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Transformers Prime: Proving Grounds Part 3


New Spark
Grimlock watched the last transport disappear in a cloud of dust. Once they were beyond optic range, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Finally out of our faceplates,” Slag commented.

Normally, Grimlock disapproved of such comments, but he let it slide. Slag was saying what they all felt. The Spacers were such a demanding bunch.

Spacers were Cybertronians who made it off world when the planet went dark. With the news of Cybertron’s restoration spreading, more and more of them were returning. They tended to get underfoot like this latest batch.

But now, they were gone and Grimlock could get back to…

“Grimlock, you there?”

It was Sludge on the commlink.

“Go ahead.”

“A bunch of spacers just arrived compliments of Kaon.”

“Another one?” Slag cried out. “We just got the last one out of here.”

“Yep.”

They both could hear Sludge’s contempt over the comm channel.

“And when are we to find time rebuilding our own home if we’re busy playing nursemaid to these spacers!” Slag yelled.

“Slag…?” Grimlock warned.

“I mean if they could build or do anything useful that would be one thing…”

“Slag…” Grimlock tried again.

“But these Spacers don’t know how to survive or to take care of themselves, anything! They are WORTHLESS!”

Grimlock roared, “Slag!”

But it was too late. Slag transformed into a triceratops and let loose a feral roar. His eyes glowed rage red and he looked around for something to tear apart. Grimlock leapt into action and grabbed the triceratops by the horns. Little known fact: at top speed few things that can stop a charging Triceratops, but at a standing start even a Scout can hold one back. Grimlock held down the red and gold Triceratops and shouted to his friend.

“Grab control, Slag! Get it together!”

Slag’s eyes flickered between energon blue and rage red. In his mind’s eye, everything was tinted in a crimson haze. Someone pushed down on his horns. This pushed his whole head down making it hard to move. In this haze, something flashed across his field of vision. A set of numbers, coordinates, flickered in and out. Slag looked for the numbers and then the red fog shattered.

“Slag? You back with us?”

Slag transformed back into a robot. He looked around as he came out of the daze.

“Grimlock? Great Primus! I’m sorry. I guess I lost my head.”

Grimlock grunted, “It happens. You ok?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

Slag noticed Grimlock’s shin strut with a new puncture hole. It looked bad, but Grimlock brushed it off. Strong emotions can trigger transformation in Dinobots. For easy-going Slag or reserved Snarl, that didn’t happen often. For Grimlock, ‘rage’-forming was a constant worry, because they enter a feral beast mode.

“Hey, why don’t I go and get this latest batch settled?” Slag offered.

Grimlock nodded. Slag ran off to join Swoop at the Ground bridge depot. Grimlock reached for his left shin and felt the leaking energon. He winced in pain. It smarted but wasn’t bad. After a simple patch job, he’d be fine. He didn’t want Slag feeling guilty about the attack. At least, he attacked him instead of a fellow bot or the town.

Sludge hailed Grimlock over the comm.

“Hey, Grimlock. You got a moment?”

“Go ahead, Sludge.”

“Just got a call from Swindle says he’s found Shockwave’s lab.”

* * *
Stratodome

Vertebreak flopped down on his belly. The yellow and orange basilisk unsuccessfully scouted for a ground level entrance. Eight towers ringing a central one and the closest thing to a door were the cooling vents seven levels up. Whoever designed this complex hated foot traffic with a passion.

Vertebreak wondered if he had been forgotten. Scourge offered to carry him, but he refused. He was tired of the Pack’s pity especially from Icefang. Before, he was condescending. Recently, the ice drake felt sorry for him and he needed neither. He was a Predacon to be feared by friend and foe alike.

The basilisk settled in. If they needed him, they’d roar.

As he powered down, a glitch flashed across his vision. A set of numbers flickered in and out. They decoded into an image but static began building. Static that soon became white noise and then a deafening roar ending in a great boom.

Vertebreak awoke. One of the towers exploded above him. He leaped away from the flaming debris. Trouble and if the past was any sign his pack mates were in the middle of it. He dug his claws into the wall and began climbing.

