The Energon Pub

PART 191

——“Your reign shall be far shorter than Starscream’s!” shouted Alpha Trion, from his prone position on the floor. “Already you have one less moon to rule!”
——Several Decepticons converge on the bound Prime, intent on stomping him into sheet metal.
——Galvatron forbid it. “No—! Stand him up. I wish to hear what he has to say.”
——Cyclonus and Scourge each grabbed an arm and hoisted Alpha Trion to his feet.
——“The knowledge that you seek you will not gain from me, murderer.”
——Galvatron acknowledged Alpha Trion with a vicious backhand that sent some of his teeth clattering across the floor.
——“Where are your brothers hiding?” he demanded.
——“If I knew, I would not tell you.”
——“No matter. Scourge can track them anywhere in the galaxy! Where is the Covenant of Primus, then? Surely you know the whereabouts of that rusted old tome.”
——“My second reply is the same as the first.”
——“Annoying old Prime—!”
——Galvatron drew back his hand to strike him again, but Unicron’s voice gave him pause.
——”DO NOT INDULGE HIM. RIP OPEN HIS BELLY. THERE YOU WILL FIND THE COVENANT.”
——Galvatron delivered a single punch to Alpha Trion’s lower torso, bending the Autobot emblem that had been forged into a cover plate. He pried it off and then plunged his hand into the Prime’s internals. Slotted horizontally between his fuel tank and T-Cog is where the tyrant’s fingers fell upon the Covenant. Galvatron snatched it out, snagging loose the accompanying Quill in a loop of wires.
——Alpha Trion disguised his discomfort as disdain while Galvatron perused its pristine pages.
——“Are you searching for a way to destroy your master?”
——“Silence, librarian!”
——“I refuse. The Quill, in tandem with the Covenant, can be weaponized to accomplish such a feat. Sadly, a reformatted slave held in Unicron’s thrall lacks the autonomy to utilize them.”
——“Tell me what I must do, quickly! I wish to be free of—“
——“KILL HIM NOW, GALVATRON, OR YOU YOURSELF SHALL SUFFER!”
——“Yes. I obey… my master.”
——Galvatron grasped the book with two hands, held it high, then brought it down repeatedly over the top of Alpha Trion’s head until it was a lumpy, leaking mass level with the horn jutting from his brow.
——Alpha Trion glitched uncontrollably in a gray cloud of smoke created by his own overloading cerebral circuits. When it became apparent that his injuries would not be enough to end him, Galvatron tore the Quill from his torso and stabbed the elder Transformer through the Spark.
——The energy unleashed lit up the entire Hall of Records. After it subsided, Alpha Trion’s body crumbled to pieces before the astonished Decepticons’ faces. Cyclonus and Scourge stepped away from the scrap pile so that the crowd could get a clear view of what remained of the Autobots’ greatest advisor.
——Galvatron threw the Covenant up in the air and shot it. Pieces of it’s foil pages floated down upon his cheering soldiers, covering them like confetti.
——“Cyclonus! Scourge! To me!” commanded Galvatron. “We leave for Quintessa immediately. Our mission isn’t over until all the Primes meet with a similar fate!”

(to be continued)

PART 192

——“Mighty Galvatron… a word please, if I may,” requested Cyclonus.
——“Make it quick, Cyclonus!” said Galvatron, as they strode to a far corner for privacy. “I’m eager to spill the energon of another Prime. My Spark sings for it!”
——“I advise caution,” said Cyclonus, in their huddle. “The Quintessons command a substantial army. Finding and killing a Prime in such a hostile—and alien—environment will prove quite difficult. Also, we must consider the source of the information—!”
——“Yes… the Silver Snake,” sneered Galvatron. “What do you suggest?”
——“Send others in our stead. Once Quintus Prime is located, we will swoop in to terminate him if our proxies cannot complete the task.”
——“Excellent advice, Cyclonus.”
——Galvatron turned swiftly and found Astrotrain. “Transport the Seacons to Quintessa,” he told the Triple Changer. “If my aquatic assassins encounter Quintus Prime there, call me if they fail to leave him face down in that world’s fetid waters.”
——“As you command, Lord Galvatron.”
——Razorclaw stepped forward from the group that had gathered behind Galvatron to speak with him as he concluded his conversation with Astrotrain.
——“Galvatron. We Predacons humbly request that you allow us to take our hunt for Sky Lynx to the stars.”
——“I grant you your request, Razorclaw. Take our fastest star cruiser. Contact me when you have tracked down your quarry so that I may join you. The Primes aboard that absurd Autobot are mine… and mine alone.”
——“Understood, Lord Galvatron. We thank you for this generous opportunity.”
——“You can show your appreciation by not failing me. I do not wish to be disappointed with your group a second time, Razorclaw.”
——“Enjoy your hunt… beasts,” bade Scourge, although his optics weren’t on the departing Predacons, they were focused on his doppelgänger pushing his way past the sentries posted at the Hall’s main entrance.
——“Sweep-3!” he exclaimed, upon reuniting with his scarred huntsman. “I see that the account of your demise at the hands of a mini-bot were in error.”
——“Thank the dark god for my superior design!” praised Sweep-3.
——“This particular Sweep does seem exceptionally resilient, Scourge.” conceded Cyclonus. “I did not expect him to survive the Autobot’s cowardly attack.”
——“If only my mind was as tough as my body,” replied Sweep-3. “It seems that the trauma of the ordeal erased much of my memory bank.”
——“An inconvenience, surely, but one of little importance.” dismissed Scourge. “We hunt and kill Primes for Unicron. That is all you need know.”

