Chapter 20

  Transforming into his ambulance van mode without lights or sirens, Ratchet did not stop or slow to wait for his companions. Hot Rod caught up to the senior medic, transforming and accelerating full throttle in his enhanced race car mode, and then maintained a steady speed along the expressway, side-by-side on Ratchet's left. Though Arcee and Groove were both faster and more agile than Hound in their alt modes, they silently transformed and kept to the rear, allowing the tracker to move into position on the medic's right in jeep mode.

  If Ratchet was worried at all that they might be intercepted by a Neutral security team, he did not show it. He covered as much distance as he could along the wide road, driving almost recklessly, with nothing on his mind but to get to Trailbreaker's location to ensure that Red Alert would receive the care he needed.

  A short while later, Trailbreaker was clearly visible atop a small hill that overlooked multiple escarpments forming a valley. Two other mechs stood beside him, one predominantly blue and red, and the other blue and white – Smokescreen and Bluestreak, he realized with relief, but then was reminded of Red Alert.

  The Chief Medical Officer transformed in mid-air as he came to a stop before them, ignoring the burned-out and off-lined frames of the Neutrals to focus only on his patient lying on the ground nearby. He removed his emergency kit from his forearm compartment and picked up a basic diagnostic probe, then kneeled down to open Red's front chest canopy with his other hand.

  The four Autobots who had arrived with him also transformed back into their robot modes to instinctively take up defensive positions around the medic as he examined Red Alert. Several tentative minutes went by before any of them dared speak, waiting until Ratchet pulled back slightly from the off-lined ex-security officer, one hand still holding his diagnostic equipment. Then he gently pushed Red's canopy compartment closed and slowly stood, taking a moment to pause in thought as he decided on their next move.

  Arcee couldn't bear to hold back any longer, and having recovered from her initial shock of seeing the medic prodigy lying in a small pool of his own energon, scorch marks across his chest from weapons fire, she rushed forward to kneel down beside Red, concern in her optics as she glanced up at the Autobot medic. "Oh, Ratchet, is he going to be okay?"

  "He's going to be just fine." Arcee's face noticeably softened in relief when she heard his words, and she instinctively reached a nurturing hand to caress Red's face. Then she nodded gratefully at Ratchet, but he hadn't finished speaking. "But we need to get him to Altihex. His cyclo-converter's blown, but I can easily replicate him a new one. Until then, it'll be unsafe for me to bring him back to full consciousness." He looked around at his team of Autobots, before finally studying the off-lined security team that had attacked Trailbreaker's group.

  Two Neutrals, and three Autobots – most likely from Antihex, but he couldn't be sure without running diagnostics on them as well. He paused again, as if trying to decide whether he should give them some kind of basic medical attention, even after they had proven to be hostile. As a medic, he had sworn an oath to protect all innocent life, but could he really say that these Autobots and Neutrals were innocent? With a grimace, he decided that they probably weren't. He knew that they would likely soon be found and cared for by their own kind, so instead, he turned to look back down at Red Alert. "He'll be safer with you. Help get Red into Trailbreaker's truck, then I want you all to head into Altihex, and wait for me there. Don't stop for anyone. I'll be right behind you."

  "Where do you want us to meet?" Trailbreaker asked simply, as he transformed into his travel trailer alt mode and opened up his side doors to let Arcee and Hound position the off-lined mech inside.

  Ratchet hesitated for only a moment. "Take him to the Deep Space Research lab." This facility was a secure, non-military institution that he hoped the Autobot-Neutral Alliance had overlooked in their goal for conquest, and where there would be scientific and replication equipment that he could utilize for medical purposes. Plus, they knew the mech posted there. "And hurry."

  "Let me stay with you," Hot Rod offered. "You'll probably need backup. In case there are any more security search teams that come looking for us."

  Ratchet was about to turn down his suggestion, when he thought better of it. He nodded for the warrior to stay behind, as he watched Trailbreaker head back onto the same expressway and accelerate south-west into Altihex. "Fine, you can stay with me and keep watch," he said to Hot Rod, before moving across to the first well-armored Autobot on the pavement by his feet. Kneeling beside him, he briefly examined the condition of the inert frame before retracting the front panel armor. "There's something I want to do first," he then said, more to himself than to Hot Rod, and began the process of extracting a small sample of energon fluid from the fuel line nearest the bot's power core.

