Date: 6/10/2012
GHOSTS OF THE PAST
PART 2: A TANGLED WEB
(Immediately after last issue, Nightbeat, Siren, and Arcee are struck by Hailstorm's missiles)
ARCEE: Get down!
HAILSTORM: Huh. Missed. That's never happened before. Let's take care of that. (He unloads again)
SIREN: Oh, snap. (They get hit.)
HAILSTORM: Heh. That's better. Now to make sure they're dead.
ARCEE: (jumps out of the flames and slashes Hailstorm) Not likely!
HAILSTORM: Agh! My, you're a feisty one. Reminds me of an Autobot I killed long ago. I'm certain you shall share his fate!
ARCEE: Bring it on...
(Long ago...)
ARCEE: ...I can handle it, sir.
HIGHBROW: I trust that you can, Arcee. Nonetheless, I'm going to have to assign you with a scout. His name is Tailgate. You two are to locate an abandoned outpost holding codes to Project: Omega. Understood?
ARCEE: Yes...
TAILGATE: Yup!
HIGHBROW: Good. Now roll out!
(The two Autobots transform)
ARCEE: Follow my lead, all right?
TAILGATE: Whatever you say.
HIGHBROW: Good luck, you two.
(Present day; Darkmount. Shockblast is hooked up to a bunch of monitors while Straxus and his team look on)
FLATLINE: How intriguing. Shockblast's tech specs and other data seem to be nearly identical to Shockwave's!
STRAXUS: Hm, very intriguing. Can you search his memory banks for any more info?
FLATLINE: I could... but I might render him mindwiped... and dead.
STRAXUS: Do it.
(Back in Kaon)
HAILSTORM: You cannot hope to defeat me! I am Hailstorm, Megatron's best weapons engineer!
ARCEE: You sure have a terrible aim for one!
HAILSTORM: Oh, you so asked for it. (He unloads his missiles and Arcee is knocked out.)
NIGHTBEAT: Arcee! Siren, go check on her. I'll handle Hailstorm!
SIREN: How?!
NIGHTBEAT: I'm calling in the big guns.
HAILSTORM: Problem with that statement... I AM the big guns!
SIREN: Hang in there, Arcee... we'll get through this.
(Long ago; Arcee and Tailgate reach their destination)
TAILGATE: This is it, eh?
ARCEE: According to my scanners, yes, it is. Strange that no one's protecting it, though....
TAILGATE: Yeah, if the codes are so important...
ARCEE: Why didn't Highbrow send someone to get it earlier?
TAILGATE: Ah, well. The whys and wherefores can wait, I guess. The codes cannot.
(As they proceed into the abandoned base, a set of eight eyes watches them. They eventually reach a fused door)
ARCEE: Oh... kaaay.
TAILGATE: Freaky. How do we open it?
ARCEE: Duh. (She blasts a hole through it)
TAILGATE: Yeah. That works. All right! Easy as energon pie! Let's get the codes and-- (he gets trapped in an energy net) AKK!
ARCEE: Tailgate! (She gets netted as well) Hey!
LOCKDOWN: Well, well, well... looks like this job will be worth it anyway. Two for the price of one!
(Present day; Darkmount)
FLATLINE: Oh my... Lord Straxus, come see this.
STRAXUS: What is it, Flatline?
FLATLINE: Well... I was searching Shockblast's memory banks... and found a video of his origins!
STRAXUS: Play it!
FLATLINE: Yes, my lord.
DATATRAX 3-7-04
TIME: XX MONTHS BEFORE THE GREAT WAR
SHOCKWAVE: -waken. Awaken. Ah, I see that you've finally awaken.
SHOCKBLAST: Who... who are you?
SHOCKWAVE: I am Shockwave, your creator.
SHOCKBLAST: Who am I...?
SHOCKWAVE: You... you are Shockblast. You are a Decepticon trooper made for war.
SHOCKBLAST: Decepticon? War?
SHOCKWAVE: Yes. The Decepticons are a faction who fight for peace and justice, to rid Cybertron of the Autobots' tyranny, ruled by Sentinel Prime. Our leader, Megatron, is brewing a coup to overthrow Prime and restore our planet to peace!
SHOCKBLAST: You mentioned war...
SHOCKWAVE: Well, yes. The Autobots will surely try to stop us. War is inevitable.
SHOCKBLAST: But... I don't want to fight...
SHOCKWAVE: I'm afraid you have no choice. You are programmed to fight.
SHOCKBLAST: No, I mean, I don't want to fight for the Decepticons. Or for anyone.
SHOCKWAVE: You must! It is your destiny!
SHOCKBLAST: You're fighting for peace. Shouldn't that allow freedom? (He breaks free from his restraints)
SHOCKWAVE: You cannot have freedom until the Autobots are defeated!
SHOCKBLAST: But... but...
SHOCKWAVE: I created you! You shall obey me!
SHOCKBLAST: No... (He blasts an opening for himself) I won't!
SHOCKWAVE: You dare to defy me?!
SHOCKBLAST: Yes.
SHOCKWAVE: So be it, then. I created you.
SHOCKBLAST: No....
SHOCKWAVE: And I can destroy you!
SHOCKBLAST: NO!
(The video is cut shot.)
STRAXUS: What an interesting dilemma.
(Back in Kaon, Nightbeat is blasted away)
NIGHTBEAT: Agh!
SIREN: Nightbeat! C'mon, Arcee, wake up!
ARCEE: Wah...?
SIREN: Nightbeat is getting pounded!
ARCEE: I'll be there. Just let me--
HAILSTORM: Your turn.
SIREN: Oh, great. I get to die at the hands of an dumb 'ol brute. I guess it could be--
ARCEE: No! (She shoots Hailstorm in the face)
HAILSTORM: How touching. Saving a comrade from certain death. You must've seen someone die a horrible death before.
ARCEE: You have no idea.
(Long ago; Arcee and Tailgate are chained to a wall)
TAILGATE: Arcee?
ARCEE: Tailgate? Where are we?
TAILGATE: Our future tomb.
TARANTULAS: How nice! Two Autobots end up right in my lap! No doubt you were after something. Could it be... THIS?! (He holds up the codes) HA! HA! HA! Now... what to do with you.... Ah, I know! I'm going to use you two as subjects for my next experiment! Heh-heh-heh! And I'm going to start with you!
TAILGATE: No!
TARANTULAS: Eh? Did I hear something?
TAILGATE: Me, you eight-eyed freak!
TARANTULAS: Do you have an objection?
TAILGATE: Yes!
TARANTULAS: And that is?
TAILGATE: I won't let you hurt Arcee! Sure, I've only known her for a day or so... but she doesn't deserve whatever fate you have! So please... use me instead.
TARANTULAS: ...If you say so!
TAILGATE: AGGH!
ARCEE: Tailgate!
TARANTULAS: Now... for you! Hee-hee-heh-ha-ha! (Autobots blast into the room) What? No!
(Chaos ensues through Arcee's POV)
LOCKDOWN: You're coming with me. And I'm taking this!
TARANTULAS: No!
AUTOBOT: Arcee? Arcee!
(Present day)
HAILSTORM: Now you die! (He gets blasted)
HARDHEAD: Over my dead body.
HAILSTORM: You...
HARDHEAD: It's either my way... or no way!
TO BE CONTINUED
CHARACTERS
Autobots: Arcee, Hardhead, Highbrow (flashbacks), Nightbeat, Siren, Tailgate (flashbacks)
Decepticons: Flatline, Hailstorm, Ramjet?, Shockwave (flashbacks), Straxus
Others: Lockdown (flashbacks), Shockblast, Tarantulas (flashbacks)
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