(to be continued)

PART 193

——Prowl

——Goldbug gives his latest report to me over Teletraan-1. Honestly, I’m impressed that his spy network is still functioning after all that’s happened.
——Alpha Trion is the latest casualty. Goldbug gets emotional when speaking about him the way a student would a mentor. He recounts how Alpha Trion rebuilt him after a Space Bridge accident left him wrecked and mostly mind-wiped one million years in the past. One Spark, two lives led… similar, but different.
——Ultra Magnus’ unit is on the run. The only way I can assist them is by preventing a bad situation from becoming worse. I know that Shockwave wants the key to Vector Sigma—which means that he either has someone coming to deliver it to him, or he plans to travel to Cybertron to get it. My blockade blocks both options. I have Broadside disguised as an aircraft carrier near the Nemesis. All five Aerialbots are aboard and ready to fly on the word go. No ‘Con is getting in… or out.

——Shockwave

——I no longer have need of the Nemesis. My forces abandoned it days ago in anticipation of an attack by the Autobots or the flesh creatures. The battle between Devastator and the Dinobots that resulted in the destruction of Sherman Dam achieved its intended purpose; it elicited an emotional response from the flesh creatures. In their anger, they have mobilized their feeble military against both factions.
——Predictably, the Autobots will intervene in any conflict between us and the inhabitants of this world. In doing so, the Autobots will become targets of their wrath. Those they seek to protect shall serve as the very distraction that leads to their downfall.

(to be continued)

PART 194

Prowl

——“The bities are rollin’ out, mate.”
——“Affirmative, Outback.”
——My agent imbedded in the human military tells me that they’re on the move. Some would say that it’s very functionist of me to use Outback as a spy because of his alt-form, but hey, I’m doing the best with what I’ve got.
——I send Tailgate and Hubcap out to make travel difficult. Hubcap fouls up the traffic lights in the city, while Tailgate causes crashes on the highways.
——Tailgate objects at first because he thinks that Earth vehicles are alive. Once I convince him otherwise, he does his job well by using a magnet behind his bumper to add a ton of drag to cars as they switch lanes. The fender benders and screwy signals bring traffic to a standstill. Prime probably wouldn’t approve, but it’s better to have humans with hurt backs than piles of ash lying around.
——Once their military begins off-roading their way out of that mess, I’ll have Groove tear through the city creating noisy, “giant robot disturbances” that will be impossible to ignore. Out of character for Groove, but his motorcycle mode is best suited for the role. Again, call me a functionist and I’ll deny it to the end.

Shockwave

——Our attack on the Ark was set to commence minutes after the arrival of the flesh creatures’ military, but I failed to factor in a lack of proficiency regarding the operation of motorized vehicles by the larger populace. In addition, a systemic failure of their traffic directing devices—likely due to minimal maintenance—occurs at a most inopportune time.
——The collective incompetence of this species will result in our pawns coming into contact with the Autobots much later than expected. My timetable makes no allowances for such delays. My plans must move forward without them.
——The Stunticons use their force field protected hulls to drive a wedge through miles of unliving machines en route to the Ark. A yellow Autobot, secreted among the immobilized Earth vehicles, attempts to impede their path and is ultimately dealt with.
—— After his destruction, it was reported that the Autobot tried to charm my Stunticons into changing factions. Failing that, he offered Motormaster a Cygar that was soon discovered to be a listening device. Curious, I switch to my primary configuration, land, and then begin examining this crafty, fallen Autobot. His name is Hubcap. His last communication was with their strategist, Prowl.
——What I initially believed to be a series of accidents is now revealed to be a deliberate plot to hinder the advancement of the flesh creatures’ ground forces. Our enemies may now know that we are coming to destroy them, but my meticulous planning has insured that the element of surprise is not lost.

