PART 43
IACON——Perceptor, Hoist and Red Alert stood outside Skyfire's cell. The bars glowed a vibrant pink, the walls were steel blue, matching much of Cybertron's surface. Skyfire sat silently on the bench awaiting his fate, glaring at all three Autobots with angry red optics.
——"I don't like this,” Hoist said. "It's against code."
——"What do you mean?" asked Perceptor. "We repaired the damage to the Decepticon’s chest."
——"But his vocoder is still in disrepair. Blaster reported that he was trying to tell us something before his capture."
——"Mmm yes, he did. Perhaps I should ask Blaster to contact the Decepticons and request to postpone the prisoner exchange?"
——"It would give me a chance to fix his vocoder, and Shockwave would be none the wiser, yeah?"
——"It would also give us the opportunity to interrogate him.”
——"So it's a win-win. What say you, Red?"
——"Too risky!" Red Alert replied. "Any delay will give our enemies time to prepare an ambush. Besides, one Decepticon behind these walls is one too many! From the moment Skyfire arrived I felt as if someone was... watching me."
——"Nonsense,” scoffed Hoist. "Hubcap analyzed the security camera on the elevator and found no evidence that Decepticons had access to it.”
——"I don't completely trust Hubcap!” Red Alert spat.
——"Enough. The matter is settled." Perceptor concluded. "Red Alert is our director of security, and as such, has the final say on these matters. I’m afraid that the prisoner exchange will have to proceed as scheduled. Sorry."
OREGON——Cliffjumper burst into the room like a bundle of explosive red energon. "Look alive, Bluestreak! We've got company!"
——Cliffjumper always sounded to Bluestreak as if he were addressing a bunch of 'Bots with faulty audio receptors. He watched as the minibot plucked the biggest weapon off the rack, transformed, and zoomed down the hall. Bluestreak changed form as well, racing after him toward the ship’s entrance. They each resumed robot-mode when they reached their destination, drawing their weapons and taking up positions on both sides of the ship’s entrance.
——Bluestreak eyed the massive rocket launcher Cliffjumper was struggling to balance on his shoulder.
——“How did you even manage to fit that thing inside your alt-form? It’s almost as big as you are!”
——"Wouldn't you like to know, Bluestreak! Quiet! We've got six vehicles coming up on the horizon!”
——"They're Autobots, Cliffjumper!"
——"How do you know that? They could be Constructicons with new alt-forms for all we know.”
——Bluestreak refocused his optics to get a better look at the approaching vehicles. They rolled to a stop side by side at the cliff's edge, and then began their steep descent down to the shoreline. Cliffjumper kept the lead vehicle—a police car—in his viewfinder until it reached the ship and transformed.
——"Prowl's rolling again." Bluestreak said, setting down his rifle.
Behind Prowl, Wheeljack, Overdrive, Huffer, Hauler and Gears arrived and shifted to robot-mode as well. "Satisfied now? Bluestreak asked Cliffjumper sarcastically. "Hey guys,” he said, addressing the group. "Twitchy fingers here was just about to open fire on you!"
——"Wouldn't be the first time,” sighed Hauler.
——"Good to see ya back, Prowl!" laughed Cliffjumper.
——"It's good to be back, Cliffjumper."
——"Looks like you 'Bots saw some action while I was offline,” observed Overdrive, touching the hull of his ship. It’s golden exterior bore several new scorch marks since he last laid optics on it.
——"Skywarp and Thundercracker came knocking and we sent 'em flying away with their tail rudders between their legs!" laughed Cliffjumper.
——"Two Constructicons did manage to slip past and board the Nemesis during the firefight, though." added Bluestreak.
——"Well, they're prisoners now." Prowl replied. "Along with every other Decepticreep aboard that ship. We're here to assemble the Ion battery tower Overdrive’s crew brought back from Cybertron. Once we set up a proper blockade, no Decepticon will be able to get in or out of the Nemesis. Wheeljack, you and Huffer are in charge of construction. Hauler, Gears, you two unload the tower sections from the ship. Bluestreak, Cliffjumper, you’re air traffic control. Set up a sniper’s nest on a mountaintop and keep your optics open.”
——"We gotcha Prowl!" Cliffjumper shouted, shifting to alt-mode.
——Bluestreak gave the rest of the Autobots a thumbs up, transformed, and then kicked up dust with Cliffjumper as they headed for the highlands.
——”I need this done in thirty,” ordered Prowl.
——"Thirty minutes? To finish a tower?" Huffer whined. "No way! It's gonna take at least that much time just to get all the pieces set up!”
——"Huffer, I've seen you repair one of these things in less time during a raging acid storm. Surely you can assemble one on a clear day in a half hour with help from your fellow Autobots?"
——Huffer grabbed his toolkit. “Don't complain if we run behind,” he warned.
——"If you do, I'm sure it won't be by much."
——"So what about me?" Overdrive asked. "What's my assignment?"
——"C'mon." Prowl said. "Let's take a stroll."
——"Big ship,” Prowl commented, as the two Autobots walked along the perimeter of the spacecraft.
——"Cut it, Prowl." Overdrive said. "You want to talk to me about Jazz."
——"You put a superior officer in the repair bay."
——"He could’ve waited until things were sorted out, but instead he decided to go up against three opponents with little to no knowledge of their capabilities."
——"Right." Prowl said, crossing his arms and turning to look Overdrive in the optics. "Neither you, Downshift, or Camshaft have ever had a proper tech specs rating. No one knows what you're capable of."
——"Now wait just one astro-second!” Overdrive exclaimed, poking a finger in Prowl's chest. "If this is an investigation, you're shining your high beams in the wrong direction! Did you even read my report?”
——"I did. But Jazz is undergoing repairs, and no one has heard from either Bumblebee or Mirage in days, so we won't be getting any clarity on who gave you the order to land. I wonder...” Prowl pondered, putting his hand up to his chin. “Who gave you the order to engage the Decepticons at Sherman Dam?"
——"We were led to believe it was Ratchet."
——"By whom?"
——"Mirage… or maybe it was Bumblebee,” Overdrive shrugged. "I can’t recall. After I had a conversation with Ratchet, I realized that the good doctor couldn't have been the one to direct us to crash Starscream's little raiding party."
——"Presumably because he had been working in the repair bay for days, and he would have had no idea of what was going on militarily,” perceived Prowl.
——"Exactly."
——"Typical Ratchet."
——"The humans stationed near Sherman Dam allowed us to clear their checkpoint without incident, so someone had to tell them that we were coming."
——"You reported that Jazz denied giving you the initial order to land, so he wouldn't have even known your crew was available as an option to counter Starscream's group."
——"True,” conceded Overdrive. "If Jazz is telling the truth."
——Prowl set his logic center to work. There was a strategy in play here. Someone had something to gain by keeping the Autobots off-kilter. But who? The Decepticons? The humans? Or a traitor within their ranks?
——Suddenly Prowl’s comm flashed, breaking his train of thought. “Prowl, it's Hound,” the voice buzzed over his communicator. "I've located Bumblebee."
——"Is he operational?"
——"Hard to tell. The Constructicons have built him into their Space Bridge console.”
(to be continued)