CHAPTER FOUR
--Fort Max--
"Any luck?"
"Not yet." Nickel frowned as she dug deep into Rotorbolt's open skull. "This is way more advanced than what the D.J.D. used on Vos." She looked over to Cyclonus, who was watching closely. "How did this happen to you guys again?"
"We were on Luna One when we were captured by Quintessons and had our sparks placed into drone bodies," Cyclonus replied. "They call themselves Vehicons, but I don't believe they're related to the Decepticon foot soldiers."
"Quintessons, huh?" Nickel murmured. "That might explain the advanced shell program. They used to rule over us, didn't they? Long ago?"
"According to legend, yes," Cyclonus said. "They were driven off by Prima and his rebellion, which led to his rise as the First Prime. Few records exist on the Age of Wrath however, which was said to have lasted for nearly five hundred years."
"Yeah, I can do without the history lesson, thanks," Getaway muttered. "The crash course I got at Corcapsia is enough for me."
"If only Luna One hadn't been destroyed," Velocity lamented. "Then perhaps we could take Rotorbolt back there and use its technology to reverse the program."
"Well, hey, Fort Max somehow managed to survive, so maybe...."
Getaway trailed off, prompting the others to look at him.
"What is it?" Velocity asked.
"We encountered Boltax when we were on Luna One," Getaway murmured. "I know I was being flippant just now, but... Boltax guards the Underbase, right? Least, that's what I've heard."
"Correct." Cyclonus dipped his chin in interest.
"So it would make sense that the Underbase might have been on Luna One as well," Getaway went on. "In fact, that might have been what the Titan Masters were trying to get. It wasn't just for Fortress Maximus...."
"Are you suggesting that the Underbase is floating out in space right now?" Velocity asked.
"Probably. Unless it's already made planet-fall."
"We should bring this to Rodimus," Cyclonus suggested. He glanced at the two medics. "Can you handle things from here?"
"Unless he wakes up and tries killing us again, we should be fine," Nickel replied.
"I'll give Ratchet a call," Velocity said. "Just in case things do go awry."
Cyclonus nodded before flying out of the medbay, with Getaway tailing close behind.
* * *
"I just don't understand how you're alive."
"Ah, I've been through worse, kid." Kup sat on the edge of his repair slab, rotating his shoulder joint. "If you think this is bad, then you weren't there at Clemency when the 'Cons threw me into the--"
"I wasn't talking to you, old timer," Springer said. "I was talking to these two."
The veteran Autobot looked over to see two faces he never thought he'd see again. "Topspin? Twin Twist?" he exclaimed to the two formerly-deceased Wreckers. "What in Mortilus' name are you doing here? Yer s'posed to be dead!"
Twin Twist grinned sheepishly. "We were, until we weren't. Dunno what else we can tell you."
"How long were you two alive before ending up here?" Springer asked.
Topspin shrugged. "I dunno, an hour? We were at the Autobot Mausoleum when we woke up, and we were trying to find a way out when these two Cyberdroids latched onto our heads and then... here we are."
"Headmasters, huh?" Springer glanced at Kup. "Any stories you can share on that?"
"Why ya askin' me, lad?" Kup grunted.
"I thought they'd be from around your time."
"I'm not that old!" Kup snapped. "Although... I did run into a few stragglers during the Destron Wars. Never saw them again after that, but they did continue existing even after Nexus Prime bit it."
"Have they been known to bring bots back online?"
Kup rubbed his chin. "Not that I know of. Never understood the process well myself."
Springer turned back to the Jumpstarters. "Was there anyone else at the Mausoleum?"
Topspin shook his head. "Just us, as far as I can recall. All of the other coffins were closed."
"That's just strange then," Springer muttered. "Why were only the two of you brought back? No offense, but you two aren't exactly... special."
Twin Twist laughed. "Aw, come on! Topspin and I are two of a kind!"
"Thank god for that," Kup muttered.
Springer smirked. "Let me go speak with Rodimus. You three get some rest--"
"Aw, who needs rest?" Kup jumped to his feet. "I feel ready to strangle an alloygator."
"--and that's an order."
Topspin snickered. "Guess some things haven't changed."
* * *
"They aren't cooperating," Vector Prime said as he stormed off of the Xantium, rejoining Rodimus Prime and the others. "The most I could get from Apex was that they're trying to destroy the legacy of the Primes."
"And how were they planning to do that?" Elita-One asked.
"I'm not clear on the details, but I can imagine it entails eliminating anyone who's ever carried the title of Prime, which would include myself, Rodimus, and Orion." Vector shook his head. "But I feel that there's more to it than that."
"What makes you say that?" Rodimus asked.
"Why would they go through the lengths of tampering with time to retrieve a Titan? They could have easily commandeered an immobile one; there're sure to be dozens floating out in space."
"Could it be they were trying to get Infinitus?" asked Orion.
"It still wouldn't make sense. Considering the numbers they already have, I don't see what difference the addition of another member would do. No, it has to be something else they're after. Something else that would have been on Luna One at the time. Something like--"
"The Underbase!"
All five bots turned to see a purple jet and a white car rush up to them, transforming into Cyclonus and Getaway respectively.
"It's the Underbase," the former said, stepping up to Rodimus. "When the Titan Masters brought back Fortress Maximus, they also brought something else from Luna One. We think it's--"
"Whoa, whoa, hold up," Rodimus cut him off. "Where's all this coming from?"
"When Optimus and Elita led us to Luna One, we encountered Boltax," Getaway explained. "It was when Thunderwing had you brainwashed, so you weren't there."
"Right, right. But what's this about the Underbase?"
"Boltax is the caretaker of the Underbase," Cyclonus said. "It wouldn't make sense for him to abandon that position, so it's more than likely that the Underbase was on Luna One along with him."
Vector Prime nodded at this. "Yes, I had made that assumption as well. I simply figured that it was destroyed with the rest of the moon. But if the Titan was brought here intact...."
"So where would the Underbase be now?" asked Rodimus. "Floating out in space?"
"Or down on Earth," Getaway said. "Which is probably where the Titan Masters wanted it to go."
"Then that's where we're going," the young Prime said decisively.
"But where would it have landed?" Star Saber asked. "It could be anywhere on the planet."
Rodimus grinned at him. "Saber, my friend, you're gonna learn that splitting up into teams is always the best way to do things."
Star Saber frowned. "Is it?"
"Hey, it hasn't not worked for me."
Elita sighed. "Primus help us..."
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