CHAPTER FIVE
--Debris--
Prowl stared silently at nothing in particular, his chin resting in his hands. Standing nearby, Springer and the other six Wreckers watched him carefully, patiently (for the most part) waiting for him to speak. When he did, it was not what any of them were expecting.
"Prime can't know about this."
"What?!" In the blink of an optic Kup was in the police car bot's face, face twisted in anger. "You're talking nonsense, lad. Prime has to know about this!"
"No, he doesn't," Prowl said evenly. "At least, not right now. If we can find a solution to this situation before it blows out of proportion, then we might not need to call in for desperate measures."
"Prowl, this is Megatron we're talking about here," Springer said. "His very existence is the definition of blowing things out of proportion."
"It's not Megatron," Prowl said firmly. "It can't be. If anything, it's probably some bot with the Decepticon equivalent of primus apothesis."
"Present company," Rotorstorm muttered, glancing at a silent Pyro.
Ignoring the Wrecker, Prowl stepped away from Kup and began pacing. "Point is, I'm not willing to throw away precious resources against some self-ascertained wannabe tyrant. We should approach this methodically and appropriately, not recklessly."
"Look, even if it's not Megatron, they've still got two hundred Autobots as hostages," Springer said. "This is still a very serious situation and not one we can just brush off."
"I agree," Prowl replied. "All the more reason to--"
"Ah, excuse me?" All optics turned to a small yellow mech standing in the doorway. Smiling weakly, Hubcap shifted his feet. "Sorry to interrupt but, uh, one of the, um, Optimus clones wishes to, er, talk with one of you."
"It's not the green one, is it?" Kup asked, frowning.
"No, no. The other one. The one who brought you here. He says he wants to see, uh, someone of authority."
Springer exchanged a glance with Prowl before looking back at Hubcap. "Go ahead and bring him here."
Prowl raised an optic. "Are you sure about that? We don't know his intentions."
"No, but if he's a clone of Prime, then...." Springer trailed off as his blue optics dimmed. The others frowned as they all reached the same conclusion as him.
"Then that means...."
"You have a major problem on your hands." Appearing behind Hubcap was a mech who, save for the reversed color scheme, was the spitting image of Optimus Prime. "And I'm your best bet at solving it."
--The Lost Light--
"For the last time, I have no idea who you're--"
"Don't play games with me, Autobot," growled the green and purple Decepticon as he pressed his gun against Perceptor's head. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. His friend said he was here."
The Autobot scientist glared up at the Decepticon as he lay flat on his chest, his body being pressed down by another 'Con's foot. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but whoever you're looking for was never here. And even if he has been, he's not here now."
"Then tell us where he is now, brains," the green 'Con grunted. "Before I blast them all over the floor."
Perceptor said nothing. Gritting his teeth, the Decepticon curled his finger around the trigger and started to squeeze. "If that's how it's gonna be, then--"
"Wait, Megastorm."
The green mech's optics shot up to his partner, whose foot was still planted firmly on the Autobot. Sneering, the one called Megastorm said, "I'm sorry, Megaplex, did I hear you right? Did you just tell me to 'wait?' Wait for what? The Ejoornian Inquisition?"
"Maybe we shouldn't be so hasty in killing him," Megaplex replied. "After all, he is one of the smartest Autobots on this ship. Shockwave could use someone like him."
Megastorm's face twisted further in disgust and he opened his mouth to retort. Before any words could come out however, the sound of footsteps came from outside, growing louder as the source got closer to the lab.
"Is that you, Archforce?" Megastorm called out. "Have you found him?"
No response came. The footsteps continued. Megastorm exchanged a glance with his partner, who removed his foot from Perceptor and walked towards the door. He hadn't taken more than a single step out into the hall when he was hit with a dozen pellets. Megaplex cried out as he was knocked down to the floor. Alarmed, Megastorm ran out after him only to be shot down as well.
By this point, Perceptor had already gotten back to his feet. Cautiously he made his way towards the door, thinking and hoping that whoever had shot the two Decepticons was a fellow Autobot. He couldn't think of who else it could have been, unless the 'Cons were already turning on themselves.