  The Decepticons' base, located beneath the site of the former Darkmount fortress in Polyhex, was quiet. Most of its occupants had retreated to their private quarters for recharge, save for Rumble in the control room, who continued to monitor the security and communication systems for any incoming signals, while inside the Constructicons' repair bay, Scrapper was intently studying a series of complex diagrams on a monitor in the semi-darkness of the late cycle. He kept to himself, paying little attention to the two Autobots also in the room.

  After Jazz had agreed to accompany the Combaticons on what would be their first mission after having been rescued from the Detention Banks, he had checked in on Wheeljack, and to let him know of the latest news. Sitting up on a bench, awake, the engineer had acknowledged him, but then had spoken very little, falling back into an intermittent recharge, and Jazz had let him be. That had been almost an hour ago.

  "Can't recharge, huh?" Jazz finally said, breaking the silence, as he sat in a chair opposite in the dimness, watching Wheeljack as he slowly stepped down off the bench, one hand gripping a horizontal bar for support. "You feeling alright?"

  Wheeljack held a hand to his temple, and slowly shook his head. "Ah, I'll be okay," he said, looking past the black and white Autobot towards the repair bay entrance. "Listen, Jazz, I've been thinking. It might be best if I just lay low for a while, you know? Maybe try and find Optimus, or Ratch. I'm just not sure if I'm going to be of any help here, besides."

  Jazz watched him quietly for a short while, and then simply nodded. He empathized with the engineer, and understood why he would feel reluctant to join him on an uncertain mission with the Decepticons – especially when the other faction had freely given them the option to return to Iacon. Wheeljack probably needed time alone to think, and to come to terms with everything that Jazz had revealed to him after he'd been awakened from stasis, but especially with the shock of recalling the memory of those who had fallen victim to the Dark Plague. In the same situation, Jazz would have probably felt the same. "You got somewhere safe to go?" He asked plainly.

  "Ah," Wheeljack thought for a moment, pacing slowly as he looked about the repair bay. "Yeah… I might be able to get in contact with some old friends in the Tri-Pen area. Shouldn't be a problem," he finally said.

  Jazz quietly observed the engineer, and noted the mech's discomfort, borne of his internal struggle to cope. "Alright – if you're sure," Jazz said finally, getting up and unhurriedly walking over to the engineer.

  Wheeljack turned and paced back to stand before him, his blue optics glowing with a brighter light, and he nodded in the affirmative, having made up his mind. "Yeah… yeah. I think I need to, ah, you know? I just think it would be best," he said, trying to offer Jazz a good explanation, but not finding the right words.

  "It's alright," Jazz told him reassuringly. From the edge of his field of vision, he noted Scrapper had stopped to listen in, though the Constructicon was turned away from them. "When are you planning on leaving?"

  "Sooner, the better, actually. Probably best I go now, while it's quieter out there, before the next cycle starts." Jazz simply nodded in acknowledgment, allowing Wheeljack to say whatever he needed to say. "Listen, Jazz, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me. I really owe you one, you know? I won't forget it."

  And before Wheeljack could say anything more, Jazz offered him a handshake, grabbing his hand in a firm grip, while placing his other hand encouragingly on his arm. "Be careful out there, 'Jack."

  Wheeljack nodded his goodbye, glancing only briefly at the Constructicon, before stepping away. "You too, Jazz. Good luck with… whatever you're doing." A pause followed, as the leader of special ops acknowledged him in silence. "I'll see myself out," were his final parting words, before Jazz could ask, and then he turned and left the repair bay.

  "Ratchet? Ratchet, sir? I think I see another security team approaching. We really need to go." Hot Rod had his long-range vision activated and had been continually scanning the horizon and valley below for any sign of Alliance patrol teams. He had just spotted what looked to be a pair of white vehicles, hastily approaching from a speedway that led out of Central Iacon to the east, though he couldn't deduce their intentions at their current distance. Glancing down at the Chief Medical Officer working on the last of the three off-lined Autobots, he thought that the veteran medic may not have been fully aware of the urgency of their current situation.