* * *

Grimwing cleared his head with a shake. That explosion knocked him across the roof of the south tower. He was lucky it didn’t send him over. He barely survived the explosion he wouldn’t have survived the fall. Two jets rocketed past him. The gray and green gryphon snarled at them and gave chase.

“You missed! How could you have missed?” Tailwind shouted at Starscream.

“I didn’t miss,” Starscream shot back. “Predacons are notoriously resilient.”

“Now what do we do with him on our six?”

“Don’t panic! Press the attack!”

Starscream peeled off from the blue and red fighter. He came about and fired another missile at the gray Predacon. Grimwing let loose a firebolt engulfing the missile. Starscream banked hard to avoid a similar firebolt roasting his nosecone.

Two missiles fired by Tailwind connected with the gryphon knocking Grimwing back, but he stayed in the air. Starscream got in his blind spot and fired a missile hitting the Predacon’s flank. Grimwing roared in pain only to be hit by tracer fire from Tailwind. Grimwing tried to escape but everywhere he turned he was met with enemy fire. He was going down in a hail of gunfire when a firebolt winged Tailwind. Another Predacon joined the fight.

“Dreadwing!” Grimwing cried.

The blue and grey gryphon continued attacking from above. Tailwind, his right wing smoking, peeled off to regroup. Dreadwing started to pursue when a blast hit him square in the back.

Crosswind, the orange and black fighter jet, cackled excitedly, “Now this is a party!”

Crosswind was then struck by a frost bolt from Icefang. Icefang was hit in turn by Headwind.

Dreadwing scanned the area for their leader, but saw no sign of Scourge. He roared a command and the three Predacons scattered.

Starscream was feeling pretty good about himself. To see his enemies scurry before him, it is how he always imaged being leader of the Decepticons.

“Hunt the vermin down. Our new headquarters should be pest free.”

The three Winds split up after the Predacons while Starscream looked for an appropriate place for his new throne room.

* * *
The entire room rocked from an explosion. Scourge heard Grimwing screech followed by the roar of jet engines. He needed to get out of here. He leapt for the opening, but Overkill, the blue and white Ceratosaurus, clamped on his leg and dragged him down. His partner, a bright green Stegosaurus called Slugfest, transformed into robot mode and batted Scourge with his spiked-tail club.

The red and black Predacon tumbled across the floor. Pain flared from his right side. The area just above his pelvis was dented and oozing energon from a dozen ruptures. Scourge was more shocked by the fact he was hurt than from the injury itself. These ‘Dinocons’ were much stronger than their Dinobot predecessors. But not, Scourge thought, stronger than a Predacon.

Scourge changed into his dragon form. His injury was covered by scales and plating. One ear-splitting roar put the two Dinocons on the defensive. Unfortunately, his dragon mode filled half the room making him too big to escape out the narrow hole in the roof.

Overkill backed up to a transforming Slugfest. They cowered. Scourge thought he might gain their loyalty through alpha dominance. He stalked over to them. Then Overkill smiled deviously and Slugfest charged. Scourge’s forepaws came down on the stego, but Overkill leapt over his partner at the dragon’s long and now vulnerable neck. Scourge swung his head and knocked the Ceratosaurus aside, but he didn’t come away clean. Overkill managed to rake Scourge’s neck and Slugfest used the distraction to push in and ram Scourge’s chest.

Scourge breathed a gout of flame. That pushed his attackers back and gave him a chance to recover. They had him on numbers. He needed to neutralize that advantage and fast.

Slugfest and Overkill split up circling around both ends of the firewall. Overkill hugged the wall around the left edge. Slugfest came around passing the lab. As the fire died down, a low growl rumbled through the chamber. Unfortunately for stegosaurs, their rear is one enormous blind spot. When Vertebreak pounced from the lab, Slugfest was completely surprised. Instinctually, Slugfest swung his spiked tail. Vertebreak easily leapt over the tail landing on the plated back. The plates protected Slugfest’s back and neck as they were designed to, but Vertebreak wasn’t looking to kill, surprise was his goal.

Overkill hesitated. He didn’t know if he should press the attack or aid his partner. Scourge took the opening and swiped at the blue-white Dinocon. The Ceratosaurus went sailing. Next, Scourge turned to Slugfest. The stego was still trying to get a snapping Vertebreak off his back. The orange and yellow basilisk jumped off just as Scourge stalked over and let loose a firebolt that sent Slugfest into his partner.

