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Thunderwing’s Laboratory

Blackwind dimmed her optics, both in pain and in defeat, as Thunderwing laid her back down on the repair berth. She turned her head away from him as he spoke and reattached the cables. She had no recollection of every stepping foot in the Plasma Energy Chamber, let alone getting struck by a stray bolt. In fact, the last thing she could remember was standing on the edge of a black hole; which in and of itself was very strange.

Her head still turned away from him, she quietly spoke,“Severe damage to all of my systems.” She let out a heavy sigh and finally turned her head so she could look at him.

“The repairs will need to be done immediately. If I am to carry out my orders then I’ll need to be in a fully functional state within the next few solar cycles.”

She looked up at the ceiling as she let his last words sink in. The Seeker knew that the scientist would stop at nothing to help her, but even this task might be too great even for him. She heard him move back to the console and begin the scanning cycle once more.

“I know who you are, how could I not. And I also know I am on Cybertron.”

Silence drifted between the two until finally Blackwind could not stand it. When she spoke it was quietly, barely higher than a whisper.

“If you cannot repair me to a fully functional state, then I want you to deactivate me. I know it sounds cliché, but it would be the only logical thing to do. If I am unable to perform my duty, and my function, then I am useless to the Empire, and to Megatron.”

Blackwind fixed her amethyst optics on his crimson orbs for some time before turning her head away from him once again.

The Tower - Medical Facility

The reflection of the crystals glitter in Swindles eyes is oddly calming, but the merchant himself remains collected. It certainly was a fine piece, not so much for a mechanoid, but organics loved shiny crystals. Probably a realisation that crystals and metal were superior building materials for a life form.

"Well, Divebomb, I must say, that is a nice find. Certainly the kind of thing you want to have around to impress the organics. And a few of the duller Cybertronians too. I think we might be able to make a deal. My canister of Maccadams for your crystal, and the location where you found it."

Its a long term investment, might be a million years before I con some schmucks into digging the crystals up for me. Or maybe I'll just sell a few groups the map and then leave while they tear each other apart. Either way, it pays to keep the economy going, even in wartime.

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

It was a bit difficult to keep up with all of the tasks that lay before Thunderwing. He was holding simultaneous conversations with Razorclaw and Onslaught along with Blackwind while running scans on the damaged seeker. It was not a task for the slow witted. Fortunately even despite his ages of isolation he was able to keep up with everything, analyzing each in turn and coming up with an appropriate response.

The scientist could tell that Razorclaw and likely Onslaught were concerned about Shockwave, and not entirely about his safety. The Predacon was careful with his words, providing no outright accusations that Shockwave may be leaking information to the Autobots, but it could possibly be implied from what he was saying. It was a fine line he was walking, but he walked it well. Onslaught prodded for more practical and tactical details, as was his personality. He replied to both of the Decepticons.

>>”Yes, unfortunately Blackwind will be unavailable for any missions for the foreseeable future. Her injuries are extensive and as such will require intensive and time consuming repairs. We may need to investigate other methods of assuring Shockwave’s safety.”<<

He paused briefly before continuing. >>”As Shockwave informed me the primary objective was to see if a substance obtained from Earth, partially from his own experimentation, would provide and adequate energy source to rejuvenate Cybertron. We can assume that there is something in Iacon he is investigating in relation to that. From what he indicated to me a fallback strategy if rejuvenation Cybertron was not possible at this time was to attempt some sort of cyberforming operation on Earth. Either the commander isn’t expecting the info out of Iacon to be good or he already knows that rejuvenation Cybertron is out of the question and is doing some sort of reconnaissance there. I cannot say for sure which it is.”<<

At the same time Thunderwing listened to Blackwind talk. Her demand to be repaired as soon as possible was to be expected. Few Decepticons were known for their patience and being in a weakened state was asking for trouble. He was glad to hear though that her memory was intact for the most part, just her recent memory had been wiped. It was likely irretrievable but she had not lost anything of vital importance.

He looked over the scans and what he was getting back was a mixed bag. Her electrical systems had, as he suspected, taken some heavy damage. They would have to be repaired or replaced. That would be time consuming but possible. A few of her mechanical functions had been damaged, the ones tied in most directly with the other systems like her fuel pump. Those parts would need to be replaced. What was troubling was that the plasma energy had traveled through her skeletal frame and weakened it all over. Replacing that would at best be an incredibly complicated and delicate operation and he suspected that he did not have the materials on Cybertron to accomplish it. He was going to need to come up with an alternative.

The Decepticon looked up at Blackwind as she whispered the last bit at him. “Voluntary deactivation is never an option. You devalue yourself by even suggesting it. Do you think your only value is what you can do physically? I once thought like that and only slowly learned otherwise. While I sought more power it was my mind that gave it to me. Without it I would likely have died as cannon fodder long ago when Cybertron was still alive. Instead my mind has allowed me to thrive and become what I am now.”

Thunderwing walked over to the repair berth and looked her in the optics. “The diagnostics are complete. You did not suffer any mortal injuries. As I am sure you can tell several of your electrical systems were damaged. Those can be repaired or replaced as necessary. An extended stay in a CR Chamber will take care of a majority of that. Most of your mechanical systems are intact, save a key few like your fuel pump. I will have to replace that. Your spark chamber is intact and protected your spark as it was meant to.”

He turned to a control panel and activated a large viewscreen showing an internal view of her body indicating the damage. He worked the controls and her electrical and mechanical systems were removed showing her inner skeletal structure which was lit up a dark orange color. “Unfortunately it appears that the plasma discharge traveled directly through your inner skeletal structure. It disrupted the integrity of it, weakening it all over. This has effectively rendered you a bit more fragile all over. Your armor will still protect you but stress to your frame from physical blows or other stresses my cause some severe internal damage.”

