CHAPTER THREE
--The Benzuli Expanse--
"So this is Gorlam Prime, huh?" Hardhead said dryly. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Nightbeat did not understand. When he and Elita's team had left Gorlam Prime, he had taken the time to figure out the coordinates, with Glyph's help. Those same coordinates were what he had given Hardhead to get there, and yet they had arrived only to find nothing but a black hole.
"This doesn't make sense," the detective muttered. "How can Gorlam Prime just be gone?"
Hardhead shrugged. "Search me. Maybe its sun just decided to collapse at the wrong time."
"I think there's more to it than that." Nightbeat rubbed his chin, studying the black hole. Finally, with an incredibly calm tone, he said, "Take us into the black hole."
Hardhead looked at him incredulously. "I'm sorry, but did you just say what I think you just said?"
"This must be where the Ark's voyage had taken it," the detective went on as if he hadn't heard his partner. "It make perfect sense."
"Oh, it sure does. Except for the 'flying into the black hole bit.'"
"Trust me on this, Hardhead. I know what I'm doing."
"I sure hope you do," Hardhead grunted as he advanced the ship towards the anomaly. "I wouldn't want to die knowing that all these years, I'd been hanging out with a complete lunatic."
--The Revenge--
"Can you fix him, Flatline?"
"I'm doing what I can," the Decepticon medic sharply replied. "Scalpel, hand me that, er, scalpel."
Fulcrum watched on in building anxiety as the two doctors started repairing Spinister. He wasn't sure why he was so worried for the other Scavenger-- he was the least personable one of them all. But then again, all of the Scavengers were the closest he had ever had to friends. To lose even one would be a bitter blow to his spark.
The other Scavengers did not seem to share his sympathy. Crankcase and Misfire had both left to mingle with the other 'Cons on the ship-- ironic, given their personalities, which were sure to drive anyone away. Only Krok had stayed with him, not surprising seeing as he was essentially Spinister's commanding officer.
After several tense moments, Scalpel skittered off of the unconscious Spinister and to the other two Scavengers, looking up at them with his goggled optics. "Ve seem to haff a problem."
"What is it?" Fulcrum asked.
"His spark is there but incredibly faint," Flatline said. "We could find a compatible spark type and try to jump-start him, but there's no guarantee it'll work. In fact, I'm reluctant to use it, since it's an Autobot-created technique, but at this point, I'll try anything."
"What's his spark-type?" Krok asked.
"Isomeric-positive."
"So am I," Fulcrum said. "You can use me."
Flatline narrowed his optics at him. "Given your body-type and stature, such a procedure could kill you... but if that is your wish, who am I to discourage you? Scalpel, get the cables ready."
--The Lost Light--
Too riled up by the Terrorcons' sudden attack to return to their hab suites or visit Swerve's, the crew of the Lost Light had all gathered on the bridge, talking amongst themselves to cope with the dread of what was to come. It wasn't until they were all together here that Skids noticed something out of place.
"I see that Nightbeat's not around," he commented to Rung, double checking the crowd around him.
"He left with Hardhead just before the Terrorcons attacked," the psychiatrist replied. "He said something about finding the original Ark and the source of Unicron's Heralds' corruption."
"Hope he doesn't become like them if he does," Skids murmured.
"Yes... so do I."
The two Autobot fell quiet for a moment, letting the others' voices talk around them to fill in the silence. Then, in a quieter tone, Skids said, "Have you heard about Tailgate?"
Rung took a few seconds to respond. "Yes."
"Swerve told me just before we returned to Combatron. In the short span of time I've known him, I've never seen him be so... quiet."
Rung nodded in agreement. "From my observations since joining the crew, I quickly deduced that he and Tailgate were very good friends."
"And Glyph...."
"She cares for Tailgate," the psychiatrist said without any pretense of doubt. "It's been clear to me since day one. And I'm sure he feels the same way, though he's more shy to admit it."
"Hope he does soon," Skids muttered. "He doesn't have much time left. None of us do."
Rung frowned at him. "You think we'll fail in stopping Unicron?"
"I'm just saying that, whether we do or not, not all of us are going to make it out alive."
All of the crew instantly fell silent as the doors opened and Elita-One, Ultra Magnus, and Hubcap entered the bridge, all three carrying grave looks.
"We've received word from Optimus," Elita told the gathered Autobots. "We shall be heading off to Cybertron and defend it from Unicron and his army."
No one responded to this with anything but silent dread. Everyone was well aware of the probability that none of them would survive today.
"Before we leave to join the others," she went on, "I would simply like to say that, after all we've been through... it's been an honor to serve as your captain and fellow Autobot."
A few half-hearted smiles were cracked, but nothing more. Wordlessly, Elita then crossed the room and stepped up to the helm. The rest of the crew took their stations, while Ultra Magnus stood to Elita's side.
"Not the best display of morale I've seen," Magnus commented.
"Can you blame them? We've never faced a threat like this."
"We've thought the same of previous threats, and yet we've still managed to pull through."
Elita sighed ruefully. "Something tells me this won't be anything like those past threats...."
--The Revenge--
"You still with us, pinhead?"
Fulcrum groaned as his systems booted back up online-- he hadn't even realized he had been out. Once his optics had adjusted, he saw that Krok, Misfire, and Crankcase were standing over him.
"I'm... I'm alive," he murmured, slowly standing up.
"Miraculously," Flatline said, coming into view. "And good news: your spark was viable enough to jump-start your friend. He'll need some time to recover from the rest of his injuries." He shot a glare at all four Scavengers. "Now get out of here before I decide to let Scalpel experiment on you."
Krok and the others quickly pulled Fulcrum up to his feet and walked him out of the medibay. As they walked down the corridor, Krok said quietly to him, "Why did you do it, Fulcrum? Why did you risk your life to save Spinister's?"
"Because it was the right thing to do."
Crankcase snorted. "Since when do we do 'the right thing?'"
"We have to look after our own, Crankcase," Fulcrum retorted. "Because no one else will."
"Attention, all Decepticons," Strika's voice crackled through the intercom. "I have received the following orders from Lord Megatron: we are to join the Autobots and the others at Cybertron and defend it from Unicron. I cannot guarantee we will succeed... nor can I guarantee that we will all make it out alive. But remember only this: you sacrifice your lives only for the glory of the Decepticons."
The intercom went dead silent. Fulcrum let out a quiet sigh.
"Not even our own kind."
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