PART 12
Scavenger’s visor blinked through the fog of reactivation.
“What happened?” he inquired.
Gravedigger answered a question with a question. “Ain’t it obvious? We crashed on this mudball eons ago and these sorry mechs are just now getting around to rescuing us!"
"You know the old saying,” grumbled Long Haul. “If you can't be used, then you're useless.”
"Quiet, you two!” scolded Scrapper.
The Constructions fell silent, waiting for Soundwave to speak.
"What is our mission?” Hook inquired.
"Repair Rumble. Then restore this craft's flight capability."
"Fine. Someone remove Skyfire's body first so we can begin repairing the control panel." Hook sniffed. “I need to make an assessment of the damages.”
"Negative." Soundwave said, ejecting an armless Rumble from his chest cavity. "Repair Rumble first.”
"Out of the question! Getting this heap airborne takes precedence over the restoration of one of your precious minions," Hook scoffed.
“Aw c’mon, Doc! You can't leave me like this!” pleaded Rumble.
Soundwave walked over and got right in Hook's face. "Defense is our priority.” he said, jabbing a finger into the surgeon’s chest plate. “Autobots en route. Repair Rumble now!”
"This land mass is spectacular!" Hound said in amazement. "Request permission to return for further exploration after the completion of this mission, Prime."
"Permission granted, Hound." Optimus said. "How much further until we reach the Decepticons?"
"We've just arrived, actually." Hound replied. The other Autobots came to a stop and transformed at the base of the mountain alongside him. "You see that cavern way up there?"
"The one with the scorch marks around it?" asked Prowl.
"Yup. My sensors say that the Decepticons are inside."
The cavern in question exploded.
The earth rumbled as boulders the size of minivans hurtled downwards, threatening to crush them.
"Trailbreaker! Throw up a forcefield!" Optimus commanded.
"Already on it, Prime!"
Tons of rubble rained down on Trailbreaker's forcefield. When the rocks began to pile up on top of it, he angled his shields slightly at the edges, allowing the stones to slide off towards the perimeters.
"If we didn't bring you along we'd all be nursing some serious headaches right now," deadpanned Brawn.
"Yeahh, Ratchet owes me a few drinks for savin' him so much work today." Trailbreaker laughed.
After the dust cleared, the Autobots were left standing in a circular area that looked barren in contrast to the field of rubble that now surrounded them.
Ironhide drew his gun. "Why ain’t they firin' down on us, Prime?"
"Because I don't believe this was an attack, Ironhide,” replied Optimus. "Look."
The top of the mountain had been completely blown off, transforming it into a butte. The Decepticon spacecraft sat exposed in the sunlight on it's now flat surface.
"It looks like the Decepticons just freed their ship," observed Trailbreaker. "I'll take the lead on the climb up so my forcefield can shield us. Y'know, just in case they decide to drop anything else on our heads."
"No offense Trailbreaker, but you're too slow." Prowl said. "Let Hound go first. If those 'Cons up there intend to go on a trip, I want to make sure that they miss their flight."
"I've already mapped the fastest way up," Hound said. "Follow me."
"Looks like the party crashers are here." Thundercracker said, looking over the edge alongside Soundwave.
"Affirmative.” Soundwave said. “In order of proximity—Autobots: Hound, Prowl, Optimus Prime, Ironhide, Brawn and Trailbreaker."
"They should've stayed on the ground where they belong," sneered Thundercracker. “Let’s put ‘em back in their place!”
Soundwave pressed the eject button on his waist. "Laserbeak, eject. Operation: Elimination."
Laserbeak shot upwards out of Soundwave's chest, transformed, and then went into a nose dive in the Autobot's direction.
"Uh oh, it looks like the Decepti-creeps don't want any company!” Hound shouted.
He held on with one hand, drew his gun with the other, and fired at Laserbeak.
The Decepticon evaded the shot, then retaliated with a laser strike that severed the hand Hound was using for support so swiftly that it took him a moment to realize it was missing from his wrist. Prowl reached out to arrest Hound’s fall and found his own hand slagged to a stub by their avian attacker.
The other Autobots looked down in horror as Hound struck the base of the mountainside, and then separated into pieces that littered the snowy landscape blow.
Prowl jammed what was left of his hand into the rock to anchor himself, drew his rifle, and took three shots at Laserbeak. They hit their mark and dissolved all of his aggression—along with portions of his armor plating—before sending him retreating into the safety of Soundwave's chest.
"Rumble, Eject. Operation: Devastation."
Rumble transformed, flipped in mid-air, and then landed at the cliff's edge.
"The bottom of this mountain is gonna look like a junkyard when I'm finished wit’ you Auto-bums!” he boasted.
Rumble transformed both arms into pile drivers and hammered until a cascade of boulders rained down on the hapless Autobots. The section of rock Prowl was anchored to crumbled, sending him tumbling down until he vanished into the pile of rubble forming at the mountain’s base.
The other Autobots held firm and seemingly withstood an incredible amount of punishment before Rumble realized that the boulders weren't hitting them at all. The boulders were rolling off of a forcefield that was being projected upwards like an umbrella to shield them.
Trailbreaker climbed up past Optimus to take the lead.
"I told you guys to let me go first!”
(to be continued)