Thunderwing deactivated the viewscreen. “Now, even this damage is not irreparable, but replacing a skeletal frame is a very long, delicate and complicated operation. It might almost be easier to construct an entirely new body. Unfortunately I do not have the materials or tools to conduct that sort of operation on Cybertron.” He paused again, considering what he was about to say. “I do, however, have the tools and materials necessary to construct a carapace for you.”

The Tower--Nerve Center

Onslaught leaned back slightly in his chair as he took in everything that Thunderwing had offered regarding Shockwave’s overall strategy. The Combaticon felt more assured of their reason for being here, even if he still did not yet fully understand Shockwave’s reasoning for going to Iacon. It would not be the first time he had been left confused as to the methods chosen by one of Megatron’s inner circle. That said, Onsalught had also understood his place. He rarely questioned orders, he executed them. But he would not approach this situation blindly. It was Megatron’s will that must be done, not Shockwave’s or any other Decepticon’s.

“Understood, sir. The information is appreciated. If you require any assistance with Blackwind’s repair, we are at your service.”

He then paused for a few moments more, his mind already piecing together an alternative, as Blackwind would clearly not be available to them for some time. Thunderwing’s attention was clearly focused on restoring her functionality, but there was no indication of how long that could take. Thunderwing had asked for a potential strategy to deal with this situation. Onslaught would not have been fulfilling his own function if he did not offer at least one. He looked to Razorclaw.

“With our current ranks being as thin as they are, those with the skillset necessary to conduct a subtle reconnaissance mission and gather the type of information we want are few and far between. Short of Blackwind, the two of us may be the only suitable candidates.”

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

Still agitated over the damage she sustained, Blackwind turned her head away so that she did not have to look Thunderwing in the optics as he spoke. It was very easy for him to say she was devaluing herself; he was a scientist by function. Not only that, but he was also a capable soldier even before he created his carapace. She, on the other hand, was a Seeker; it was expected for her kind to be model soldiers and suitable warriors; she was both. To lose that part of her was likened to being nothing more than a drone.

“It is an option for a Seeker who can no longer function as a soldier and a warrior. If I cannot defend myself or the Empire I do not deserve to function.”

She kept her optics averted. “Just tell me what your scans have found.”

She was slightly surprised when he moved to the side of the repair berth where she could see him. Slowly she looked up and took in everything he had to say from the damage done to her electrical systems, which she checked herself, to some key mechanical systems like her fuel pump. She was relieved to hear that most of the electrical damage could be repaired during an extended CR Chamber stay.

She cocked a brow ridge when he turned to a control panel and brought up a large viewscreen. Blackwind raised her head off the berth to get a better look at the image of her inner skeletal structure. She kept her optics glued to the image as she listened to everything he had to say about the damage to her frame.

Once the image had vanished from her sight the Seeker continued to stare at the same spot as if the view had never disappeared. She opened her mouth to speak when he mentioned that replacing her frame would be complicated and he did not have the materials or the tools for such a procedure, but her jaw quickly snapped shut when he offered an alternative.

She stared at him for a few minutes before she could find her voice again.

“A carapace.” She thought a moment and then asked, “How…how long would it take to create one?”

The Tower - Nerve Center

It was obvious to Razorclaw that Blackwind would be of no use to them until she was fully repaired from whatever damage she had sustained while underground. It was an unfortunate turn of events as she was the best candidate for a scouting mission of this type. However, she was not their only possible choice.

"Indeed," the Predacon Commander replied to Onslaught. "The old adage 'if you want anything done right you have to do it yourself' would seem to apply in this situation. Most of my team are too brutish and violent to accomplish such a delicate task like this. Although, there is one that might be able to pull it off - Divebomb. He isn't like my other Predacons. He's more of a thinker and would better understand the importance of what we would need him to do. Divebomb also has powerful telescopic lens in his optical sensors that would allow him to keep a considerable distance and still observe everything that is happening with Shockwave and the Autobots without being detected. Of course, that's just visual data. We would still need a way to obtain audio information to fully understand what's going on in Iacon."

Razroclaw thought for a moment, reconsidering the idea of assigning Divebomb to such an important mission. The Predacon flyer had failed in a previous scouting mission, but that was mainly due to the fact that he had sustained injuries to his wing and had not sought proper repairs beforehand. Still, Divebomb was one of his most reliable soldiers, even if he was not perfect nor fond his own teammates. Yes, Razorclaw was aware of his subordinate's feelings towards the others. It was something the Predacon Commander tolerated just as long as Divebomb did what he was told and did not make failure a reoccurring habit. Perhaps now was the right time for the flyer to redeem himself for his past transgression.

"Knowing Shockwave, there should be a variety of listening devices in the tower's main storage facility. With the right audio surveillance equipment to supplement his already acute optics, Divebomb should be able to accomplish what we need," Razorclaw stated, locking optics with Onslaught. "Agreed?"

Medical Bay

Divebomb smiled widely as Swindle agreed to the deal with one added condition. He wanted the location of the asteroid where the Predacon flyer had found the crystal. Presumably, it was so the munitions expert could later mine more of the crystals and make even more profit for himself. That was just fine with Divebomb as he didn't care about making a profit. He only wanted to taste some of the savory Maccadam's oil Swindle was carrying.

"It's a deal," Divebomb replied as he walked over to the arms dealer and handed him the crystal. He then pulled out a small data pad and punched in the last known coordinates of the planetoid within the Borsin Quadrant. "Here you go, Swindle," the aerial combatant said as he handed the data pad to the Combaticon. Divebomb then reached over and grabbed an empty metallic container off of a nearby table. "Now, fill 'er up with some of that delicious oil."

