CHAPTER SIX
"What exactly is Plan B?" Topspin asked Optronix once they and the other Wreckers had returned to the Xantium.
"You guys are going to do what you do best," Optronix said. "We're going to take off and pretend to leave Lucifer, but as soon as we reach the atmosphere, we'll double-back and fly straight over Darkmount. You'll then drop down and raid the fortress."
Whirl's single optic flickered with surprise. "You mean... we get to-?"
"Yes, shoot at Decepticons. But try not to kill too many. You're just there to free the prisoners."
"Sounds good to me," said Roadbuster. "Man, we won't have had this much fun since... since...."
"The war?" Impactor asked.
"Yeah. Wow. It's been a while."
Impactor grunted. "Don't expect to have too much fun, unless the war starts again. Ready when you are, Optronix."
The Elite Guardsman nodded. "Then let's roll out, Autobots."
* * *
Tumbler was quite grateful that his mouth-plate and visor concealed all of his facial expressions. That way, no one would take notice of him visibly cringing upon hearing the screams of terror and agony that rang through his audio receptors as he and the others entered Lord Straxus' throne room.
The chamber was vast, the ceiling raised high. Guards stood on either side, though instead of walls to lean against, their backs hovered over a large smelting pool. Of course, that was what it seemed; Tumbler figured that there were ray shields placed to prevent them from falling.
At the end of the room, beyond the line of prisoners waiting to be executed, was a burly, somewhat portly Cybertronian, colored in dark blue and red. In one hand, he held a mighty battle axe; the other, a hapless Autobots prisoner.
"P-please!" the Autobot cried. "We meant no wrongdoing-!"
"The very presence of your 'exploration vessel' in Decepticon territory counts as trespassing," Lord Straxus snarled. "A violation of the Tyrest Accord, if I am not mistaken. Your punishment is fully deserved."
"Please! Have mercy!"
"Mercy?" Straxus spat. "Mercy is not dispensed here, fool. Only death!"
With that, the Lord High Governor lifted up the hapless prisoner and hurled him into the smelting pool. As he witnessed the Autobot slowly melt away in agony, Tumbler realized that there were no ray shields at all.
As he and the others moved down the line, Tumbler struck up a casual conversation with one of the Decepticon guards behind him.
"So, what exactly is the process here?" he asked.
The Decepticon snorted. "New here, eh? Pretty simple, really; the boss calls for at least twenty prisoners to be brought before him. Then he decides which punishment they'll receive: quick death by axe, or slow death by smelting pool."
"Ah," Tumbler replied, trying to keep his voice even. "No third option?"
"They say that every once in a while, if he's in a very good mood, Straxus might give a prisoner- specifically a Decepticon one- a second chance to redeem themselves." The guard shrugged. "But that's never happened in the years I've been here."
Nodding, Tumbler ruefully returned his attention to Straxus, who had just executed two prisoners with his axe. Then, to Prowl, he whispered, "If you've got a good plan in mind, I'm all ears."
"Not here," Prowl hissed, glancing frantically at the Decepticons surrounding them. "Besides, I'm relying on Getaway here to think of something."
"I'm not infallible, guys," Getaway replied. "I only work when given the opportunity-"
"Hey!" one of the Decepticons barked. "Talking won't get you outta here, so shut it!"
"My apologies, sir," Getaway said, reaching up to pat the guard on the shoulder. "I did not mean to disrupt the tranquility of this lovely-"
"Get your stinking hands off me, you filthy Autobot!" the Decepticon snapped, wrenching off the hand. He then stopped and looked at his shoulder. Attached to it was a bomb.
"Well, scrap," the guard muttered, seconds before the bomb went off.
To Tumbler's surprise, the explosion was not very explosive, but it did send him and those nearby flying off their feet, including Prowl and his fellow escapees. Shooting over the smelting pool, he activated his jetpack and instantly moved to intercept the descending Flareup. As he caught her, the Decepticons still on the "bridge" began firing at them, some even transforming into jets to take pursuit.
"Frag," Tumbler said under his breath.
Flareup looked at him. "What?"
"I'm not really in the capacity to shoot at enemy fighters with you in my arms."
"Good thing I'm fully capable then."
Converting her right arm into a blaster, Flareup aimed at the Decepticon fliers and shot at them, taking down at least two of them within the span of five seconds.
"Not bad," Tumbler said as he flew to join up with Prowl, Wheeljack, and Leadfoot, the latter two who carried Getaway and Ambulon respectively. "Now then, think it's by time we get the heck out of here?"
"We would need to blast a hole in the ceiling," Leadfoot said. "I don't suppose anyone's got a rocket launcher?"
Before the others could respond, the ceiling itself burst into debris as a large ship blasted through it. Descending from the Xantium on cables, weapons ablaze, were Optronix, Impactor, and the Wreckers.
Flareup smirked. "The cavalry, I presume?"
"No," Prowl said. "The last resort."
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