  However, Ratchet had survived many more battles than the headstrong Autobot in his present company, and was well aware of their situation without needing to be told twice. With perfect timing, he stood, put away his medical kit with the three sample vials, and waved Hot Rod to follow him. "I'm done here. Let's go," he said, and started towards the expressway slip lane.

  Transforming into his van mode, he did not stop accelerating until he reached his maximum speed, though Hot Rod was easily able to keep pace, taking up his position comfortably alongside the medic.

  "Ratchet, sir, what are you going to do with those vials?" Hot Rod asked, his curiosity piqued as he kept a constant optic on the fast-approaching team of two Neutrals. At their current speeds, the two white cars would be caught up to them in less than a cycle.

  Ratchet did not respond for a long moment. "There should be some micro-analyzers at the Deep Space Research facility. I just want to check something, make absolutely sure that-" But he was cut off before he could complete his train of thought.

  "Sir – sorry to interrupt, but they're coming up behind us fast. We could probably take them, easy, but we should do it now, before they get the chance to call for reinforcements." Hot Rod slowed and swerved to fall in behind Ratchet's van mode, instinctively protecting the rear and preparing for any confrontation. He deployed his dual photon blasters, extending one on each side of his car form.

  Ratchet watched the two mechs approaching through his rear-view camera, and then decided to take a different approach. If it didn't work, then Hot Rod's plan B would suit just fine. "Stand down," he said. "Just keep driving like you don't see them."

  "What? But what if–"

  "Just do it, would you?" Ratchet told him impatiently, and then added, "And put away those guns. I'd rather we didn't have to use them. Just follow me."

  Hot Rod reluctantly did as he was instructed, but kept his position and speed the same, just in case. Within the next several moments, the two white cars came into full view on the expressway beside him, and his fuel pump sped up slightly in anticipation of being confronted, the two Neutrals demanding they come to a stop and surrender so they could be escorted back to Iacon Central.

  But that did not occur. The cars simply overtook the two of them and continued on their way without any interaction, other than to signal Ratchet in greeting as they passed.

  As Ratchet watched them pick up their speed and diminish from sight, he spoke to Hot Rod over his com link. "What did I tell you? Nothing to worry about."

  Hot Rod, still a little nervous, said nothing, and the rest of their journey to Altihex, at least, proved to be uneventful.

  The confident, uncompromising strides of the Neutral-Autobot Alliance leader swept through the open spaces and wide passages of Iacon's Command Post, a sure indication of his power and authority. For the most part, he was pleased, though a few problems still bothered him. Now that he had the upper hand on Cybertron, with the majority of the Autobot and Neutral forces under his control, Megatron and his despicable Decepticons needed to be dealt with quickly, before they could become a serious threat to the coming of the new Supremacy and its ultimate triumph. Had it not been for what his vision had shown him – a glimpse into the future – he would never have considered the Decepticons to be of any real threat to the Supremacist plans, as they were currently scattered and few in number. Such a notion seemed to him highly unlikely, even incomprehensible, yet as unwilling as he was to admit it, he now knew that it was true, and so it was better that they quell this threat as soon as possible, before it became an unstoppable force.

  It was with these thoughts that he almost failed to notice two of his security officers approaching him in the hallway.

  "Sir," one of the Neutrals began, stepping in front of his path as he caught up with the leader mech. "The hostages have overpowered the security team on the top level. They've escaped. I can send units to block all exit points so they can't leave this post, then apprehend them."

  The second Neutral officer explained tersely, "Their Prime has forced his way past our guards on the ground floor, but he won't be able to leave through the main doors. His security clearance has been revoked–"

  "Silence!" Sentinel said, putting up a hand as he stopped in the hallway to face the two of them. Once they had quietened down, glancing at one another uncertainly, Sentinel slowly turned and paced away from them. He needed time to reevaluate the situation, until finally he addressed them again, his voice calm and deliberate. "Let them all go."

  The Neutral guards appeared confused, unsure of his new instructions. "Sir?"