Medical Bay

"Good, good!! Glad we could do business!!" Swindle takes the datapad and produces his own flask, and pours out a full measure for Divebomb, less a few drops in the bottom of the flask. The more backup sources he had on hand to keep his promise to Onslaught, the better in the long term.

"Enjoy!! Hope it doesn't go to your head, we still have to fix this place up. Maybe save some for later, savor it a little." Swindle turns back to one of the CR chambers and begins replacing the wornout parts with scavenged ones, to get this over and done with as soon as possible. The longer the time between when they were done, and when their commanders called to give them more duties, the more time they'd have to rest.

The Tower--Nerve Center

Onslaught steepled his actuators underneath his chin structure as he considered Razorclaw’s alternative. Having considered his own team, he knew that Vortex would have been the only one even marginally capable of coming close to gathering the sort of information that he and the Predacon Commander were after. And even then, the risk was not worth the reward in Onslaught’s estimation. In the end, his units’ truly unique specialties lay in other areas. Similarly, the majority of the Predacons were bombastic and brutal in their approach to getting the job done. They were fine traits in establishing themselves as elites among the Decepticons, to be sure, but not quite what this mission warranted. Razorclaw himself was the notable exception—a calm and patient commander whose skill had successfully managed to keep in check the more chaotic tendencies of his subordinates for many a vorn now.

Still, Onslaught’s familiarity with the unique abilities of the Predacons was nowhere near what Razorclaw’s would be, naturally, and so he had no problem deferring to the Predacon’s judgment, especially since this mission was something of Razorclaw’s own brainchild in the first place.

“Agreed,” Onslaught said simply. “If Lord Thunderwing is also in agreement, we should dispatch him immediately. Our cycloptic commander is not known for his lack of efficiency in accomplishing what he sets out to do. Time will be of the essence if we hope to gain anything useful from this endeavor.”

Onslaught then rose from his seated position. He knew that there was still the matter of Blast-Off’s report of their current lack of suitable fuel sources for the ships that he would have to contend with. The last thing they needed was some glitch on that front when they did ultimately decide to leave Cybertron once again.

“By your leave, Lord Thunderwing, it seems as though there are supplementary matters that require my attention,” the Combaticon said, standing more rigidly at attention and nodding respectfully at the image of the Decepticon on the viewscreen.

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

As Thunderwing allowed Blackwind some time to soak in all of the information he had given her he turned his own attention back to the conversation with Razorclaw and Onslaught. The two were highly skilled commanders in the Decepticon ranks and useful assets to have on Cybertron. He did find it interesting that they seemed to have some mistrust in Shockwave, even if they hid it behind being prepared and efficient. It seems politics were still important as ever among the Decepticons.

>>”You may dispatch Divebomb Razorclaw, but stress to him the importance of remaining undetected. Should his presence become known to the Autobots they may believe they have been deceived or lured into some sort of trap since the Commander appeared to have arrived alone. We do not wish to disrupt Shockwave’s plans, only to be ready to move in and assist him should those plans go awry.”<<

The scientist turned his attention back to Blackwind, his mind making calculations to answer her question. “I cannot say for sure. It took me a considerable amount of time to create the carapace you see now. A simpler one could be created in much less time however, which would be ideal considering that my resources for making one are not unlimited.”

He stepped closer to the repair bay. “Once a series of detailed scans of your structure are complete the computer can begin constructing a model of what the carapace will look like. The carapace must fit perfectly on you so it is carefully constructed and will take some time for the computer to complete. Once it is finished you will have some ability to make changes and adjustments to it, either for aesthetics or functions. I will say though that I’ve found that form seems to follow function with the carapace. What the computer presents to you is essentially what it will look like.”

“Following that it is simply a matter of time for you to spend in a heavily modified CR Chamber. The chamber will construct the carapace around you, making the necessary connections to your various systems along the way. That process takes time but not an excessive amount. I can’t give you exact estimates on how long it will all take as it depends on how complicated your structure is for the computer to calculate, how sophisticated there carapace is to be and whatever additions you would like to make to it.”

The Tower – Nerve Center

“Understood, Lord Thunderwing,” Razorclaw replied as he stood from his chair, giving the scientist a respectful salute. “I will make sure Divebomb carries out his mission accordingly.” The Predacon Commander then deactivated the viewscreen and turned to face Onslaught. “I can handle things from here, my friend. Take care of whatever matters require your attention and know that I will keep you apprised of the situation in Iacon as I receive data from my subordinate.”

Razorclaw then turned and sat back down at one of the main consoles in the nerve center. He quickly opened a secured comm line to Divebomb in the medical facility where he had been assigned to repair the rest of the CR chambers.

>>”Divebomb, this is Razorclaw. Drop what you are doing in the med bay immediately. I have a new assignment for you that takes precedence over simple repair work. Shockwave has traveled to Iacon to meet with the Autobots for unknown reasons. I need you to travel there and observe him from a distance. Your telescopic lens should allow you to monitor his activities from miles away. However, you will require audio surveillance equipment, as well. You can find what you need in the tower’s main storage bay. I assume you know what to look for?”

“Ensure Shockwave’s safety, but even more so I want to know the reason for his trip there. I cannot stress enough the importance that you remain undetected by the Autobots. They think Shockwave is there alone and I want it to remain that way. This will strictly be a reconnaissance mission. DO NOT engage the enemy without my authorization. If you are discovered and fired upon or if Shockwave is attacked, I want you to contact me immediately for further orders. I will send backup if required. This is your chance to redeem yourself for your prior failure, Divebomb. Do not fail me again. Is that understood? ”<<

Medical Bay

Divebomb took the flask from Swindle and stared down into the delicious looking oil that only Maccadam’s was known for back in the good old days. It had been so long it seemed like an eternity. “Oh, don’t worry, Swindle. I plan on savoring every last drop,” the Predacon flier said as he lifted the flask to his mouth and began to drink. The oil passed over his taste actuators with ease before sliding down his throat into his fuel cells.

