CHAPTER FOUR
--Floating Fortress--
"We've lost Squad 811."
The Warden slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. "Impossible! We had them outnumbered! How could they have been beaten so quickly, so easily?"
"Well, they are Vehicons--"
The Warden deployed a gun and blasted the operator's head off. Turning to another, he snarled, "Send out the Mayhem Attack Squad."
The gray and blue Seeker frowned. "Are you sure, sir? Scourge did say to only use them--"
"When I deemed necessary, yes. And I deem now to be more than necessary. These interlopers must be dealt with as soon as possible. Too much is at stake here."
The Seeker slowly nodded. "Understood, sir. Dispatching the Mayhem Attack Squad now."
* * *
"Ratchet!" Rodimus grinned as the medic carefully stepped over the deactivated Vehicons. "Back to your old digs, I see!"
"Uh-huh," Ratchet muttered. "Where are the others?"
"I saw Skids, Nautica, and Minimus get overwhelmed," said Cyclonus. "They must have been recaptured."
"I think Swerve, Rung, and Tailgate managed to getaway," Trailbreaker added. "I saw them sneaking past some Vehicons just before we got cornered."
"Cowards!" Rampage bellowed. "They deserve whatever fate Mortilus shall have befall them!"
"Shut it," Rodimus snapped. "As long as they're safe, that's all that matters. We'll find them, and then we can try and rescue the others."
"We should split up."
All heads turned to a small, kibble-less mech sitting on Brainstorm's shoulder. The scientist gestured at him in introduction.
"This is Cannonspring. He's our new friend. Apparently."
Rodimus arched an optic ridge. "Hi, Cannonspring. I'm Rodimus. Why do you suggest we split up?"
"They are bound to send reinforcements," Cannonspring replied. "By splitting up, we can divert their attention and make it harder for them to capture us. We could cover more ground that way, in regards to saving your friends."
"That's... a good idea, actually." Rodimus rubbed his chin before snapping his fingers. "Right-o, then! Nightbeat, Getaway, Brainstorm, Cyclonus, you're with me. We'll search for Skids and the others. Ratchet and the rest of you, try and find Rung and the Minibots."
"And what about Pipsqueak there?" Whirl asked, pointing at Cannonspring. "Because I'm sure not carrying him around."
"Don't worry, I'll stick with Brainstorm," Cannonspring said. "If that's all right with him, of course."
"Sure, whatever." Brainstorm picked him up and tossed him back into his chest canopy. "Be good."
"Right then." Rodimus nodded to Ratchet. "See you soon."
"With any luck, yes."
* * *
"I still don't understand why -- ow! -- a Cybertronian base would have vents."
"It's probably to circulate Nimbus' winds," Rung replied, crawling behind Swerve and Tailgate through a ventilation shaft. "Are you all right, Tailgate?"
"Yeah, I just bumped my hip again," the Minibot replied. "Do you know where you're taking us, Swerve?"
"Nope!" Swerve answered. "Absolutely no clue. So long as we're away from those Vehicons."
"I just hope you don't lead us into something dangerous," Rung murmured. "Like a smelting chamber or--"
"Hey!" Tailgate pointed up ahead. "I see a red light!"
"Tailgate?" came a familiar voice. "Swerve? Is that you?"
"Rewind!" Swerve exclaimed as a small black bot came into view. "I thought they had nabbed you as well!"
"Keep it down," Rewind hissed. "Anyway, I was able to sneak into a shaft same as you. There's an adjacent corridor just up ahead and...."
"What?" Rung asked. "What is it?"
"Just follow me, and keep quiet. You guys need to see this."
* * *
"Sideways has been gone for awfully long," Straxus growled, tapping the edge of his axe against the floor. "I am beginning to think she has met her demise."
"No matter." Scourge waved a dismissive hand as he pulled up a seat. "We can continue without her... and Cyclonus."
Seated at the end of the table, Megatron looked between the gathered Heralds of Unicron, optics narrowed. "What's going on here? What's the meaning of all this? I demand answers!"
"Quiet down and you'll get your answers," Jhiaxus said sharply. "Megatron... you know that's not your true name, correct?"
The Decepticon leader scowled. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, you know you're not the real Megatron, yes? You know that you're a clone."
Megatron slowly nodded. "Yes, of course. But the real Megatron is dead, so I am all that there is."
"Except that is not true," Scourge said. "The real Megatron is still alive."
The Megatron clone blinked, his mouth falling agape. "What? But... how?"
"When the Matrix of Leadership was opened, rather than destroy Unicron, it transported him to Cyberutopia, where he is to be punished for all eternity."
"However," Straxus said, "Megatron has already been atoned. He is now to be freed so that he may lead our race as he was destined to."
"That is why we've abducted those who have been forged," Jhiaxus explained. "We need to use their spark energies to activate the space bridge that leads to Cyberutopia. Then we can free Megatron."
"Then... then what purpose do I serve?" the clone asked.
"You've already served your purpose," Scourge said. "You've rallied the Decepticons and brought them back from the shambles Starscream had left them in. You've done what you were made for."
"But... once the original Megatron returns... what will happen to me?"
"Nothing," Scourge said. "Because you'll already be dead by then."
The clone's mouth fell open as Scourge raised a gun. The weapon was purple, with a gray rectangular barrel.
Shockwave.
As the gun's barrel began to glow, Scourge said, "You have been a useful asset, Doomshot. Your service will be remembered."
There was a flash of light and then nothing.
* * *
"Did you get all that, Rewind?"
"Yup," the archivist replied, his voice hushed in shock. The four Autobots all watched as the Heralds of Unicron rose from their seats and left the room, leaving behind the Megatron clone's smoldering corpse.
Still shaking from what he had just witnessed, Tailgate said, "Did... did he say something about Cyberutopia? Isn't that where the Knights of Cybertron are?"
"I somewhat doubt they were being truthful," Rung said. "Or at the very least, they've deluded themselves into thinking that that."
"I sure hope you're right," Swerve said. "Because it would totally blow if a bunch of Decepticons beat us to the punch."
"We still have to do something though," Rewind said. "I'm no sparkologist, but I don't think using sparks to power something is good for it."
"I agree," Rung said. "We should get back with Rodimus and--"
"Hey!" Swerve exclaimed. "That Megs clone is moving!"
Indeed, the body of the Megatron clone was stirring, despite the gaping wound in its chest. Steam hissed from its neck as its head detached and... transformed.
As a small robot emerged, Rewind voiced everyone's thoughts: "This is shaping to be a very odd day."
* * *
"Meantime and her crew have returned, sir," the stout and blocky green Decepticon reported to his similarly colored commander. "Seventy-five percent of them are from Cybertron while the rest are--"
"Just send them to Sector 5-4," Grindcore grunted, pacing back and forth. "And don't bother processing them. Scourge says we have to speed things up."
Twitcher nodded. "Will do, sir. Also, the Warden just called. He says he's sending out the Mayhem Attack Squad to capture the remaining escapees."
"How many are there left?"
"At least seven, sir. Cyclonus is also believed to still be with them."
Grindcore growled, clenching his fists. "Tell them I will be joining them shortly."
Twitcher blinked. "Sir?"
"I'll trust you to operate things in my absence," the Herald of Unicron said, already walking away. "If anyone asks, tell them I'll be settling personal scores."
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