That, or someone had inexplicably put together a giant, machine-gun toting robot, which was exactly what greeted him as soon as he stepped out of the lab.
Alarmed by the sight of the Legislator, Perceptor turned to run back in only for an orange and blue bot to emerge from behind the larger mechanoid.
"Easy there, Percy," Huffer said. "It's just me. Well, me and my new toy."
Freezing in place, Perceptor turned back around and stared agape at the smaller Autobot and his static Legislator. "Where did you...? How...?"
"Long story, no time," Huffer curtly replied. "The others are huddled up at Swerve's. We're gonna need your brains and sciency prowess to help us take our ship back."
Perceptor frowned. "I don't see how I'd be of any use. My field of knowledge doesn't exactly lend itself to uprisings -- at least not without someone whose field is."
"Well, what about about Que? Doesn't he usually work with you?"
"Que is...." Perceptor paused, hesitant to finish his sentence. "Otherwise preoccupied," he quickly finished, hoping Huffer wouldn't press for details.
He clearly gave the orange bot too much credit for Huffer merely made an impassive grunt. "Doesn't matter. You'll have to make do. Let's go before those two get their bearings back."
Perceptor looked back at the two Decepticons, who were already beginning to stir. Seeing the wisdom in the cranky engineer's words, he followed Huffer and the Legislator back down the corridor.
* * *
"Megastorm and Megaplex have ceased communication."
Megatron glanced at Soundblaster before looking down at Shockwave, who stood at his side. "It would appear we have a small revolution on our hands."
"It was to be expected," Shockwave replied. "But they should only prove to be a minor annoyance. Should they attempt to storm the bridge, they will be sorely outmatched by your power."
Megatron simply nodded. He had no reason to doubt Shockwave's words, but he also had no reason to believe him either. He had zero idea as to what power he wielded; all he knew was what his small one-eyed friend had told him.
Another lull of silence fell over the bridge, its three occupants staring at the infinite starfield before them. Then, Soundblaster spoke again.
"Incoming transmissions from Outposts One, Three, and Four."
Megatron raised a questioning optic at this while Shockwave simply said, "Let them through."
Soundblaster acknowledged this by pressing a switch on his helmet and projecting three life-sized holograms from his visor. Upon seeing Megatron, they immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
"Hail, Lord Megatron!" they said in unison.
Megatron stared at the three in confusion before glancing at Shockwave, who stepped forward.
"Where is Magnificus, Onslaught?"
"Magnificus has been captured by the Autobots," said the center hologram, a tall mech with double barrels jutting from behind his head. "Although I doubt his presence is necessary seeing as his operation appears to have already been a success."
"Perhaps." Shockwave then to the rightmost Decepticon, a dark-colored femme with wings. "So, Darkstar, how are the other operations proceeding?"
Darkstar shot a glance at the other two, who did not meet her gaze. Squaring her shoulders, she looked back at Shockwave. "We... have lost the Enigma of Combination."
Shockwave stared back at her, his single optics unblinking. "How?"
"Obsidian was meant to send an agent to Outpost Three with the Enigma. However, there was a... miscommunication with those operating the space bridge he was meant to go through and both the agent and the Enigma are on Animatron, the Jungle Planet."
"That... is unfortunate," Shockwave said. "Have you sent anyone to Animatron to find the Enigma?"
"I've asked Tarantulas to send his Chimeracons to find it," said Onslaught. "I'm hoping it won't prove too much of a problem."
A cackle emitted from the leftmost hologram, a spindly mech with multiple appendages. "It's funny you mention that, Onslaught."
Onslaught made an exasperated sound. "Why? How is it 'funny?'"
"While you've all been worrying about enigmas, I've been worrying about Ragnaroks. And it just happens that my Chimeracons have already found my precious progeny."
Suddenly, the ship's proximity alarm blared and the bridge was bathed in red light.
"Tell him I said hello."
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