“Mmmmm….” Divebomb moaned as he stopped for a moment, the flask still half full. “I had forgotten just how good Maccadam’s oil was. You definitely need to replicate this recipe, Swindle. You’ll make a fortune with this stuff.” The flying Pred then downed the rest of the oil and wiped the excess from the corners of his mouth before setting the now empty flask down on a nearby table. “Excellent. My fuel cells haven’t felt this full in a long time. Thank you my little friend. I shall not forget this.”

Before Divebomb could move back to fixing the remaining CR chambers, he received a secured communiqué from Razorclaw. The flier listened carefully to everything his commander had to say regarding his new assignment. Divebomb was a bit surprised that his leader would consider him for another recon mission after his prior failure, but it was soon apparent that Razorclaw was willing to give him a second chance at making amends and proving himself worthy. It seemed odd, though, that Blackwind would not be sent on a mission such as this as her ability to render herself invisible made the femme seeker a far better candidate than himself. Perhaps she was still unavailable or maybe something had happened to her. Either way, the flier surmised that Razorclaw had few other options open to him and this was perhaps the real reason he was turning to the Predacon flier for assistance.

>>”Understood clearly, Commander Razorclaw. I will acquire what I need in storage and depart for Iacon at once.”

Divebomb then turned to the arms dealer and shrugged. “Sorry, Swindle. I’ve been called away on an important mission. You’ll have to finish up here by yourself.” The Predacon flier then left the med bay and headed for the storage facility.

Level 3 – Storage Depot

Divebomb arrived in the storage room and quickly located the surveillance equipment that he would need on the upcoming mission. Knowing that time was of the essence, the flier attached a small recording device to the side of his head and wired it into his own audio receptors. He then grabbed a dish receiver that would help to amplify to power of the recorder so that nothing said would be missed.

Once Divebomb was fully equipped, he exited the storage depot and made his way out of the tower where he transformed to eagle mode and rocketed into the skies towards Iacon.

Medical Bay

Swindle smiles at the satisfaction on Divebombs face. Heh, maybe Onslaughts idea ain't so bad after all. I'd have to find some schmuck to do the brewing for me, though, I ain't no fuel convertor. And I'd better do it before any rumors start spreading of what little I have left.

This is just one of the many minor dilemmas that Swindle's position in the Decepticon forces has put him in, so he puts in the back of his mind like the rest, and focuses on his job. He has two CR chambers restored to usable condition when Divebomb suddenly announced that he had to leave.

"Er, right. Good luck with that." Swindle watches the Predacon go, wondering what it might mean for warriors to be sent out again already. If the higher-ups are calling for scouts like Divebomb, they must be trying to find where the Autobots are hiding. That means potential combat in the future...And since we Combaticons kept base last time, someone might say its our 'turn' to fight next.

Worried, the munitions specialist begins work on the next unit. Come on Onslaught, pull through for us one more time. Surely you can talk Razorclaw into sending his boys to do the fighting, right?

Aboard the Thanatos

Rampage watched with rapt attention as a holovid recording of one of Megatron’s ancient pit fights played on the screen in front of him. He had saved many of these, especially since Rampage himself had been a participant in more than one such event. He intended to leave the maintenance of the ships to more interested mechs. It looked like things were functioning normally anyway. Maybe a little low on energy, but since when had that not been the case, especially on Cybertron?

“Get him, Megatron. Left! Use the mace!”

He had seen this particular match at least a hundred times over the almost countless vorns inbetween now and the time this match had originally taken place.

___

The Tower--Nerve Center

Once Thunderwing had signed on to Razorclaw’s proposal, Onslaught felt confidant that he could turn his attention to the other more mundane matters that were currently at hand. Razorclaw’s words were simply the confirmation of that feeling. Onslaught nodded before turning and walking out of the tower’s nerve center. They had involved themselves in a sketchy game of Decepticon politics now, even if they could still credibly claim that it was not their intent to do so. Onslaught could not see what the future would hold for either of them now. He would begin prepping contingencies based on his suspicions and a few strategic calculations.

Silo A-2

His brisk pace allowed him to complete the trek between the tower itself and Silo A-2 in a relatively short span of time. When he did, the first item on the agenda was addressing Blast-Off’s fuel concern. Having found the other Combaticon, Onslaught accessed the silo’s status information for both of the current Decepticon vessels that were present.

The Thanatos had enough for a return trip to Earth—barely. That would have to suffice. If a return to the mudball was their eventual intent, they could address refueling concerns after they got there. The Obliteration was in something of a more problematic state. Its energy reserves had been largely spent bringing him and his team back to Cybertron in the first place. They would be lucky to leave this star system with the current amount of fuel the ship had. He didn't have an answer for Blast-Off's question just yet. He opened up a comm.

>>”Onslaught to Razorclaw—I don’t suppose there was any chance you and your men came across any viable source of energy while you were accompanying Shockwave on his trek through Kolkular? We’re about a stone’s throw away from having to drain cyber-rats in order to get a charge-up.”<<

Just talking about energy made the Combaticon Commander think of the Maccadam’s oil and how rich and satisfying it had tasted. It was such a far cry from anything he and his men had been able to sustain themselves with in recent memory.

Focus, Onslaught, the Combaticon told himself as he turned his attention back to the Silo’s info screens, awaiting Razorclaw’s response. If Kaon was as dry as Polyhex, they were going to have to conjure up another source of fuel for their eventual flight.