Scourge turned to his flightless pack mate, “Thank you, Vertebreak.”

“Found some new playmates?” Vertebreak asked.

“Sadly no, more half-breeds from our creator. They aren’t the priority.”

Vertebreak looked quizzically up to his dragon leader.

“The others are being hunted outside. They need help.”

Vertebreak nodded. “Go to them. I’ll keep these two properly entertained.”

Scourge hesitated. These two were a handful for him. How long would a basilisk half his size last?

Both Dinocons got to their feet.

“Now or never, leader.”

Scourge transformed into robot mode.

“I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

He rocketed through the hole leaving Vertebreak with two dinosaur Decepticons stalking towards him. Vertebreak cracked a feral grin.

“No rush.”

Transformers Prime:
Proving Ground 3 Part 2


The Spiral

Swoop and Slag emerged from the Groundbridge at the entrance to the Spiral. Before the war, this was the biggest marketplace on Cybertron. It became a sniper’s alley during the fighting. Before the Dinobots stood a few makeshift stalls and a score of robots clearing debris. A blue and yellow robot rushed out to greet them.

“Welcome, Welcome, valued customers!” the robot greeted the Dinobots, “I see word has spread about Spiral’s reopening. I’ll be glad to assist you for all your purchasing needs.”

The blue and yellow bot stared up at the towering Dinobots. He stood waist high to Swoop, the smallest of the team.

“We’ve come to see Swindle,” Swoop began.

A voice shouted from the closest stall. “It’s ok, Cravex. They aren’t customers.”

The blue and yellow robot’s sunny demeanor slipped into an impatient scowl.

“That’s not my name!”

“It is until you can remember yours,” Swindle shouted back.

Cravex stomped off leaving the Dinobots to Swindle. The tan and purple Combaticon emerged from his stall grinning from audio unit to audio unit. He looked like he was going to sell you the Moon and you were going pay extra for the undercoating.

“New face?” Swoop asked jerking his thumb at the departing Cravex.

“Yeah, found him and his buddy half-starved down in the Spiral.”

“You’re a long way from New Spark?” Slag asked.

Swindle shrugged, “Chromia’s idea. I set up shop around my old stomping grounds. She spreads the word especially among the ‘returning populace’.”

Swoop caught his meaning: the Spacers. The red and gold Dinobot grinned at Chromia’s ingenuity. Spacers wouldn’t know about New Spark but definitely remember the Spiral. They’ll go here and take pressure off of Grimlock and New Spark.

Swindle continued, “…I was scrounging up some merchandise when I found it.”

“Shockwave’s lab?” Slag asked.

Swindle nodded. “Right this way.”

Swindle transformed into an all-terrain buggy and lead the way. Swoop and Slag transformed into a Pteranodon and a Triceratops respectively and followed.

The main drag spirals into Cybertron’s lower levels. Swindle took them three floors down to a level once devoted to sports and recreation. He transformed and picked a path through high-density lob balls and booster boots to the back of the store. They reached the stock room where a gray and blue robot stood guard. This bot also came Swoop’s waist, just like Cravex.

“This is Reekon. He can’t remember his name either,” Swindle introduced.

The robot had an overpowering odor.

“Aptly named,” Slag said under his breath.

Reekon harrumphed. “Yeah, I get it I stink.”

He stomped over to Swoop. “And what do they call you, Beaky?”

Reekon turned to Slag, “You called Horn head?”

Slag held up his hands. “We didn’t mean to offend.”

“Then what did you mean? A bit of humor at my expense?”

“Throttle down,” Swindle intervened. “Why don’t you go topside and help the others?”

Reekon nodded agreement, but glared at the Dinobots as he passed. Swindle shook his head.

“Didn’t get a chance to warn you, but he’s a bit touchy about the smell.”

Swindle lead the two into the stockroom. As they stepped through the door, the whole room changed. Instead of rows of shelves, it was a fully stocked lab. Slag and Swoop turned around. The storefront was still there. Slag stepped back and vanished from sight. He stepped back in.

“Holographic projector?” he guessed.

