CHAPTER NINE
"If it's all the same to you, Nitro, we shall be taking out leave," Optimus Prime said to the Velocitronian leader as the former's team stood at the Autobot shuttle's boarding ramp. "I have made peace with Double Clutch and he has entrusted me with a special... gift in return."
Nitro smiled. "I am glad to hear that you have eased old tensions. However, must you leave so soon?"
"I'm afraid so," Optimus said. "Cybertron is in urgent danger and we must be quick to save it."
Nitro nodded. "I understand. In that case, I bid you farewell, Optimus Prime."
"Wait."
The two leaders turned to look at Spiral, who stood at Nitro's side with Backtrack and Oval.
"I was wondering if... I could come along," the blue Velocitronian said.
Optimus raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Spiral shifted her feet. "Well, I've always dreamed of leaving Velocitron but never had the opportunity to do so. You guys are my first and possibly only chance."
Optimus stared at her for a moment before turning to Nitro. "If it's all the same to you...."
Nitro grinned as he held his hands up. "Hey, the entire population could leave with you and I wouldn't mind."
Optimus nodded and returned his attention to Spiral. "Very well. Welcome aboard, Spiral."
The young Velocitronian let out a small little cheer and hurried onto the shuttle, followed by Bumblebee and the others. Optimus then gave Nitro a nod of farewell before boarding the ship as well. It was only when they were all on board and the shuttle was taking off that he realized something disconcerting.
"Where's Side Burn?"
* * *
Makeshift watched as the Autobot shuttle departed from Velocitron. Even though Megatron's orders had been for him to infiltrate the Ark, he figured that a tracking device and a signal to the Decepticon leader would suffice. Besides, the last thing he needed was the Autobots suspecting him upon seeing two Side Burns....
As he stepped back onto his cloaked ship, he reverted to his true form and sat in the pilot's seat, preparing the vessel for take off. He then established a communications channel to contact Megatron himself.
"You better have good news this time, Shifter," the Decepticon leader growled.
"I do, Lord Megatron," Makeshift said. "I was not able to board the Ark, but I have attached a tracking beacon to one of the ship's shuttles. I am sending you the frequency now."
A few minutes passed before Megatron spoke again. "You are to be commended for your work, agent. This will no doubt lead to a great moment in Decepticon history."
Makeshift smiled to himself. "All in a good day's work, Lord Megatron."
"Indeed. Now then, I have a new task for you to perform."
The spy's face fell. He should have known that a double agent's work was never done. "Name it, my lord."
"You are to go to the planet Messatine and place yourself as a medic at the facility Delphi."
Makeshift's spark leaped. Although Delphi was Autobot-run, it was dangerously close to the territory of the Decepticon Justice Division. And, despite being a Decepticon himself, Makeshift was fearful of ever crossing them.
Nonetheless, he said, "Consider it done, my lord. However, what am I to do once there?"
"There have been... rumors of an Autobot spy hidden within the Justice Division's ranks. We have reason to believe that he may be a Shifter- much like yourself- and thus you would be the perfect one to weed him or her out."
And to suffer the D.J.D.'s wrath, the spy knew Megatron wanted to say. He was entirely aware of where he fell on the Decepticon food chain.
"Very well, Lord Megatron," he muttered. "It will be done."
However, turning around in his pilot seat, he knew that Megatron had already ended the connection.
* * *
"So all this time, you've been a little mech inside armor?"
Minimus Ambus sighed as Remedy helped him reattach his Magnus Armor. "That about sums it up, Wing Saber."
Kup grunted as he puffed on his cy-gar. "You know that just opens up a whole lotta cans of driller worms. I've got more questions in my processor now than I've got war stories."
"Yes, none of which I have time to answer," Ambus said. "Listen, there's a third party of sorts at work, one which is responsible for the disappearance of Grimlock."
"Not to mention Alpha Trion and Beta Maxx," Wing Saber said. "Red Alert reported that to me a few cycles ago."
"Right," Ambus murmured. "Anyway, Shockwave has proposed a temporary truce- one which I suppose will go into effect whenever Megatron is out of the know- and will only last long enough for us to get rid of aforementioned third party."
"I don't like the sound of that," Kup muttered. "Once this mysterious faction is out of the picture, the 'Cons will crush us like mecho-gnats."
"And the Fallen will crush both factions and thus any hope for Cybertron."
Wing Saber blinked. "Wait, did you say 'the Fallen?' That guy's just a-"
"I know," Ambus said sharply. "That's simply what he calls himself. Whether he's the real deal or not, I don't know. But his power is undoubtedly considerable. He must be stopped regardless of the cost."
"I suppose there's no use arguing that," Kup said with a sigh. "After all, the shots are still for you to call, even if you aren't really Ultra Magnus."
Ambus frowned as Remedy handed him his helmet, which bore the face of the original- and long since deceased- Ultra Magnus.
"I apologize for having to deceive you. But for necessity's sake- and until we have time to sort all this out- I will need to go by 'Ultra Magnus' for a while longer."
Wing Saber smiled assuredly. "Hey, for all we know, the real Ultra Magnus could have been a Mini-Con walking around in armor, too."
Minimus Ambus smirked as he donned the helmet. "I suppose we could all be a bit more than meets the eye."
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