EDITED 2/17/2015 Added a few lines in the last scene to avoid a continuity error with a future story. That's the lucky thing about fan fiction; it's easier to edit things like this.
PROLOGUE
"Did you hear the news?"
Driving down the deserted streets of Rodion alongside his brother, Springarm angled his motorcycle form's headlight to glance at Wheelarch.
"What news?"
"There's been an officer exchange of sorts with Altihex. Stungun's now working with Depth Charge and the boss has a new lieutenant."
"Do you know his name?" Springarm asked as they reached Rodion Security HQ, converting into their robot modes at the same time.
"Yeah, something like Orion Pax, I think," Wheelarch said. "I think it's supposed to mean 'peaceful hunter.'"
Springarm laughed. "'Peaceful?' In this day and age? You need to be as hard as nails like the boss or as ruthless as the crooks in the Dead End to round 'em up."
"Well, I heard he's got a good record," Wheelarch said. "Heck, he even had a brother who was in the Elite Guard."
"Had?"
"Yeah, I heard he died a few orbital cycles ago. Wonder how that's-"
Suddenly, just as they had reached it, the entrance to Rodion HQ opened and a tall mech colored in red and blue appeared, an insignia indicating his rank of captain adorning his chest-plate. Similarly azure optics stared down at them, the rest of his face concealed by a mouthplate. The mask retracted and the young Autobot spoke to them.
"Springarm, Wheelarch. Any luck in locating suspect ID #A1010-21451-0?"
Springarm refrained from cringing at the use of the string of numbers. "You mean Crankstart? Not yet, sir."
The captain sighed. "He must be somewhere in Kaon. That is place is too dangerous for even the Elite Guard or the Wreckers to walk through, making it a safe haven for mechs like him and the Stunticons."
"Maybe we should just bomb the Primus-forsaken place," Wheelarch said dryly. "That would erase all of the Elite Guard's worries without them having to get off their afterburners."
The captain glared down at him with a disapproving frown. "You don't really think that, do you?"
Wheelarch shifted his stance under the superior officer's stern gaze. "Er, no, sir. I was just-"
"Out of line, yes." The captain eased his gaze and looked at the both of them. "Return to your stations."
Springarm and Wheelarch hastily saluted him, the former saying, "Yes, captain, er...."
"Pax," the captain said. "Orion Pax."
DAYS OF DECEPTION
Part 3: War Dawn
CHAPTER ONE
Standing before the three members of the Ethics Committee was the last place Mindset wanted to be at the moment. Feeling their stern gazes made him a bit uneasy despite a one of their members being younger than him. However, he managed to maintain his stance and folded his arms firmly across his chest.
Finally, one of the Committee's members- an old bot named Trailbreaker- spoke. "Mindset, the Committee has decided to not approve of your patent for what you call 'Power Core Combination.'"
"With all due respect, sir, may I inquire why you do not approve?" Mindset asked.
"Because such technology would be too dangerous," said Animus, the youngest member of the Committee. "Not only has the practice of combination not been tested since the Age of Expansion, but given the situation we're currently having with the Decepticons, it would be incredibly difficult to keep it out of their hands."
Mindset did not move, refusing to be deterred. "I remain to be convinced."
The chairman, an elderly, gold-colored mech known as Emirate Xaaron, leaned forward in his seat and interlaced his fingers. "It's not that we disapprove of the practice in general- combination could be very useful for some- but we are afraid to think of what the Decepticons could devise with such technology."
Mindset snorted. "So you admit that you're afraid."
"If that's another term for being careful, then yes," said Trailbreaker. "I'm sorry, Mindset, but the Committee has declared this project unethical."
Mindset simply glared at the members of the council. "So you say."
With that, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room. Outside, in the main corridor of the Autobot Inventions Facility, waited his partner Steelshot. Seeing Mindset's irritated look, the brown-colored Autobot frowned.
"Rejected it, did they?"
Mindset glared at him. "What do you think?"
Steelshot sighed as the two of them began heading back for their workroom. "Well, not everyone thinks that Jhiaxus' ideas were... orthodox, I guess. Maybe you could try again after this Decepticon situation is figured out."
"Or I could just join the Decepticons," Mindset muttered.
Steelshot laughed, somewhat uneasily. "Aw, come one, you don't mean that. They aren't your type. Besides, in case the war does start again, you could make some cool weapons instead!"
Mindset grunted and opened his mouth to retort but quickly shut it. Standing before them was a somewhat-grand looking mech colored in silver, gold, and blue. Although the colors were different from the last time they had met, Mindset instantly recognized the being.
"Councilor Shockwave?" he said. "What are you doing here?"
The High Councilor smiled. "I just thought I would pay a visit. How did your proposal for Power Core Combination go?"
"Rejected."
The smile faded. "I'm sorry to hear that. In that case, allow me to make a proposal of my own."
Mindset raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Shockwave placed an arm on his shoulder. "I take it that you've read many of Jhiaxus' studies, correct?"
"Yeah?"
The councilor grinned. "Then there's someone I would love to have you meet."
* * *
At the sound of Orion Pax's return to Rodion HQ, Springarm looked up from his monitor to see the Autobot captain striding in with a restrained mech in his captivity.
"Another one?" Springarm asked in mild incredulity, eying the blue and white captive.
Orion Pax nodded. "Yup. Calls himself Triggerhappy. Nearly murdered three bots."
"You can't avert it," the crook was murmuring, chuckling at the same time. "It's only a matter of time. The Decepticons shall have their-"
He was abruptly silenced when Orion slapped a mouth clamp onto him. Then, with a nod to Springarm, the captain carried off Triggerhappy to his cell. As he walked off, Springarm couldn't help but watch him with new found respect.
In times like these, Cybertron's gonna need people like him, he thought. Instead of guys like Whirl, who-
His musing were interrupted by the ring of his comlink. Answering it, he said, "Springarm here. What's up?"
"Hey, bro," Wheelarch replied. "We've got a situation here in Sector Nine."
"What sort of situation?"
"I don't know. What kind of situation do you call a member of the High Council hanging by his neck underneath the Neurospan Bridge?"
* * *
"Talk about deja vu. Why did I take up this job again?"
Prowl glanced at his partner Tumbler as he examined the corpse that hung overhead. "You said that your previous job was boring."
"Oh, yeah," Tumbler said. "Working under Mainframe. That was... that was bad. So, who do we have here?"
"Levitacus of the High Council," Prowl replied as he took a sample of the dried-up energon that had leaked to the ground. "One of Sentinel Prime's advisors; in fact, one of the most prominent of them. By my calculations, he was killed and hung here approximately two mega-cycles ago."
"How come you weren't transferred back to the Mechaforensics Division sooner? I mean, I'm still wondering why I got transferred."
Prowl did not reply and instead continued to examine the corpse. After about three minutes, he said, "We need an autopsy."
"Good, because I can't figure out anything by just staring at him other than the fact that he's dead."
Giving Tumbler a quick glare, Prowl said, "Contact Remedy and tell her to prepare her team. Then go find a trailer so we can transport the body."
"Sure thing," Tumbler said as he activated his comlink. "This job sure gets morbid."
"I feel like it's only going to get worse from here."
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