The Tower - Nerve Center

Once Onslaught had left the nerve center and Divebomb had been dispatched to Iacon, Razorclaw was able to sit back and relax for a short while, contemplating recent events that had transpired. He was playing a dangerous game here regarding Shockwave and his motives in the Autobot capital. Surely, Lord Thunderwing had sensed during their recent communication that the Predacon Commander had his suspicions about the cycloptic mech, even if Thunderwing didn't outwardly acknowledge it. Razorclaw had to tread very carefully in the coming cycles. He needed proof that Shockwave was doing something against Megatron's wishes or against the empire as a whole before a possible move against him could be initiated.

Of course, the Predacon Commander couldn't do anything until Divebomb successfully returned from his mission with the needed information. Then, depending on what the intel revealed, Razorclaw would have to consult with Onslaught first before moving forward. It was imperative that he had the Combaticon leader's support as his unit combined with the Predacons formed the bulk of the Decepticon might on Cybertron. Together, and only together, would they be able to supplant Shockwave's authority if that did indeed become necessary.

Razorclaw was awakened from his thoughts by a transmission from Onslaught. Apparently, there was no energon left in the Silo to refuel the Obliteration properly. The Predacon Commander had not considered this before as he should have. Shockwave had obviously directed power into the tower's more important systems rather than have any on standby in the launching silo. After all, when they had first arrived on Cybertron, it was not known that it would be necessary to call on the Combaticons for support, and the Thanatos already had enough fuel to leave the planet. Thus having another warship docked here had not been taken into consideration.

>>"Understood, Commander Onslaught. While in Kolkular, we were able to activate the emergency powerplant A1, which provided us with enough energy to guide us to the command hub of the fortress and effectively power its systems. It's possible that the plant is still active and producing energon, depending of course on whether Shockwave shut the generator down before he left for Iacon. Let me check the sensor network. Standby.”<<

Razorclaw then accessed the console in front of him in order to verify the status of the power plant in Kolkular. The Combaticon Commander had previously used a sensor rod to establish a link with the fortress city which would help take the guess work out of determining whether the generator was still functioning or not. Thankfully, the news was somewhat good.

>>"According to the sensor logs from Kolkular, the power plant’s generator is still operational and producing some energon, but not much. It might be enough to recharge the Obliteration to an adequate level to allow the ship to leave Cybertron and reach Earth at the very least. However, in order to obtain what energon is left, someone would have to travel back to Kolkular and siphon it off from the one running generator. Unless, of course, you know of another potential source of power, Commander Onslaught."<<

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

As Thunderwing turned back to the console to respond to Razorclaw, Blackwind let out a low sigh. The Seeker femme then turned her head to one side and placed her hand over her optics. Her processor went over what the scientist has already told her, but she still had a hard time comprehending the entire thing. One minute she was standing at the edge of a black void and the next she was on an exam table in Thunderwing’s lab. This is a nightmare.

Finally Thunderwing turned his attention back to her and tried as best he could to answer her question on how long it would take to create a carapace for her. Slowly she lowered her hand from her optics, but she kept her head turned away from him.

After he was finished Blackwind kept silent. She considered everything he had told her, but still she did not answer. Several breems passed before she finally spoke in a hushed tone.

“If I am to continue to be an asset to the Empire than I must agree.”

Slowly Blackwind turned her head so that she could see Thunderwing.

“I am ready whenever you are.”

The Tower--Silo A-2

The word from Razorclaw had come. Onslaught got the information he had been after, but it had been a mixed bag of both positive and negative.

>>“Understood. With Cybertron as dry as it is, that reactor will be our best bet. We’ll jury-rig something if we have to in order to make it work. Info appreciated. Onslaught out.”<<

Using a remote fueler could have been an option, but Tantrum only had the storage capacity to refuel a few Decepticons in the field in the midst of battle, not a full-fledged Decepticon vessel. And wherever Octane was, he was likely not stationed here or he would have surely heard of it by now. So, that left them with the riskier option of leaving the relative security they had established in Polyhex in order to access whatever energy this reactor in Kolkular was capable of producing. It wasn’t ideal, but it was doable. His unit had finagled themselves out of tighter squeezes than this.

Wherever Swindle had gone off to, Onslaught was confidant that they would have working CR chambers again in short order, on top of whatever private business the Combaticon sought to conduct on the side. The range of those whom he could do any sort of business with on Cybertron was severely limited at present. But, if their objectives here went according to plan, that would likely change in the near future.

“Blast-Off, Vortex, prep the Obliteration for take off. We’re going to make a fuel run.”

Silo A-2

Blast-Off waited patiently for a response from Onslaught. The only initial reply he had gotten was "Standby" and then nothing. This was not a good sign as it was quite possible that there was no other source of energon that would be sufficient in powering the Obliteration. If that was the case then perhaps the Predacons would be kind enough to let them hitch a ride on the Thanatos if they needed to travel off world. Although, the thought of possibly sharing space with the brutish Predacons was enough to make the space warrior want to drain his own fuel cells in order to power the ship.

Finally, Onslaught appeared in person and accessed the silo's status data. He said nothing at first to Blast-Off, but instead focused on the task at hand, contacting Razorclaw to request further information regarding any potential energy sources in Kolkular. The response was one that the Combaticon Commander had hoped for as he then gave the order to prep the Obliteration for take off.

"Understood, Commander," Blast-Off replied with a salute before heading off to the bridge of the Combaticon warship. "Come on, Vortex. We've got work to do!"

The Obliteration - Bridge

It didn't take long for Blast-Off to reach the command deck and subsequently the bridge. Once he was through the doors, the space warrior took a seat at a nearby console. The diagnostic program he had initiated in engineering earlier had finished running and showed that everything was operating at optimal efficiency. He then began booting up the rest of the warship's primary systems, including the navigational functions. Everything checked out. All that was needed were the appropriate coordinates and they'd be good to go. Of course, depending on how far they would need to travel across Cybertron, this could very well end up being a one way trip if they did not find the energon they needed.

