CHAPTER NINE
--Metroplex--
Spacewarp could hear screams coming up ahead. The Decepticon came to a dead spot and stared at the entrance to the vessel's control center. Although closed, she could vividly visualize what was going on behind those doors as she listened to the cold cries of death and sickening sounds of carnage.
"Still think it's worth it?" Foldspace asked.
Before Spacewarp could answer, a body was sent crashing through the door, landing at her feet. The blue and red mech, whom Spacewarp recalled having seen with Ginrai, got back to his feet and looked up at the Decepticon, clearly surprised by her presence.
"Hey, how did you--?" He shook his head, wisely deciding to save the subject for another time. "Forget it. Just get out of here; save yourself while you can."
"Nothing can save you from the inevitable," a strange voice spoke out. Its source, a brown and azure mech, emerged from the broken door, its green optics blazing furiously. "Certain doom can never be delayed."
"On that we can agree on, buster," Spacewarp quipped, raising her arm blaster and firing it at the Hunter. The monstrous mech merely absorbed the blast into his body.
"Come now," he cackled. "We mustn't keep the Necrobot waiting."
The blue mech got to his feet and pushed Spacewarp aside. "Go!" he urged her. "I'll handle him. You get out of here."
"Forget it," Spacewarp retorted. "I'm not letting a fraggin Autobot die for me. If I'm going to escape, you're going with me."
He gave her an incredulous look. "Seriously? Are you sure you're a Decepticon?"
"No more questions, let's just go!" Grabbing the mech's arm, Spacewarp fled from the Hunter with him, no turning to see if the monster was following them.
--Outside--
"Ow ow ow!" Fulcrum yelped as his head repeatedly hit Spinister's back as he and the other Scavengers ran from the fight between the Star Seekers and the Circle of Light. "If you're going to carry me, Spinister, at least put me on your back instead of -- ow! -- over your shoulder!"
The larger Decepticon ignored him and the five Scavengers did not stop running until they were miles away from the others. After finding a scrap pile to rest by, Spinister unceremoniously dropped Fulcrum, who landed hard on his back, while the others sat down.
"So," Krok said, once they had all been settled. "The Requiem Blaster, huh?"
"I'm as surprised as you are," Crankcase said. "Like I said, I had no idea what we were carrying on the Harbinger. For all I knew, it could have been a pack of turbofoxes that Megatron wanted to experiment on. I never once thought it would be... this."
"Since we're on the subject," Misfire said, moving awkwardly. "How did you end up with us if the Harbinger crashed here?"
Crankcase let out a huff. "I'm the one who crashed it."
"Deliberately or by accident?" Krok asked.
"The former," Crankcase said. "I was getting sick of serving under Payload, who had been our captain. Since transfer was out of the question, my only option was to jettison via escape pod. I knew I would be blown to bits if I did that, so I took out the engines and abandoned ship right before it crashed. I spent Primus knows how long floating out in space before someone finally came along and picked me up."
"Wow," Misfire said, still moving strangely. "Remind me to never frizz you off again."
"What the slag's wrong with you?" Crankcase asked, staring at him strangely. "You look like you're about to release an energy cloud."
Misfire made an exasperated sound as he opened up his hip compartment and fished out a spherical object. "It's this doo-hickey I found on Neutronia. It's been vibrating ever since we got here."
"Is that... a transformation cog?" Krok asked, gazing at the object.
"A t-cog that transforms stuff, yeah." As Misfire said this, the cog started shaking more vigorously in his hands, seeming to pull him in a specific direction. "Is it just me, or is it... trying to lead me somewhere?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Crankcase scoffed. "What, you think it's some sort of cyber-dog?"
Misfire did not answer him. Instead, he sprung to his feet and started moving in the direction the cog was taking him. The other Scavengers reluctantly followed him, with Spinister once again dragging Fulcrum along.
The cog did not take them far. After crossing two scrap-filled yards, the five Decepticons reached a massive junkpile which looked rather oddly shaped. It didn't take long for them to deduce what it was.
"It's the Harbinger," Crankcase murmured. "But... how would a t-cog be able to find it?"
"Who cares?" Spinister asked. "Let's get big boom-boom stick and slag everyone alive."
"And have everyone come after us? No thanks," Fulcrum said.
"Ah, but just think, Fulcrum," Misfire said. "If we got our servos on this Requiem Blaster, we could go back to Cybertron and make Prime and Starscream kiss our feet. No one would be able to boss us around again!"
"Um..." Spinister scratched his head. "Aren't we already our own bosses?"
Misfire ignored him and hurried over to the crashed ship, dropping the t-cog so he could open the hatch. Once he had done so, he waved the others over.
"What are you pinheads waiting for? Let's get dangerous!"
--Metroplex--
"Here's your stop. Good luck."
While Backslash flew off, after heaving dropped Axer off at the smashed opening the Hunter had made in Metroplex, the ex-Decepticon stood in frozen horror at the macabre sight that greeted him. Lifeless bodies were scattered across the room, all with their mouths gaping open. It wasn't difficult to deduce that the Hunter had just been here. If he absorbed all of these mechs' sparks... he had to be near invulnerable by now.
One of the bodies stirred, starling Axer and prompting him to deploy his axe. Seeing that the mech still had glowing optics -- albeit very dim -- Axer figure that he was not a zombie and had merely been spared by the Hunter, although for why he could not fathom.
"B-b-b..." the mech was trying to say. Against his better judgment, Axer moved over to him and knelt at his side.
"What is it?" he asked. "What are you trying to say?"
"B-b-be-Beta..." the mech finally managed with some difficulty. "B-beta Maxx... he's got him. That... that beast."
"Who's Beta Maxx?"
"A... Mini-Con. He's... he's the key to... all of this. Dai Atlas... has foretold it. If he dies... the mission is lost."
Axer grimaced. He had no idea what this bot was trying to tell him or why this Beta Maxx was important. But if the Hunter had taken him, then this Mini-Con must have had some importance.
"I'll get him back," Axer said to the mech, although he wasn't sure if he was actually promising or not. Regardless, he added, "I promise."
"Please," the mech croaked. "For... all our...."
His speech trailed off as his body slumped lifelessly against the wall. Axer rose to his feet, trying to calm his racing spark.
You can do this. You can do this. You can do this.
He transformed to his car mode and revved his engine.
You can do this. You can do this. You can do this.
With a roar, he peeled out of the room.
You're gonna die. You're gonna die. You're gonna die.
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