CHAPTER TEN
-Earlier-
Twin Twist sighed, not for the first time today, as he spun around his seat at the Xantium's navigational grid. Ever since Springer's team had completed their mission on Vector XI a solar cycle ago- and Impactor's team on Zeta VII- things had been awfully quiet for the Wreckers. Too quiet, for Twin Twist's liking.
"I bet Kup and his rookies are having the time of their life," he muttered to his brother Topspin, who sat in the pilot's seat nearby. "They get to go up against a bot like Thunderwing and we get to sit here and... twiddle our thumbs."
"For all we know, they could be getting blown to scrap," Topspin replied dryly.
Twin Twist scoffed. "Not if it's Kup's leading them. He's old enough to recount the Primal Vanguad's feats first-hand."
"I highly doubt that would preclude death. Besides, I'm sure he's led plenty of Elite Guards units that never came back all in one piece."
Twin Twist crossed his arms. "There's a first time for everything."
Suddenly, a loud beeping sound emitted from his computer. Leaning forward to look at it, he quickly saw what its cause was and why.
"Speak of the Fallen," he muttered. "If Kup's using the emergency hailing frequency, then he and the rookies must be really scrapped."
"Well," Topspin said as he got ready to hail the others to the bridge, "what else would you expect from Wreckers?"
-Now-
Dark Energon.
No one knew the origins of the volatile substance. Found in the deep mines of Kaon shortly before the First Great War began, some referred to it as the Great Devourer's Blood and began to rave about Cybertron's inevitable apocalypse. Being a scientist, Thundering had never been interested in such ravings, but was intrigued by the reported effects of the substance.
It was because of this interest that he had fell in with Trannis' initial group of followers and became one of the first Decepticons. Unfortunately for him however, Thunderwing had never been able to climb through the ranks high enough to handle the substance and by the time he had, most of the Dark Energon had been used up.
Most of it, that is. Not all.
Standing over the well-known Autobot veteran Kup, Thunderwing brought out a shard of Dark Energon and admired it for a moment. If only Trannis knew what I know now, he thought. Maybe then we would have won the war in the first place.
He then raised the shard and plunged it into his chest. His scarlet eyes flared violet and small purple flames began to erupt all around his body. The power that now surged through him was beyond belief. He felt as if he could usurp Megatron and conquer Cybertron with one hand.
"Er, general?" Rossum said tentatively. "How do you, uh, feel?"
"Wonderful!" Thunderwing exclaimed. "I feel like I can crush the Autobots with a mere gesture!"
Airachnid smirked. "Then perhaps we have no further use for these Autobots."
He scowled. "My power may have increased, Arachnicon, but my ego has not. I know that I am not infallible and so I shall continue with the experiment."
However, as he brought out another shard to stab Kup with, he heard a low but audible hum, sounding as if it was coming from outside the base.
To quiet to be a volcano eruption, he thought. In fact, it sounds like it's coming from above....
At that moment, the ceiling was suddenly torn apart by the force of friction cannons. When the storm of rubble and dust cleared, a ship colored in red and white was in clear view, its silver insignia gleaming in the sunlight.
Thunderwing snarled. "The Xantium. And just how did the other Wreckers find us?"
Not waiting for an answer, the general activated the thrusters on the bottom of his feet, propelling himself upwards to become level with the bridge of the ship.
"You've wasted your time coming here, Impactor!" he called out. "Unless you came here to die, you will find no victory on Styx. I have already infused myself with Dark Energon and plan to do the same with your fellow Wreckers! Unless you are willing to kill your own teammates, you might as well leave."
No response came. The Xantium was still and silent, save for the low hum of its engines.
Thunderwing smirked. "What's the matter? Cyber-cat catch your-"
This time, the response was in the form of a friction cannon firing.
* * *
Rossum, Airachnid, and Scalpel watched as their commander was sent flying by the Xantium's attack. Rossum in particular noticed the shard of Dark Energon which Thunderwing had been carrying fall from his grasp and end up right at his feet.
As he bent down to pick it up, Rossum heard Airachnid say, "So what now? Do we unleash the backup weapon we had in mind?"
"I suppose now is as good a time as any," Rossum said, bringing out the remote control. "It will nonetheless be a remarkable moment in advancing Decepticon technology."
"Indeed," Airachnid said. "In that case, I'll be taking my leave."
Rossum and Scalpel gave her incredulous looks. "What?"
The Arachnicon smirked. "At this point, I doubt Thunderwing will be needing the services of my Insecticons. If he survived that little blast, tell him that I wish him the best of luck."
Before the other two could protest, Airachnid converted into her helicopter form and flew off. Cursing quietly, Rossum turned back to the control.
"Some people simply do not appreciate...." He activated the control and the ground started to tremble. Soon, a large shape began to emerge in the distance, standing taller than an average Cybertronian but a head or so shorter than the Omega Guardians of legend. Colored in green, silver, and shades of brown, it bolstered with artillery, with two long cannons jutting from its back and several guns dominating its arms.
His red visor gleaming, the titanic Decepticon spoke. "Bombshock reporting for duty. Give me the target and I'll obliterate it."
Rossum smiled. "Then here is your target: the Xantium."
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