(to be continued)

PART 195

Prowl

——I told Hubcap not to engage! But what did he say…? Some scrap about “weapons winning battles but words can win wars,” then he went off to face the Stunticons alone. Now his comm’s dead and I’m hoping that HE isn’t as well. I’m sending one of Wheeljack’s new Sky Spy drones out to investigate.
——Intercepted messages relayed to me from Blaster say that jets have been scrambled to take out a flying ray gun. That’s Shockwave’s description. So it’s official; either the Decepticreeps decided to start using the Nemesis’ underwater back door, or they vacated the premises before I set up my blockade.
——I dispatch the Aerialbots to handle the situation. They take to the skies with two objectives—
——Prevent human casualties
——Eliminate Shockwave
——My drone arrives on the scene first, bumping into side view mirrors as it flies between rows of abandoned automobiles. The humans must’ve ditched their cars when they saw some of them get up and start walking. Good. That’s gonna make the Aerialbots’ jobs a whole lot easier when they arrive.
——Hubcap’s in pieces. Shockwave’s crouched over him like a damned Junkion, picking through his parts. He stands and stares skyward as the first jet approaches. He fires. The jet he’s aiming at barrel rolls around the beam. Then it hits him. These aren’t Earth jets, they’re Transformers.
——Skydive harried the human aircraft sent to attack Shockwave miles before they reached their mark. The pilots pegged Skydive as an immediate threat, so they changed course to target him instead.
——Shockwave moves more skillfully than I would expect him to. He spears a car through the roof with his gun arm, grabs one more, then hoists them both over his head like a shield. The Aerialbots’ first pass busts his buffer and leaves him lying amongst the debris. The four of ‘em divide into two and circle back. Their second strike will leave Shockwave looking like the cars they just obliterated.
——Logic says he’s only got one option left.

(to be continued)

PART 196

Shockwave

——I flee, fully aware that my alternate mode is not designed to evade aerial adversaries. This action is the only option available to me in the interim. A pulse is sent. The response received. Reinforcements are miles away.
——My pursuers employ an assortment of munitions. None yield results until one fires a missile of the heat seeking variety. The explosion at my rear thruster triggers an involuntary conversion. I plow a path through numerous vehicles in primary form before my momentum is halted.
——Modulations of a congratulatory nature are overheard as my enemies change form and approach. Overconfidence shall be their undoing. The barrel of my weapon is obscured by wreckage. In mere moments, the trooper who succeeded in shooting me down will be within targeting range.
——A flying drone foils my plan.
——“Air Raid! Shoot Shockwave’s gun arm!”
——A torque beam twists the tip of my weapon into a stump. Disarmed, I raise my arms in surrender before their trained guns.
——“Cuff ‘im or snuff ‘im?” inquires one with an orange head.
——“Snuff ‘im,” insists the individual called Air Raid. “You heard what Prowl said! Eliminate Shockwave!”
——The largest of the group forces Air Raid’s arm down, denying his fuel-lust.
——“Prowl’s not in command here, I am! And I say we don’t terminate prisoners!”
——The soldier who made the inquiry defers to the drone. It is a vote of no confidence in his commander.
——“Well, Prowl? Whadda we do?”
——There is a pause. It informs me that the forthcoming decision will be made reluctantly.
——“Follow Silverbolt’s orders, Slingshot.”
——Their focus is drawn to a disturbance on the horizon before I am taken into custody. Vehicles are thrust into the air as the Stunticons collide with them at speeds in excess of two hundred miles per hour. I calculate a 7.6% chance of my enemies surviving an encounter with their opposite number.
——The destruction of these Aerial-Bots shall be most illuminating.

