry on to Scorponok's command vessel. Sinnertwin was still attempting to process everything that he had seen on the planet's surface. He had expected a hunt and on some level he hadn't been disappointed. But he still failed to see the full significance in what exactly they had found within that old fortress. It was old and probably had some valuable stuff in it, but nothing that really held value to the likes of the Terrorcon. Just that one little Cybertronian proto, and they hadn't even been allowed to shred him like they normally would any other thing that was not wearing a Decepticon insignia.

"Little proto had best not stray far on his leash. His end would be quick, I think."
___

Semper Tyrannis--Command Bridge

"As always, your wisdom in these matters is considerable and far exceeds my own," Mindwipe said, offering the much larger Decepticon another brief but respectful bow as he pondered Scorponok's words.

Indeed, there was a significant portion of Cybertron's history and personage that had simply passed in to legend. But with time, discoveries had made some of those legends all too real, even as others remained clouded in mystery. Mindwipe was pleased that this was one legend that was slowly and surely having its veil lifted. He only hoped that by the time they had returned to Nebulos they had also received some sort of actionable intelligence. Mindwipe would certainly do his part to make that a reality.

"I will return to my labors and inform you of any changes," Mindwipe said. "Come Wheelie. There is much yet for us to sift through."

Turning away from the imposing Decepticon High Commander, Mindwipe walked to another area of the sizable bridge altogether whereby he could continue digging through what they had found on the surface of LV-117 but also stay out of Scorponok's considerable way.

OoC: Sorry for the wait!

Bridge

Wheelie placed his fist upon his chin and leaned upon it for support. He had been at the decoding for what had felt like hours. He wasn't even sure if the computer was actually decoding the files, for whatever he saw didn't make much sense to him.

He wondered when he would be done with this monotinous task. The orange sports-car checked where Mindwipe was, and saw that he was talking to the titanous figure of Scorponok. Wheelie looked back to the screen and checked the progress of the automatic decoding and sighed. He had actually hoped that the progress bar would be over fifty percent, not beneath it.

Wheelie got up from his seated position and moved to another console. It was there where he brought up a map of the Tyrannis and zeroed in upon his location, and the mess hall. Maybe these Decepticons had something better than what he was eeking by with on LV-117.

"First I have to attend to my thirst!" Wheelie responded with a hint of raspiness to Mindwipe's beckoning, "I'll be back with a snack!"

Hallways

The orange protoform transferred the screen to a datapad, and carried his work off with him to the hallways. It was a lot longer and larger than he had remembered on the screen representation. What seemed to have been a mere minute walk, turned out to be more than a breem. To one who is suffering with boredom like Wheelie would find this wait grueling.

He suddenly heard a noise from down the hall. It was the same noise he heard in the base! But this one was longer, and it sounded sad instead of a quick, sharp whistle. It wavered as if it was distorted or mechanical, but the sound was not either of those. It almost sounded like... Song.

Wheelie listened hard, trying to hear the words spoken. But he was too late, the sound faded and he was left with many more questions than he had before.

Bridge

With Scorponok being occupied with the Decepticon operatives on Nebulos for the time being, that allowed the hypnotist some time alone with a relatively large amount of peace and quiet on the ship to continue pouring through the trove of material they had stripped from the fortress on LV-117. The only disruption, albeit a minor one, was Wheelie's presence. Fortunately the young proto did not appear to be overly inclined to get underfoot and otherwise in the way. That was a good thing. His odds of surviving the coming orns seemed to be ticking upwards little by little.

The odds were not still in his favor, but that could be said of a fair number of full-fledged Decepticons, much less recruits to the cause.

When he announced he was going for a recharge, Mindwipe looked up, but before he could have said anything, Wheelie had already absconded from the bridge to wherever it was that he hoped to find an accessible energy repository. He made a note to discuss that with the protoform upon his return. Grunts simply did not announce their intentions and then carry them out. You requested, and sometimes pleaded, to a superior before doing anything of notable independence--particularly, accessing energy reserves.

Young one will not have many opportunities to make that mistake. The next time he does that may very well be his last.

Mindwipe grinned as he continued to process his way through what seemed like countless scans. It had been so long since they had broken in a new recruit that he had actually forgotten how enjoyable a process it was. Accessing a comm terminal, he brought up a broadwave commlink. It would have to do until Wheelie uploaded his personal signature directly in to the ship's database.

>>"Don't dawdle,"<< he transmitted simply.

Bridge

Mindwipe had prepared himself for the incoming arrival, but it was still something to see. How long had it been since this vessel carried a retinue of Autobot prisoners? In so many instances, there was nothing of note left to transport after one of their encounters.

