CHAPTER TWO
--The Lost Light--
"Keep working with the machine, Nautica. Rodimus is hailing me again."
Stepping away from the time machine, Perceptor spoke into his comlink. "What is it now, Rodimus?"
"Has the future been screwed up yet?"
"Not as far as I know. Why?"
"We've found a dead body at Maccadam's in Rodion. Seems to be Brainstorm's handiwork."
"Any idea who it is?"
"Can't tell; we're trying not to get noticed." Rodimus went silent for a moment before saying, "Rung thinks it's a former patient of his. Someone named Breakthrough, ex-Primal Vanguard."
Perceptor rubbed his chin. "The name doesn't ring familiar... which begs the question, why would Brainstorm kill him? Why is he making any changes at all in these times if it's Sentinel he's after?"
"I hope you're asking rhetorically," Rodimus said. "Have you figured out where he's jumped to next?"
Perceptor looked at his monitor. "Ten years back, somewhere in the Alyon region. I'm sending you there now."
"Got it. Over and out."
--Cybertron, Alyon region, 1,510 years ago--
The armored carrier trembled as it crossed the metal plains of the Alyon region. While the Elite Guard members within waited to reach their destination, the mech known as Landshark tinkered with a huge gauntlet attached to his left arm. Sitting across from him, his teammate Padlock eyed his work warily.
"What are you doing to it?"
"Adding shock generators. Flak got me some while he and Thunderclash's unit were on Dormanus Five. A single clap can send 'bots flying seventeen feet."
"Impressive. One question though: is it really necessary for this sort of mission?"
"One can never be too careful. 'Always be prepared' is my motto."
Padlock raised an optic ridge. "I thought that was Flak's motto."
Landshark scowled. "He stole it."
"Cut the chatter," snapped their commander Magnum. "We're here."
The carrier came to a halt and the Elite Guard unit-- consisting of Magnum, Landshark, Padlock, Windsail, and Clear-Out-- all climbed out. Already waiting for them out on the Alyon plains were three mechs; two of them were nearly identical, standing a head taller than the average bot and bearing only a single optic, while the third was more decorative, with panels on his back serving as a cape and the High Council insignia prominent on his chest.
Stepping up to the latter, Magnum said, "Sorry we're late, Councilor Theseus. We had to stop for refuelling back in Nyon."
Theseus waved a dismissive hand. "I have no need for your excuses, commander. All that matters is that you're here now."
"What seems to be the problem?"
"There is an active hot spot here in this region," said one of the tall bots. "It is shaped in the form of a hand-- that of Primus', as he presses the planet into shape. It is proof of the Guiding Hand's existence."
Theseus scoffed. "Utter rubbish. You're simply trying to find leverage of your hold on the public. Being the predominant belief does not give you power."
"I will ignore your accusations, councilor, and simply say this: you have until tomorrow to give us juridsdiction over the Alyon region and the duty to care for these newborn sparks. Failure to do so may result in complications with the Functionist Council."
Before Theseus could even fire back a retort, the two Functionists took their leave, returning to the saucer-like vessel they had arrived in. Once the vehicle had sped off, Theseus turned back to Magnum and his unit.
"Proteus may be friendly with the Functionist Council, but I will not tolerate their interferences. The day they take over Cybertron is the day that I die-- which won't be anytime soon, I will assure you."
"What would you have us do then?" Magnum asked.
"Destroy this hot spot. Without it, the Functionists will be unable to make their play for power."
Magnum blinked, taken aback by the order. "Sir? Are you sure that's wise?"
Theseus sneered at him. "I'm not going to repeat myself. Unlike the Functionists, my threats for not following my orders are far more sincere."
With that, the councilor spun on his heel before returning to his personal transport. The Autobots waited until it had left before Landshark broke the silence.
"So, uh, is it a good thing I brought my gauntlets, then?"
Padlock shook his head. "We can't do this. These sparks haven't even been harvested; we'd be killing innocent lives!"
"As much as I want to agree with you, Padlock, we cannot disobey our orders," Magnum said solemnly. "Clear-Out, Windsail, unload the carrier. Get out the radiation generators."
"Er, only one problem," Windsail said. "Our transport is about to explode."
Magnum whirled around in time to see rays of light pouring out of the transport, purple smoke surrounding it. The Autobots all shielded their optics as a bright flash consumed the vehicle. Once it was gone, eight mechs and two drone-like things stood in the exposed trailer section. A red and orange member of the group, presumably the leader, grinned at the Elite Guardsman.
"How's it going?"
Magnum immediately drew his gun at them. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"Whoa, relax. We're Autobots just like you-- see the insignias?"
"How do I know I can trust you? And how did you teleport here?"
"We're testing this new type of teleportation tech for use by the Elite Guard," the red mech. "We're something of a special ops. team. We deal with the dangerous stuff so you don't have to."
Magnum continued to look skeptical. "I'm sure I would have heard of you."
"The less people who know, the better, Sentinel Prime told us. Anyway, time for introductions: I'm Rodimus, and this is Skids, Tailgate, Chromedome, Rewind, Cyclonus, and Whirl. Oh, and Rung."
"And those two?" Magnum nodded at the drones.
"Uh, WALL-E and EVE. They're a new type of d-class units. Their names are short for very long and unwieldy designations, so no point in knowing them."
"I see." Lowering his gun, Magnum said, "I am Elite Guard commander Magnum, and these are my teammates Padlock, Landshark, Clear-Out, and Windsail. Do you have any purpose here in Alyon, or are you just teleporting to random places?"
"We're actually on the hunt for someone," Rodimus said. "You haven't happened to see any turquoise fliers in the area, have you?"
"No; as a matter of fact, we just arrived here," Padlock said, before Magnum could stop him. "We've just been given orders to exterminate a hot spot located here."
The newcomers all stared at him in disbelief. "Why?" Rodimus asked.
After giving Padlock a warning look for disclosing their duty, Magnum explained to them the recent disputes between the High Council and the Functionists, and the orders Theseus had given to his unit. When he was finished, Rodimus held his chin, visibly concerned.
"There must be an alternative," he murmured. "Is there any way we could transport the sparks to safety?"
"It would take days, and we're expected to be done by tomorrow," Padlock said. "And if we simply disobey him, then he'll just have another unit do the work while we get whisked away to Garrus-1."
"There's gotta be a quicker way." Rodimus looked around the transport he and the others were still standing in. "You 'bots got any handy tools?"
"Just guns, primarily, though Landshark's brought some utility tools." Magnum glanced at the green and orange mech. "You did remember to bring them, didn't you?"
Landshark smiled weakly. "I, uh, didn't think to since most of our missions don't require any drilling or hammering or whatever."
An exasperated sigh escaped Magnum's vocal processor. "I thought your motto was 'Always be prepared.'"
"Flak stole it."
"Do you guys have anything of use?" Skids asked.
"We've got a teleporter, but that won't work with the sparks still dormant," Clear-Out said.
"Plus I've got my shock gauntlets," Landshark added. "But I don't see how they could--"
"Wait, what can they do?" Rodimus asked.
"Uh, create powerful shocks? That's how most things with 'shock' in their name work."
"What happens if you used them on the ground?"
"On the ground? What would--" Suddenly, a knowing smile crossed Landshark's face. "Oh. Oh, I see."
"Have you got a plan?" Magnum asked Rodimus.
"You bet. And it involves two claws and a bot with eyebrows."
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