"Vortex, check the ship's weapons systems, will ya?" Blast-Off said without looking to see where the interrogator was standing. "I doubt we have enough power to fire the main guns more than a few times, if even, but at least they'll be ready if the need arises."

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

Thunderwing continued to ponder the implications of what Onslaught and Razorclaw had been suggesting. It seemed that he had gone from being essentially an outcast to possibly in the know about suspect behavior among command level officers. It was a mixture of relief and disappointment to know that such things had not changed among the Decepticons while he had been on his own for so long.

The scientist turned his attention back to Blackwind and nodded at her. He had suspected she would go along with the procedure, particularly after her talk of devotion to the Empire. He wondered if she would have volunteered to be a test subject even without the damage she had sustained. Her devotion to the Empire seemed absolute, something that seemed so rare among the ranks. Selflessness was not a trait that was common to many Decepticons and it was to be admired on the rare occasions it was found.

Still, he thought she was being a bit overly dramatic with statements of being shut down if she couldn’t fight. There were so many other ways a Decepticon could be valuable to the cause outside of the purely physical. Alas, that was likely an idea that would never fully take a hold of most Decepticons, what with the general ‘survival of the fittest’ philosophy that permeated the ranks.

Thunderwing walked back over to a control console and tapped in a series of commands. “I will begin the scanning process now. It will take a bit of time and it will require some movement on your part.” He pointed to the diagnostic display of her he had put back up on the monitor. “When the display lights up and indicated joint you will need to move it about so the scan can see how your parts function in motion. You can feel free to talk during the process as well as it only needs general information on your cranium.” He punched in a command and the scan started. Red lights began washing over the seeker as the computer recorded the data.

The Decepticon allowed the process to proceed as he moved to his work bench. He grabbed a fuel pump from a pile of spare parts and went to work making slight modifications to it. “While that is running I will prep your new fuel pump and a few other minor parts. Once the scan is done I will replace the necessary parts. Then it is just some necessary time in the modified CR Chamber to repair the rest of you and force the carapace.”

Silo A-2

Vortex was glad to hear that their next mission would be some kind of fuel run. The Maccadam’s had been more of a tease to the interrogator than anything. It was satisfying, yes, but it really only made him crave more. Whatever the other Decepticons were on to that could fill up the Obliteration would likely be suitable to fill up his own reserves as well.

“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Vortex said, following right behind Blast-Off as they headed off toward the ship’s bridge. “How long do you think it’ll be before we get off this crusty planet?”

Vortex wasn’t really picky when it came to mission objectives, but coming back and seeing Cybertron the way it was now only reaffirmed why he had been so glad to get off the planet last time. Taking one of the seats at the helm, Vortex began checking the ship’s energy levels and started activating its primary engines. They could cruise around Cybertron for a little while, given their current readings, but they were definitely going to need a fill-up if they hoped to do anything more than that.

___

As the ship’s main engines started to fire up, Onslaught stepped away from the ship. Blast-Off and Vortex were both capable navigators and this was as basic a mission as the Combaticons usually ever received. Nevertheless, it was critical to get this done and out of the way if they hoped to accomplish anything further.

The Combaticon Commander’s internal circuitry still felt like it was twitching. They were on the verge of some kind of shift. He could feel it. He just didn’t know to what extent. Would Shockwave return, having completed some classified mission that he felt needed doing? Would he and Razorclaw have to make a move on their own if they discovered that the cycloptic mech was somehow sabotaging Megatron’s goals? If they did, where would the lines of loyalty break? Such things were never so easily resolved. Onslaught suspected that was why so many politicians had sympathized with the Decepticon cause in the time leading up to the great war. In the Autobot ranks, such political or military maneuvering was almost non-existent. Within the Decepticon ranks it was celebrated—provided you came out on the winning side.

The orns ahead would be interesting, to say the least.

With the matter of their current lack of fuel in the process of being tended to, Onslaught returned his attention to other issues.

>>”Swindle, Brawl—status report.”<<

Medical Bay

Swindle pulls himself out of the ruin of a CR chamber and opens his comm. >>Commander, I have 8 CR chambers up and running on top of the 5 that remained usable, and I think another 2 or 3 can be salvaged. To get any more will require more serious engineering, but by my count that would be more than enough for the current team here. Will I bother or is there another task you need me for?<<

Swindle mused on the situation. Is this just a regular check-in or is something afoot? I think theres enough CR chambers running that there'll be one free for me if the worst happens...But thats relying on Shockwave going with the logic of treating his troops well rather than the logic of treating us like ammo.

Thunderwing’s Lab

Blackwind had not been paying attention to Thunderwing’s dealings with Razorclaw or Onslaught, instead her thoughts were on her future within the Decepticon machine and the soon to come Empire that will, no doubt, rule the galaxy. She let out a low sigh as she tried to process her own contributions to come in the near future.

She was shaken from her reverie when she heard the scientist’s voice. He began to inform her of what to expect once the scanning had begun. Blackwind nodded in response, and when the process started she watched as her entire frame was bathed in a red light. After only a few minutes the display brought up a view of her frame; and light indicator prompted her to move her arm out from her side focusing on the shoulder joint. She complied and the process continued.

After nearly a breem she remained silent trying to only concentrate on what she was required to do. She had just turned her head so the program could record the movement of her neck, when she locked her optics on the back of Thunderwing who was quietly working on the fuel pump he would be installing soon.

“Thunderwing? Once I’m in that CR chamber, what can I expect?”

She was prompted to raise her left leg at the hip, but she kept her optics on him.

“And just how will the carapace work? I mean, how much of me will still be me?”