(to be continued)

PART 197

Prowl

——Trouble on the horizon… Shockwave’s called in the Stunticons! I hear their defenses in vehicular form are top notch. But they don’t come equipped with anti-aircraft guns so their offensive capabilities in car mode amount to zip, zero.
——I’m going to give these ‘Cons some credit and assume that they’re not dumb enough to take on Autobot jets out in the open. They’ll have to combine in order to rescue Shockwave.
——On cue, Motormaster gives the order.
——“Stunticons, merge into Menasor!”
——I can’t let that happen.
——“Aerialbots! The Stunticons are only vulnerable in robot form or during the combination process. Terminate them while you’ve got the chance!”
——In the chaos, Air Raid and Slingshot select the same target. Dead End bites the dust. Silverbolt tries to strafe Motormaster. He misses. Somehow. Fireflight crashes into him while firing at Wildrider. In the end, the Stunticons succeed in clumsily merging into a one-armed Menasor.
—— “Air Raid! Fire a missile into Menasor’s combiner port!”
——It’s an opening directly into his internal circuitry. A weak spot in virtually impenetrable armor.
——Easier said than done. Air Raid evades being swatted, then he loops around Menasor for another attempt. That’s when a Dead End repaint roars into view, goes airborne, and attaches himself to Menasor as his new left arm.
——I saw that Stunticlown before—! Trailing behind the others when they arrived… I thought it was just some foolhardy human reclaiming his car before it got totaled by Transformers.
——There’s no telling how many second generation Stunticons Shockwave has on the sidelines as replacement parts for Menasor. The Aerialbots are gonna need more than me just barking orders through a drone. They’re going to need something to tip the scale in their favor.

(to be continued)

PART 198

Shockwave

——The fifth member of their squadron flies into the fray. On the contrary, upon closer inspection, he is not who I initially believed him to be. He is—judging by the surplus parts attached to his secondary mode—in fact, a Triple Changer.
——The Autobot jet transforms… enlarging to an impressive degree into an aircraft carrier. The sea vessel slams into Menasor’s chest, sending him sprawling over several inert Earth vehicles below.
——The damage caused is negligible. Menasor is expected to reboot and resume aggression against his opponents in under a minute.
——The Triple Changer changes size again, reducing in mass as he reverts to his default configuration. He is dazed… disoriented. The collision has taken a toll on him as well. I will deal with this product of counterfeited Decepticon technology.
——I use the laser located in my forefinger to amputate the ruined barrel of my wrist-mounted weapon. Henceforth, its energy discharges shall spread wide. They will be less focused, less lethal… but sufficient to render enemies inoperable.
——The drone’s next command and the introduction of another combatant occur simultaneously.
——“Tailgate! Take Shockwave off the board!”
——Prowl’s proxy spins into reverse and attempts to remove me from the battlefield using magnetism. I am pulled away, dragged haphazardly down the road. It occurs to me that either Prowl is unaware that I have restored my hand cannon’s firing capability, or he considers this soldier to be expendable.
——A single gamma ray blast perforates armor plates, shatters windows, and flattens all four tires. We rumble to a stop. My abductor is now incapacitated, Menasor is on his feet, and the remaining Autobots are simply… outmatched.

(to be continued)

PART 199

Prowl

——I had to leave from in front of Teletraan to gather a few things. I screech into an unused corner of the Ark with two drones in tow. Pipes is there surrounded by a bunch of Earth junk.
——“How’d all this trash get in here?”
——Pipes takes offense.
——“Hey! One being’s junk is another’s art!”
——“Oh, you like gadgets…?” I transform and slap Wheeljack’s Decombiner gun into the palm of his hand. “Then you’ll love this!”
——“What does it do?”
——“It separates Combiners back into component punks—I mean parts. I need you to deliver it to the Aerialbots.”
——“Sure thing, Prowl. But where are they, and how am I getting there? Traffic’s tied up like ya wouldn’t believe—!”
——I jerk my thumb back towards the drones and smile.
——“Drone air. They’ll take you to your destination.”



——Back to Teletraan’s-1’s monitor screen. The Aerialbots and Broadside are in jet modes trying their best to bomb Menasor out of existence. No go. They can’t penetrate his armor. But Menasor isn’t fast enough to catch any of them either. It’s a stalemate.
——“Skydive. What’s your E.T.A.?”
——“10 seconds.”
——“Looks like the band’s getting back together,” chimes in Silverbolt. “Okay, let’s form Superion!”
——The Aerialbots merge into Superion in midair and drop a two-fisted blow down on Menasor’s head. Primus—! He caved it in. Nothing left but a mouth and nose.
——“Finish ‘em, Superion!”
——-He doesn’t need me to tell him that. Fighting to him comes naturally because he suppresses the thoughts of all five Aerialbots and focuses on one thing: destroying Decepticons. He wedges his electrostatic discharger rifle under Menasor’s chin, pulls the trigger, and… static. I’m offline!
——The blackout lasts less than a minute. When the picture comes back I see a headless Menasor, still standing, swinging his sword blindly. Superion aims, pulls the trigger… and nothing. His rifle needs time to recharge. And where the heck is Shockwave?

(to be continued)