CHAPTER THREE
--Cybertron--
"Anything yet?"
"Nothing." Barricade's face was grim as he stared at the many viewscreens in front of him, all connected to Sky Spies that had been scattered across Iacon. "This just doesn't make any sense. Bots can't just vanish like this."
"Strangers things have happened," Ironhide muttered, stepping over to stand next to him. "Have you checked the security footage yet?"
"The cameras got fragged thanks to Windcharger using his magnets. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but--"
"Save it." Ironhide leaned over the console and rubbed his chin, looking from one screen to the others. Together, the Sky Spies provided a thorough view of Iacon. From Trion Square to Nova Point to even the subterranean levels... yet there was still no sign of Guiltaur.
"You don't think he teleported, do you?" Barricade asked.
"If that was something he could do, he would've done it to escape being killed. Unless...." Ironhide frowned in contemplation. "Unless someone teleported in and got him."
"What, like Skywarp?"
"Or someone with his powers." Stepping away from the monitors, Ironhide turned to head out. "Ready more Sky Spies to send out while I call Rodimus. I feel like our little fusion's gotten himself out of Iacon...."
* * *
"Where am I?"
Not for the first time Guiltaur asked himself that as he scrambled around in the darkness, knocking over things he could not see. A voice in his head kept insisting he be patient, but patience was not a trait Guiltaur possessed.
As he bumped into what sounded like a shelf, bringing forth a cacophony of noise, the voice became more aggressive in tone. Stop moving.
Guiltaur did so but only against his will. Somehow the voice was controlling him. "Shut up," he growled.
Easier said than done when I'm trying to help you.
"I don't need your help! Get out of my head!"
I am your head, moron. And you do need my help. If you would just shut up and listen....
Guiltaur continued to fume but remained silent. It was not like he had any other option...
Taking control of his body, the voice directed him towards a door at the end of the room. Opening it, the room was flooded with light, forcing Guiltaur to adjust his optics. When he could finally see, he found himself to be in some kind of facility, with abandoned pieces of machinery strewn about.
"What... what is this place?" Guiltaur asked, his anger subsided by curiosity.
Back in the day, it was known as Con Facility 113. However, it hasn't seen some use in quite some time. Most aren't aware it even still exists.
"Then why did you bring me here?"
To bring you back to your roots, Guiltaur. Or should I call you... Optronix?
The fusion's optics flashed as he suddenly lost his footing, grabbing onto a hanging waldo to keep his balance. As he struggled to compose himself, a nearby door began to open, creaking loudly as hinges long unused moved for the first time in centuries.
Compose yourself, my friend, the voice in his head whispered. It's time for you to meet the family.
--Belruvia--
"Am I the only one who's getting weirded out by this?"
Wing Saber's query went unanswered as he and the other Lost Lighters explored the Worldsweeper. Most of them looked to be as perturbed as he was however by the discoveries they had made so far.
First had been the brain-covered ceiling that Wing Saber had noticed upon stumbling in, not thinking the ship's gravity generators would be in place. Then Axe had come across a corridor made of organic flesh, which had bled and polluted the fuel supply, while Evac had uncovered vats of malformed protoforms. And as if that wasn't enough, Star Saber had then reported his findings of robots made of wood on the bridge.
Wing Saber knew the Decepticons could come up with bizarre, borderline macabre creations... but this went well beyond anything they had cooked up in the past one to four thousand years. It almost didn't even feel like something the Decepticons would make.
While the others continued to explore, Wing Saber and Ginrai were called up to the bridge by Star Saber. After stepping over a heap of wood-plated bots, the two found their captain hunched over the ship's computer as he sifted through the logs.
"Looks like someone's deleted most of the logs," Star Saber muttered. "However, there are a few that are heavily scrambled. I'll see if Big Bang can decipher them."
"Any idea if the Decepticons were behind this?" Ginrai asked.
Star Saber shook his head. "Other than the ship's design, nothing here seems to have their fingerprints. It's possible some third party found this ship and took control of it for their own uses."
"So what are we going to do with it? Leave it here while we go get Omega Supreme?"
"We don't exactly have much choice, do we? We can't exactly tow a dead 'Con ship halfway across the galaxy, let alone into the Muta-Gaath Nebula."
"What if some of us stayed behind?" Wing Saber asked. "We could keep an eye on it and investigate things further."
"Are you volunteering?" Ginrai grunted.
Wing Saber shrugged. "If no one else wants to do it...."
Star Saber seemed to think about it as he stepped away from the computer. After exchanging a glance with Ginrai, he said, "All right, but we're not leaving you here alone. I'll have Axe stay behind with you."
Wing Saber smirked. "You don't think I can look after myself?"
"Of course I do. But we don't know who's at work here or what they're capable of. Better be safe than sorry." Star Saber rested a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I have no reason to not have faith in you. You've accomplished far more in life than I have."
"Ah, don't sell yourself short, bro," Wing Saber said, nudging Star Saber in the shoulder. "You'll do all right."
Ginrai cleared his vocal processor. "So are we ready to go?"
Star Saber nodded. "Ready when you are. Let's go get Omega."
--Cybertron--
"I'm telling you, I -- we -- no one did anything!"
"You expect me to believe that, 'Con?" Streetwise snarled, slamming his fists down on the table that separated him and the two Duocons. "Then explain to me why Windcharger is dead and you aren't."
"He did try to kill us," said Battleslash. "We were in our combined form and he tore us in half. I don't think he knew we were a combiner."
Streetwise sneered. "Or maybe he did and was trying to make you guys look good."
"We hardly know him!" Roadtrap protested. "He was dead by the time we even knew he existed! How in the Pit would we have been able to scheme with him?"
"You're Decepticons. I imagine it's as natural as functioning."
"All right, Streetwise, that's enough." Groove stepped up from behind his fellow Protectobot. "I think we've gotten all we can from them."
Streetwise continued to scowl even as he stormed out of the room. Groove let out a heavy sigh as he flashed an apologetic look at the two Duocons.
"Sorry about that. He's been getting into the 'Bad Cop' routine recently. Let me just check in with Ironhide, then you two should be good to--"
He was cut off by the sound of an explosion, which rocked the facility. As alarms began to sound, Groove turned around to see Streetwise run by with a squad of Autotroopers.
"Decepticons! We're under attack!"
"Not Decepticons."
Groove heard the voice seconds before he was attacked from behind by a flying purple shape. As he swatted away at the creature, he saw a bunch of Decepticons -- most of them Insecticons -- blast their way in, gunning down Streetwise and the others.
"We're better," said Ratbat as he latched onto Groove's back, baring his fangs. "We are Ultracons."
Groove could only scream as Ratbat sunk his teeth into his neck, throwing him into a world of pain.
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