Thunderwing’s Laboratory

Thunderwing continued adjusting the fuel pump he had found. It was the correct size and shape, but some of the connections were the incorrect size. He was adjusting and adding adaptors to where the hoses would attach so they would function correctly. It was particularly difficult or challenging but it was necessary. The scientist searched through a pile of parts for an appropriate adaptor.

The Decepticon turned his head towards Blackwind as she spoke. “It will feel like a standard cycle through the chamber, only longer. Typically you aren’t really active while the cycle goes on, I experienced only some slight differences, some tingling as the carapace was linked to my electrical and sensory systems. Nothing painful.”

At her second question he looked over at her. “I’m not sure what you mean. You will be the same being, only with an extensive series of modifications. Your spark and cerebral circuits are still the same, they are simply inside an additional layer of armor, weaponry and other machinery.” He went back to work on the fuel pump. “There is a bit of disorientation at first. You will be taller and larger, like you had been upscaled in size. It quickly fades though as you will move just as well, if not better, then before.” He smiled, “I think you will enjoy the feelings, the enhanced senses and increased power can be quite a rush.”

The Obliteration – Bridge

Blast-Off remained focused on the task at hand as he overheard Vortex’s query regarding their length of stay on Cybertron. The space warrior knew that his comrade was simply attempting to pass the time with idle chatter and he had no problem with accommodating the interrogator. “Well, that all depends, Vortex. From what I’ve heard the whole reason for us all being here was to restore Cybertron to its former glory. Obviously, we’re still a long way from that happening. However, if whatever Shockwave’s been working on is a success, then we might end up staying here for the long term. If it doesn’t work, well, then you can kiss this crusty planet goodbye sooner rather than later.”

Blast-Off then checked the weapons systems, bringing the warship’s guns online as Vortex simultaneously activated the primary engines. As the space warrior had thought, the power levels would only allow for a minimal bombardment at best, at least until they recharged the fuel cells. Hopefully, they would not encounter any kind of aggressors, Autobot or otherwise, during their initial trip out. He wasn’t worried about getting back to Polyhex, as they would most likely have plenty of energon at that time.

Blast-Off then opened a comm line to Onslaught: >>”Commander, Vortex and I have brought all of the primary systems and engines online. Everything is functioning at optimal, if not fuel starved levels. We're ready to depart whenever you are, sir.”<<

The Tower – Nerve Center

Having given Onslaught the information he had been looking for, Razorclaw closed his comm line and simply sat back, monitoring the various display screens around the nerve center. For a mech with only one optic, Shockwave certainly adorned his tower with more than enough cameras to keep watch on everything that was going on inside and out. Nothing escaped his sight, apparently, and that fact was now weighing heavily on the Predacon Commander’s processor.

It was quite possible that the purple mech had already considered the probability of opposition within the Decepticon ranks to whatever he was doing over in Iacon. If that was the case, then there was also reason to believe that Shockwave had determined the proper course of action to take in the event of a rebellion against his authority. Therefore, it was becoming clear to Razorclaw that he would have to be extra careful with how he handled the situation if Divebomb returned with less than desired news. Knowing Shockwave and his overly logical mindset, he would be ready for any adverse reaction to his activities regarding the Autobots, especially if it’s revealed that he was working with them or sharing delicate information in any way.

Razorclaw tapped his clawed fingers on the console in front of him, appearing calm and collected as his optics flashed from one screen to another. Internally, however, his cerebral cortex was afire with all of the options he had before him. None of them would be easy unless, of course, Shockwave’s actions were harmless and in keeping with Megatron’s goals here. But, somehow he knew that would not be the case and he would be faced with making a very difficult decision.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first tough choice Razorclaw’s had to make. As commander of the Predacons, he’s made countless assessments that were hard and brought with them a certain level of uncertainty. That was the nature of war and being in charge of an elite squad in the Decepticon Empire. He didn’t get to where he was today by doing things the easy way, after all. However, this situation was a bit different as the decision Razorclaw was faced with now had nothing to do with battlefield tactics. It was more political in nature, which was a threshold that the Predacon Commander had never crossed before.

Razorclaw leaned forward and brought up an image of the Thanatos on the display screen in front of him. There truly were cameras everywhere, even in the launching silos. He saw little activity outside of the ship, and therefore assumed that his Predacons were making the necessary preparations within the vessel, itself.

Razorclaw then opened a comm line to his unit: >>”Predacons, this is your commander. I want an immediate status update regarding the condition of the Thanatos. Headstrong, is the weapons array online yet? Tantrum, what is the current level of the fuel cells? Rampage, have you run a systems-wide diagnostic yet or are you watching those old gladiatorial holovids you carry around with you instead of working? I hope for your sake it’s not the latter.”<<

Thanatos - Engineering

Tantrum was stirred from his rest mode at the sound of Razorclaw’s communication. He quickly sat upright and adjusted the controls on the console in front of him, bringing up a display of the ship’s fuel cells. He then cleared his throat and opened his comm line:

>>”Ahhh, fuel cells are at 50 percent, sir. I had to add some spare energon we brought with us from storage. We should have enough to return to Earth or the nearest outpost.”<<

Tantrum then fell back in his chair, barely able to keep his anger at being awakened at bay. Hopefully, his answer would be enough to satisfy his commander’s question, allowing the fueler to then re-enter rest mode.

Thanatos - Armory

Headstrong received Razorclaw’s message as he finished cleaning a plasma rifle before replacing it onto the shelf where he had originally found it. Letting out an obnoxious snort, he opened his comm line to respond:

>>”Yeah, boss, ship’s weapons systems are online and working. No problems. Down in the armory now dusting off some rifles and such.”<<

Headstrong then reached for another laser gun on a nearby rack and began cleaning the barrel out with an energy rod.