Swindle nodded.

“Definitely secretive, but how is this Shockwave’s?” Swoop asked. The last lab they found didn’t even belong to Shockwave, but to another Decepticon scientist, Tarantulas.

Swindle went over to the hexagonal monitor and activated the video logs. The Decepticon logo appeared then the paused image of Shockwave’s one eye glared back at them.

“Ok, never mind,” Swoop conceded.

Swindle played the log.

“Lord Megatron? Come in Lord Megatron… This is Shockwave. Do you read me? Something has gone terribly wrong.”

The camera shook and equipment sparked in the background.

“I have greatly underestimated the power of …”

Static and another explosion drowned out Shockwave’s words.

“They have escaped the lab and are on the loose. I have failed you, Lord Megatron.”

The booming sounds Swoop thought were smaller explosions took on a steady beat. Something any Dinobot has heard when Sludge hurries down a hall.

“Their power can not be controlled. They are heading to… I am afraid that they…”

The camera was knocked on its side. Now on the floor, it caught a claw and a tail of something growling just out of sight. Then the video cuts off.

“I see why you called us,” Slag spoke up.

Swoop nodded in agreement. “Lets start an assessment. We need to know what was done here.”

Swindle spoke up, “You will be careful. Last time, you left a crater where Helix used to stand.”

Swoop cracked a wry grin. “Absolutely, we are always careful.”

Slag tried to be reassuring, “That wasn’t really our fault. Tarantulas blew it up.”

Swindle frowned and departed muttering something about craters being bad for business.


* * *
Stratodome

Starscream casually glided among the towers. He left the eradication of the Predacons to his troops. Right now he was on the hunt for something more valuable.

Starscream was familiar with the Stratodome from the days when it was Cybertron’s premier space facility. Seekers like himself were launched into space and traveled to distant corners of the galaxy. Stratodome would make an excellent headquarters, but first Starscream needed one thing.

The black and silver jet banked then swooped down to the East Tower. He transformed and entered the mission control module.

He eyed the command chair and sat down.

“Perfect,” he whispered contentedly to himself, “Every king needs a throne.”

Starscream began musing about his Seeker days and his long forgotten ambition of being a Sky Marshal sitting in this very chair when a soft growl and a pair of glowing eyes drew his attention back to the present. A Predacon stepped into the light. It was the blue gryphon called Dreadwing.

“You are the leader?” he asked.

Starscream was shocked it could speak.

“Yes, I’m the leader.” He drew out slowly.

“We don’t want to fight. We’ll leave if you call off the attack,” Dreadwing offered.

“Come again?”

“We leave! You, no fight.”

Dreadwing dumbed down his speech to accommodate the slow Cybertronian.

Starscream smirked. ‘Simple beast,’ he thought.

He said aloud, “I have a better idea.”

Starscream fired his wrist missile. Dreadwing dodge-rolled out of its path but the explosion flung him across the room.

Starscream aimed his other missile. Dreadwing jump-flapped out of the way, but the explosion threw him into the ceiling. He fell and a good chuck of the ceiling dropped on him pinning him to the ground. Alarms blared and warning lights flashed all over the place.

“Look what you’ve done?” Starscream yelled.

“Me?” Dreadwing shouted back.

Starscream stalked over to the pinned Predacon.

“You’re not the first named Dreadwing. Allow me to show you what happened to your namesake!”

Starscream aimed at Dreadwing’s spark chamber with both arms. The gryphon’s eyes widened seeing his impending doom. A spark of lightning crackled around his body and struck Starscream sending him flying across the room. Dreadwing was just as shocked as Starscream by the display. The lightning didn’t free him so Dreadwing struggled under the debris.

Starscream stood up with a growl. He glared at the Predacon.

“Cute trick. Lets see if it can save you twice!”

A roar thundered through room. Starscream paused. He knew that roar. He heard it in his nightmares, but it couldn’t be. Predaking was destroyed.

Starscream looked out the huge bay windows. There he was big as life and twice as mean. The black and red dragon swooped to attack Crosswind. The orange jet rolled and banked trying to shake the massive dragon. He narrowly avoided a firebolt. Headwind peppered the dragon from one side. Tailwind came in from the other flank. Their barrage distracted but it didn’t slow the dragon down.

