Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light I, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

--The Lost Light, Rung's office--

    "Red, is this some sort of joke?"

    Red Alert frowned at Rodimus. "Have I ever been one to joke, captain?"

    "Well, it's just that... you said there was an intruder on board."

    "So I did, and there he is, standing right there!"

    Rodimus looked down at the small, yellow, cube-shaped robot placed on the table, cowering before him, Red Alert, Rung, Ultra Magnus, and Drift. As far as he could tell, the robot did not seem to be armed or dangerous in any way.

    "Red... it's just an innocent robot. An unarmed, seemingly non-transforming robot. I've seen monoformers more intimidating than it."

    "I've also seen ones cleaner than him," Magnus said, gently rubbing off some dirt and grime from the robot's chassis with his finger.

    "So you two just found it here?" Drift asked, looking at Rung.

    The psychiatrist nodded. "Red Alert and I were in the middle of a therapy session when he caught movement behind my chair. I had to stop him from blasting it to bits."

    Rodimus knelt down to be at eye level with the robot. When the latter shrank away from him, he held out a reassuring hand. "Hey, we're not here to hurt you. Can you tell us who you are?"

    The robot was hesitant at first. Then, poking its head out slightly, it said, "W-Waaaallll-Eeee."

    "WALL-E?" Ultra Magnus rubbed his chin. "He must be the 'Wall' who sent us the distress signal. Was that you?"

    "Huh?" WALL-E said before shaking his head.

    The other exchanged looks and raised eyebrows. Then, Drift said to the robot, "Did you stowaway? How long have you been aboard?"

    WALL-E whirred but no one could make sense of what he was trying to tell them.

    "He must have a faulty vocal processor," Rodimus said. "I'll take him to Brainstorm and Que to see if they have a spare one for him."

    "Shouldn't you let me do a scan of him first to make sure he isn't a bomb?" Red Alert asked.

    "Fine, do your scan if it'll help you rest easier, though I doubt you'll find anything. I'm sure he's still got quite the story to tell...."

--The past--

    Having gone through the data Scanner had given him, Nightbeat made his next stop at Perihex, which he knew to be a popular habitat for members of the Malware Brigade. In particular was a residence known as the Unified Core, where members of the Brigade mingled and debated.

    As he entered the Unified Core and stepped into the main office, he was immediately stopped by a blue and gray mech working at the front desk.

    "I don't recognize you as one of our own," the mech said with a skeptical look. "Do you have any identification?"

    Nightbeat displayed his ID info as a hologram from his palm. "Nightbeat, detective and hostage negotiator from the Iaconian Mechaforensics Division. I'm investigating the murder of Checkup, who I've learned is a member of the Malware Brigade."

    The mech frowned. "Checkup? Yes, he is one of us-- or was, rather. How did he die?"

    "Shot in the back," Nightbeat said. "I was wondering if anyone here knew him personally."

    "I did," the mech said. "Checkup was pretty spry; took part in all of the riots and protests. Very cheerful, too; he was pretty much friends with everyone."

    "No enemies, then?"

    "None that I know of. At least not withing our group. Outside of us... I cannot say."

    Nightbeat held his chin. "Any events in particular that he was known for?"

    The mech thought for a moment. "There was that riot in Iacon, right after the Functionist Act was passed. He accused Proteus of manipulating Sentinel Prime and got into a scuffle with the Elite Guard. Had Prime himself not intervened, I'm sure Checkup would probably have been done away with."

    "And that might be what has happened here," Nightbeat said. "Thank you for the help...."

    "Call me Highbrow."

*  *  *

    "We're here to see Councilor Momus."

    The white and red-colored warden of Translucentica Heights crossed his arms. "Why? What has he done?"

    "Nothing," Tumbler assured him. "We're investigating the murder of a colleague of his. We simply wish to find out what he knows."

    The warden continued to eye them suspiciously as he raised a datapad. "I'm afraid Momus cannot help you; he's vacationing at Nebulos. If you want, I can arrange an appoint--"

    A loud bang cut him off. Gun already drawn, the warden spun towards an adjacent hallway. Prowl and Tumbler quickly withdrew their weapons as well as a red and black mech came running at them.

    "Don't shoot!" he said, quickly showing his identification on his palm. "I'm an Elite Guardsman! There's a shooter on the loose and I saw him run in here."

    "A shooter?" Tumbler said. "Who's he targeting?"

    "Councilor Avalon. He got hit in the shoulder but he's in medical care now and should be fine. None of you happened to see a dark gray and purple mech run pass you?"

    "No," Prowl said. "He could be using cloaking tech--"

    He interrupted himself mid-sentence as he raised a gun to the ceiling and fired. A mech in green armor-plating came crashing down, fading in and out of visibility as his cloaking tech shorted out.

    "How did you know he was there?" the warden asked, flabbergasted.

    Prowl pointed to a trail of blue grains on the floor. "I noticed that trail of cerulean glass forming just before the Elite Guardsman (Optronix, right?) ran in. They stopped right underneath where he had been hiding and I was able to deduce his location."

    "Show off," Tumbler muttered.

    "Yeah, that's great and all," Optronix said. "But that's not the 'bot I was--"

    "DUCK!" the warden cried as a dark gray jet came strafing at them from the hallway.

    While Prowl and Tumbler did as he said, Optronix instead turned around and fired his gun at one of the mech's wings. The flier came crashing down and instantly converted to robot mode as the Elite Guardsman stormed towards him.

    "P-please, don't kill me!" the mech cried. "It-- it was just a job! I needed the money! He threatened to--"

    "Save it for the courtroom," Optronix growled. "But first, who is this 'he?' Who hired you?"

    The assassin didn't respond. Instead, a mad grin crossed his face as his optics sizzled and the color of his armor dulled. He would not be speaking anytime soon.

    "Dead," Optronix muttered.

    "Him, too," Tumbler said, nodding at the green mech's now-lifeless form. "Spark collapse, it looks like. Which can only mean...."

    "Their sparks were transplanted into bodies from a Relinquishment Clinic," Prowl said. "Hastily, I might add. No way of knowing what clinic they came from though."

    "I'll have someone scout out for clinics in the vicinity," Optronix said. "We'll have to investigate each and everyone if we want to find out assassins."

    "What were you doing here in Translucentica Heights anyway?" Tumbler asked.

    "I've decided to take up my own investigation of Sherma's murder," Optronix said. "I came here to speak with Momus but got held up by Avalon. He says that he can help."

    "In what way?" Prowl asked.

    "He knows several ins and outs about those on the High Council... and he might just know who's behind this all."

Author's note

    Yeah, it's another crossover.