The Thanatos

“Uhh…,” Rampage stammered, having been stirred from the mini-marathon of gladiator vids that he had been watching from Cybertron’s golden age. He looked around for a second. How would Razorclaw even have been able to guess that Rampage had been watching these? The answer dawned on him just as quickly as the question. They were operating in Shockwave’s home domain. It was almost a must for the ever-observant commander to keep a watchful eye on everything that he felt was his, either directly or by virtue of the resources that Megatron placed under his command. That meant there was no point in lying.

“…systems diagnostic. On it,” Rampage commed back as he started to run those particular on-board systems. “Yeah, I’ve been a little distracted. But come on, ‘Claw. You can’t say that you don’t feel a little itch for the old days. Remember when we got to fight side by side with Megatron and slag some empties practically every orn? We were rich. We were warlords! What are we now?”

Some Decepticons would ask a question like that rhetorically, already having an answer formed in their mind, simply wanting confirmation or a chance to argue. For Rampage, the question was genuine. They were elites among the Decepticons, but what did that really mean anymore? Rampage remembered what he used to be. He was a territorial warlord, controlling his own section of Cybertron. That power and control was what had brought him and the other Predacons together, eventually aligning under the Decepticon insignia. But Cybertron was dead now. There was nothing to control, except for—arguably—Polyhex and Iacon. And what good were they when the rest of the planet was a wasteland?

It was a rare moment of reflection for the Predacon. Normally he just preferred to stab things and lose himself in circuit-numbing entertainment.

___

The Obliteration

>>”Acknowledged. I trust that you two can get this job done quickly and get back here. If you run into connection problems at Kolkular, I’ll troubleshoot from here. Onslaught out.”<<

“Copy that, Commander,” Vortex said. They were just doing a fill-up after all. If they couldn’t do something as simple as this without having a commander over their shoulder, what would that make them? Scavenger?

With everything online and functioning within established parameters, Vortex engaged the lift-off sequence and before long, the sizable Decepticon freighter was in the air, arcing into the skies over Polyhex.

“Well, let’s hope it works then and we can leave. Cybertron looks like a lost cause. I don’t think even the brainy mechs will bring it back. Best to move on and take over worlds that have some life in them. I know if I’m feeling the strain, Brawl must be going nuts. He’ll probably shoot the first thing that trips our fancy new sensor network.”

The Obliteration - Bridge

>>”Swindle, Brawl—status report.”<<

>>"I am with Vortex and Blast-Off boss. Getting edgy here. Need to kill something. Soon.<< Brawl replied back to Onslaught's query. After all, once they had found there being no fuel reserves in the tower, Brawl had kept following Vortex in hopes of something to happen.

And nothing really had happened. But as far he could figure, being onboard the Obliteration gave him even a slight chance to blow up something in comparison to working with Swindle in the tower. Thus, to be able to constrain himself from doing something that would end up him banging his head against the walls of the brig, Brawl had manned the ship's observation array. Looking for even the slightest chance of movement within the dead wastes below them.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! Gimme something to shoot at! Anything!"

The Tower - Nerve Center

Razorclaw knew his team all too well, even better then they knew themselves sometimes. It was a requirement when being in command of an elite combat unit such as the Predacons. For instance, he was well aware of Divebomb’s distaste for the rest of his comrades. It was tolerated because the flier was, for the most part, good at what he did and always obedient. Likewise, the Predacon leader knew of Rampage’s penchant for watching old videos, especially the gladiatorial ones from Cybertron’s golden age. It had only been a guess, of course, but judging from Rampage’s response it had been an accurate one.

>>”Yes, Rampage, I remember. But, those days are long gone, I’m afraid. We are soldiers now. We are the empire’s elite and we must be prepared for any contingency. Report on the results of the diaognostic when they are ready.”<<

Razorclaw understood where Rampage was coming from. They had been warlords once, in control of vast territories around Cybertron. That was before the war broke out and they were forced to pick sides. The Decepticons were an easy fit for the Predacons as they represented many of the same potent ideals and were fighting against the corrupt Autobot government.

Now, of course, there was nothing left of their old homeworld that was really worth fighting for. Unless Shockwave’s experiments here yeilded some promising results, the planet would likely have to be abandoned again and everything would go back to how it once was.

>>”Understood”<< Razorclaw responded to both Headstrong’s and Tantrum’s reports. The Predacon Commander then sat back in his chair and patiently awaited Divebomb’s return.

The Obliteration

As the Combaticon warship took off over the remenants of Polyhex, Blast-Off keyed in the exact coordinates for Kolkular. The trip wouldn’t take too long, but they were unable to go at full speed as it would burn more fuel then they actually had left. The slower they went, the longer the energy would last.

“I’m sure everything will work out fine, Vortex,” the space warrior reassured the interrogator. It’s an easy mission just as long as the generator is still functioning when we get there. We should have no problem tapping into the main power grid of the city-state. It may take a full cycle to draw out enough energon to fully power the ship, but that’s a small price to pay to ensure that we can eventually leave this lifeless planet.”

Blast-Off was beginning to agree with Vortex that Cybertron was a lost cause. When Shockwave and his unit had initially arrived here there may have been a glimmer of hope to restore their world to it’s former glory, but that was just wishful thinking now. Even if they ultimately succeeded, their constant struggle with the Autobots would just destroy everything again. It was an enivitable cycle of creation and destruction with no end in sight.

Then he heard Brawl shouting about not having anything to shoot at. Blast-Off turned to look over at Vortex, a smile forming under his face shield. “That didn’t take long.”

The space warrior began scanning the desolate region beneath them. Once he found something he turned back to look at his violence-loving comrade. “Hey, Brawl! There’s some cyber-critters down below if you want to shoot at those! Just a thought.”