PART 43
IACONPerceptor, Hoist and Red Alert stood outside Skyfire's cell. The bars glowed a vibrant pink, the walls were identical in color to much of Cybertron's steel surface. Skyfire sat silently on the bench awaiting his fate, glaring at all three Autobots with angry red optics.
"I don't like this Perceptor." 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 seemed to be 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 this one arrived at our base 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.
"Well ah, no one really does Red,” joked Hoist. “I mean we do trust him to a certain extent with-“
"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"Hey Ratchet." Bluestreak called via comlink. "What's up, Doc?"
What? I didn't copy." Ratchet replied. "What's up with what?"
"No no—it's a popular greeting used by this planet's life forms. It doesn't even matter if you're a doctor or not, they just-"
"Bluestreak! I need you to keep this channel clear! I still have six patients currently undergoing repairs and I could fix them faster if I didn't have to deal with unnecessary interruptions—“
"Hold that thought, Ratchet! I think I hear trouble!”
Cliffjumper burst into the room like a bundle of explosive red Energon.
"Look alive, Bluestreak! We've got company!" he yelled at the top of his vocoder.
Cliffjumper always sounded to Bluestreak as if he were addressing a bunch of 'Bots with faulty audio receptors. He watched as the little Autobot 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 exit. They each resumed robot-mode when they reached their destination, drawing 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!" Cliffjumper retorted. "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-modes for all we know.”
Bluestreak refocused his optic sensors 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 towards them. 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 reverted to robot-mode as well.
"Satisfied now? Bluestreak asked Cliffjumper sarcastically. "Hey guys,” he said, addressing the other Autobots. "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." Prowl replied.
"Looks like you 'Bots saw some action while I was away." 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—“ Bluestreak began.
"And we sent 'em flying away with their tail rudders between their legs!" concluded 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 Decepti-creep aboard that ship. We're here to assemble the Ion battery tower Overdrive and his 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." directed Prowl. "Hauler. Gears. You two unload the tower sections from the ship and then assist Huffer and Wheeljack. Bluestreak… Cliffjumper… set up a sniper’s nest a few miles inland in case the skies get crowded."
"We gotcha Prowl!" Cliffjumper shouted, shifting to alt-mode.
Bluestreak gave the rest of the Autobots a thumbs up, transformed, and then kicked up sand with Cliffjumper as they headed for the highlands.
"The rest of you all have your assignments. 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 fifteen minutes during a raging acid storm.” Prowl grinned. "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." Prowl replied.
"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 him in the repair bay."
"That was his mistake. He went 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 shouted, 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. 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. But 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 and Bumblebee,” Overdrive shrugged. "After a conversation I had 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 the 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 all this. 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)