“No! No! No! Defeat him you fools!” Starscream yelled.

Dreadwing freed himself from the rubble and towered over the spindly Starscream. The Decepticon turned around and had a sheepish almost comical look on his face.

The next thing Starscream knew, he went flying through the window. Halfway down, he transformed and rocketed skyward. In that time, the Winds managed to hold their own against the Predacon dragon. That wouldn’t last as the other Predacons were returning to rally around their leader.

Starscream never believed in fortune, except when it favored him and he saw fortune’s favor now. Four of the towers (north, south, east and west) began to glow with energon. Starscream recognized this as part of the launch sequence. He didn’t know how it got started, but it didn’t matter. If he could get the overgrown lizard into position…

Starscream jetted to Headwind.

“Where have you been, leader?” Headwind shouted.

“Never mind that. Get the big beast over to the central spire.”

The four jets swirled and circled taking shots at Scourge then quickly veering away to fight the arriving Predacons. Slowly, the remaining four towers began glowing with raw energon.

“The motors are energizing!” Starscream said with relish.

Grimwing landed on Crosswind. The green gryphon began taking bites out of the orange and black jet. One big nip out of his wing sent Crosswind into a tailspin. Icefang arrived and chased after Tailwind. The blue and red jet veered wildly to shake him, but one lucky blast iced his wings. The next blast froze him completely. Tailwind dropped like a stone between the energizing towers.

And just like that the tide of battle changed, from Hunter to Hunted the jets were outnumbered. They couldn’t contain the dragon and he eyed Starscream hungrily.

“Retreat! Retreat!” Starscream ordered.

Headwind started to protest, but Starscream hit his afterburners and rocketed away. The giant Predacon pursued. This time, Headwind held his fire. Internally, he wished the dragon luck. That still left him with three other Predacons. Headwind turned to face them. He was a warrior he’d meet his end as one.

That’s how he saw what the Predacons didn’t: an expanding blue EMP bubble. It engulfed the central tower and quickly swallowed the gryphons. Both dropped out of the sky. Icefang hissed angrily at the pulse, but succumb to it just the same. Headwind dove for the ground.

An EMP would knock them out but their sparks would reboot after a while. He needed to avoid the fall. The pulse washed over him and he lost consciousness, plowing into the southeast tower roof, dented but intact.

Scourge single-mindedly pursued Starscream. He didn’t look back or he’d have seen his pack mates fall and the blue electromagnetic pulse gaining on him. Scourge shut down and dropped out of the sky. Starscream flew on never looking back as the pulse receded then dissipated.

* * *
Eyes flickered on. A groan issued from a mouth. Overkill slowly became aware of his surroundings. He was on an operating table. Memories of a similar table had him spring off of it in a panic. He stumbled into Slugfest who was getting up from another table.

“Oy, watch it you lumbering oaf,” Slugfest snapped.

Overkill looked around wildly for a moment. As the moment stretched on, his panic subsided.

“So the Predacon bested you too?” Overkill asked.

“No one beats me,” Slugfest snapped back. “Last, I remember Vertebreak and I were about to throw down. There was a big rattle and then everything went dark.”

“I don’t remember that.”

“Course you don’t. Vertebreak laid you out long before then.”

Overkill clutched his throbbing head.

“No… It was you!”

Overkill stomped over to the green Dinocon. He grabbed Slugfest by the throat.

“You clumsy oaf. You struck me with your tail. That’s how I got knocked out.”

“Yeah. What of it!”

Slugfest broke Overkill’s grip and got up in his blue-white face.

“Too slow, lumbering oaf! I was aiming for the Predacon and you couldn’t get your mug out of the my way.”

“You clumsy oaf!” echoed a heavily modulated version of Slugfest’s voice.

A third bot entered the room. His presence set both Dinocons trembling. Soundwave stalked out of the shadows and he wasn’t pleased.

To Be Continued in Part 4

a fellow bot or the town...

Why not name her, Autobot: Carrier. A tiny light-orange Autobot Toyota Tercel!

But, Soundwave has backup,... A Royal Blue-colored Decepticon car... named... STALLWHEEL...