CHAPTER SIX
--The Lost Light--
Rodimus had to admit, it felt good to be back on the Lost Light after so long. In fact, he didn't think he had been on it since the Secret Order had been dealt with on Necroworld; after that it was Autobot City, then the Thunderwing fiasco, and then Primehood. Yet here he was once again.
Of course, he wasn't planning on taking full-on command of the ship -- that duty still rested with Star Saber, as it was rightfully his now. However, Star Saber had agreed to share command with him and Elita until this Earth business was solved. Rodimus had to admit it was rather fitting to have all three captains of the Lost Light in charge (unless one wished to include Quickswitch, but he didn't think anyone was in a hurry to do so).
With Mainframe absent, Windblade instead sat at the ship's controls as it flew across the American landscape, heading towards the Wreckers' position. Up ahead, Rodimus could spot a tall building towering over the city of Santa Cruz, with giant lit letters spelling the name "Onyx" on its side.
"Uh, Rodimus?" Drift spoke up from his station near Windblade's. "I'm picking up a crazy amount of Cybertronian readings from that tower."
"How crazy?" Rodimus asked.
"The crazy that would set Ultra Magnus over the edge. Tyrest Accord Magnus, that is."
Elita frowned. "Didn't Optimus and his crew have to deal with a human corporation using Cybertech?"
"Yeah, we did," Rodimus muttered. "It was all part of Scorponok's ploy to... do whatever."
"And no one's seen him since the Unicron War," Star Saber pointed out.
"You're right. Scrap." Rodimus pointed to the tower. "Full speed ahead, Windblade. The Wreckers are probably going to need--"
"Wait." Drift leaned over his console. "Something's coming from the tower. Something small and numerous."
"I see them." Windblade nodded to a swarm of small round robots flying out from the Onyx Tower. They were all white with black screens for faces, lit by square yellow optics.
Rodimus frowned at this. "The heck?"
Elita glanced at him. "What is it?"
"Those are... that's Eve. Ee-vah."
Star Saber raised an optic. "Come again?"
"Oh man. Skids is gonna have a field day with--"
The Prime was cut off as the EVE drones opened fire on the Lost Light, rocking the ship....
* * *
"Gah!" Nickel cried out as she fell off the platform she had been standing on. Velocity caught her while Ratchet kept himself and the inactive Rotorbolt steady as the ship shook.
"Always something," the medic muttered. He glanced at Rotorbolt and saw that the Vehicon's optics had switched back on. Tentatively, he said, "Whirl? Are you... are you back yet?"
Rotorbolt scoffed. "He was never here to begin with. He's gone. Rightfully so. Never liked him. A real piece of garbage. Complete waste of space."
Velocity sighed. "Shall I switch him off again?"
"No, no. Wait." Ratchet held up a hand. "We should let him vent."
"Why, so he can insult us again?" Nickel asked.
Ratchet shushed her but Rotorbolt was already speaking unbidden.
"Seriously, what has he ever been good at? Oh, he can make watches? Better take away his hands. Oh, people think he's handsome? Better take away his face. Oh, he has his own dreams and aspirations? Hell with it, let's just destroy his entire life's work.
"And while we're at it, let's make sure that everyone in the universe hates him. Autobots, Decepticons, Terradores... let's make everyone not want to be his friend. Let's make sure that when he dies, he will die alone, unloved, misunderstood, and officially the most hated person in the universe.
"Good riddance, Whirl of Polyhex, and thanks for nothing."
Ratchet stepped up to him. "And you wanna know something, Rotorbolt? He's still better than you."
The Vehicon's head twitched. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah. You think Whirl is bad, but you are ten times worse. At least Whirl can wreck and rule, unlike y--"
Without warning, Rotorbolt jumped up and shoved Ratchet aside. He raised a hand to strike the doctor again... only to stop, looking around the room.
"The hell? Where am I? Why am I... why can I hover? Where's Cyclonus?" He then looked down at Ratchet. "And what are you doing down there?"
Ratchet grinned as he got back to his feet. "Welcome back, Whirl."
"Why?" Whirl asked. "Have I been gone?"
"I'll explain later. Right now, let's get you fixed up. There's some action going on out there and it could really use your help."
"I don't understand," Velocity murmured as Whirl was guided back to the repair slab. "How did you...?"
"I just used the three magic words," Ratchet replied. "Because if there's one thing Whirl loves above anything else... it's being a Wrecker."
--Down below--
"There's a tower up ahead," Cyclonus said, touching down to rejoin the Wreckers. "All of the Monstercons are gathering there, taking out its defenses. There's also a Cybertronian battleship just off the coast. That might be where they're all coming from."
"Great," Springer muttered. "Guess we'll have to split up. Broadside, I want you, Cyclonus, Arcee, and the Jumpstarters to deal with the battleship. The rest of us will storm the tower."
"What about 'Bee and the humans?" Kup asked, nodding to the yellow Autobot and his six human charges. "They'll be caught in the middle of everything."
Springer hadn't even stopped to wonder what Bumblebee was doing here on Earth. However, there was no time to think over things like that.
"He'll have to take them as far away from here as possible," he said. "Think you can do that, 'Bee?"
"How do you know my name?" Bumblebee asked. "Who even are you guys?"
Springer frowned in confusion at the little yellow bot. However, before he could say anything, Apelinq pointed to the sky.
"The Lost Light's under fire!" the Maximal exclaimed.
Springer adjusted his optics and was able to make out several small white drones swarming around the Lost Light, pounding it with blaster fire. Cyclonus seemed to see them as well, as he stepped up with a baffled look on his face.
"You're not going to believe me," the ex-Herald murmured, "but I recognize those robots."
"You're right, I don't believe you," Kup said.
Springer sighed. "All right. Slight change of plans: Cyclonus, you and Topspin will provide cover for the Lost Light. If you two get overwhelmed, you can call in me or Broadside."
"Please," Topspin said, brandishing his guns. "Those shrinks will be child's play to me."
Springer turned back to Bumblebee. "I understand that there's a barrier of trust between us here, but if you're truly an Autobot like that badge on your chest suggests, then you will get these humans as far away from as here as possible."
"Now that I can do." Bumblebee transformed to his car form and opened his doors for Verity and the others.
"Good. Now that we're all clear...." Springer readied his gun. "Let's wreck."
No comments:
Post a Comment