The Decepticon Hypnotist watched as Sweep guards prodded Autobot prisoners in to their cells on one screen as the energized gateway opened within the ship's hangar on another screen, allowing the High Commander and other Decepticons of note access to the Tyrannis. Through an adjacent door a new figure entered the bridge, one that Mindwipe had not seen in some time. He could not be certain...but...something appeared to be troubling the one-minded, three-bodied mechanoid.

"Reflector," Mindwipe grumbled, by way of greeting, his tone clearly fishing for anything that the Surveillance Specialist might offer up regarding what had gone on during his time on this planet.

"Mindwipe," the trio responded in unison, assuming various stations on the bridge as other Decepticons, the foremost of which being Scorponok himself, made their presence known a short time after their initial arrival in the hangar and giving no other indication as to what had made Mindwipe's circuits tingle. So be it. He could keep his secrets for now. There was a long journey yet ahead of them.

"Honored Decepticons, your vessel is as you've left it and ready for your command," Mindwipe remarked, noticing that Wheelie had not yet returned from his recharge. He had specifically told the little proto not to dawdle and......that appeared to be precisely what he was doing. And now he was missing the return of their High Commander.

He was going to kill him.

If the Terrorcons hadn't already done just that.

Ohh....glitches, Mindwipe hissed internally. "If you will excuse me for but a few moments. I must retrieve our young recruit from an errand I sent him to complete."

Offering the High Commander and the others a deep bow, Mindwipe quickly proceeded to exit the bridge.

Bridge

He had been here before. Standing at the helm of Semper Tyrannis' bridge, watching down at the beautiful gem of a planet below. It was his now. Whatever regret Scorponok felt over having to take Nebulos from its native inhabitants was fleeting before his sense of duty to Megatron... to Cybertron. Ending this Primus forsaken war demanded it. Optimus Prime saw things differently. The Autobot leader was ready to let his own world burn, his own people go extinct - rather than do what had to be done. It had become more and more evident as vorns passed by. The Cybertronian Empire had once spanned across the galaxy, perhaps even further. Their numbers had been counted in billions. But the Autobots had let the Empire deteriorate until the space bridges had gone to disarray and the contact with the colonies had been lost. No one knew how many there was left anymore. Perhaps they had all perished. Or perhaps they had crafted Empires of their own and chosen to let their point of origin to turn into nothing but a myth.

Megatron had wanted to change that all. Still wanted. The Decepticons would take the Cybertronians back to stars where they belonged. The galactic isolation. The castes and guilds the corrupt ruling class of Cybertron had used to oppress the people. The Council was no more but their legacy still lived. There could be no rebuilding the Empire as long as the Autobots stood against the Decepticons. And oh did they ever fight so hard for their ideals. A galactic civil war lasting for millions of years. Countless civilizations had born and died while the two factions had fought for dominance. Many because of them. That could easily be the fate of Nebulos as well. He hoped not. He truly did. The war had gone on for too long. And yet, surrender was not an option. Like Megatron, he'd rather die for his cause than accept defeat.

He just had to ensure a victory. Fortress Maximus had to fall. He would pry Garrus-9 from Maximus' cold dead hands if he had to. He had even forced himself to request assistance from certain rogue elements within the Empire he'd rather avoid being in any contact with. He was well aware that the ranks of the Decepticons were not pure. War had turned even the most noble sparks into thugs, thieves and murderers. Still, there were some monsters within their ranks without any chance for redemption. Rapid dogs that had to be put to sleep when time was right. For now however, it was all about victory at any cost. It was the only option Prime had left them with. And he was anxious to get started, all more the reason for his growing frustration over the tardiness of some of his men.

He had called some of his most efficient lieutenants and commandos to a meeting, not to mention the best hackers he had an access to. To a meeting he'd rather have had under way already. Some of them were already present. Like the always loyal Cyclonus and the fierce leader of the Terrorcons, Hun-Grrr. Even the Insecticons had their one of their number present in Hardshell. Many were still missing though. To be honest, most of them really had had no chance to even get there within the time frame given. But the situation was extraordinary if anything. And the opening they had was a narrow one.

Of course, some of his most accomplished soldiers he had been forced to leave behind to take care of their holding on Nebulos. Always patient and collected, Turmoil would keep the planet under his heel. He was better suited for tasks like these than many others. That was not to say his skills would not have been welcome in the offensive. But choices had to be made and Turmoil understood reasoning between Scorponok's decisions better than certain more impulsive Decepticons. Now, if only they'd get the show rolling...