  "I said, let them go," he repeated, louder this time. "That's an order. Do not stand in the Prime's way."

  "Uh, yes, sir," the second guard said, lingering, but then nodded curtly and grabbed his partner by the arm, snapping him out of his state confusion.

  As the two Neutrals turned away to walk back down the hall, Sentinel watched them leave. He had not noticed that the red and black Autobot warrior had approached to stand silently behind him. When he turned to face him, he sensed the Autobot's curiosity.

  "This Command Center is now under our control," he explained, without needing to be asked. "There is no point in keeping them hostage. There is nothing they can do." He started to make his way along the hall, picking up pace as he went. "We have more important matters that require our attention. Come, walk with me."

  Sideswipe followed after him with a steady stride. "What about Optimus?"

  Sentinel led the way up a transport platform, but did not offer him an answer until he'd stepped out onto the top-level floor. He met the Autobot's optics, and nodded. "He will attempt to rescue his precious Elita-One from Alternity City. This can only be to our benefit. Without their leader on Cybertron, the Iaconian Autobots will be scattered and weak." As they continued walking, the Control Room soon appeared at the end of the passageway. Sideswipe slowed his pace, watching the Neutral leader as he steadily made his way until he was just outside the entrance, before turning back briefly to acknowledge him.

  "Alternity City?" Sideswipe repeated, catching up. His hardened optics flickered with a hint of emotion, and Sentinel sensed the mech's underlying uneasiness at the mention of the vast and mysterious cybernetic world.

  "Yes, that's right." Sentinel opened the door to the command-level room, and the door quietly slid open. "Rest assured, Optimus will be duly dealt with, in time, and shall be welcomed home safely, once he has realized the folly of his mistake," he said cryptically, and then gave Sideswipe a hint of hope. "The same goes for your brother." With that, he entered the room and the door quietly slid closed behind him, leaving Sideswipe to ponder his words.

  The Deep Space Research and Observatory in Altihex looked essentially like an oversized satellite dish atop a secure domed structure. It only had one entry point – the front doors at ground level. The smooth, largely featureless paneling that covered the entire dome hid the structure's internal levels, and with no view ports or other apertures to speak of, the inner workings of the facility were all but obscured from the outside.

  When Trailbreaker and his team arrived, there were no other bots within visual range, and the only sound that could be heard was the continuous background beeping from the central antenna of the satellite dish as it slowly circled around on its axis, picking up any stray signals from remote outposts even as far away as the Delta Sector and beyond.

  Trailbreaker remained in his vehicle mode and waited, while his companions transformed back into their robot modes. With the injured Red Alert still in his care, he hoped that Ratchet would arrive soon, though he remained on alert for any other sign of activity.

  They didn't have to wait long. Bluestreak alerted them all to Ratchet's approach, who was followed closely behind by Hot Rod. The medic, still in van form, drove straight up to the front doors of the observatory, before transforming into his robot mode and slamming his palm against the button on the access panel by the door. The light indicated red, and he tried a few more times before pausing again. Then he stepped back and looked up at the plain fa?ade, calling out in a loud voice. "Magnus? If you're here, you need to let us in!" He waited for several seconds, watching for a response, but nothing moved in the still, cool air. "Magnus!" He called out again, and hit the button once more in frustration. "Magnus! It's me, Ratchet! We need your help! Let us in!"

  Arcee quietly walked closer to stand beside him. "What if Ultra Magnus isn't here? Maybe there's another way," she suggested, trying to help, but the medic simply shook his head without turning to acknowledge her.

  "Magnus! Dammit," he said finally, before taking a few steps back and looking around to see if there was anything he'd missed. Then he tried one more time, slamming the button with his fist. "Magnus, don't make me have to blast down this door, you hear me?" he called out as loudly as he could. "Let us in!"

  Groove and Hot Rod stepped forwards, wondering if there was anything they could do to help, but they were not familiar with the facility, or its protocols. All they could do was watch and wait.

  Finally, after several kliks of no response, Ratchet paced away from the building to look back out onto the adjoining expressway, trying to come up with a plan B, and noticed the same two white vehicles that he and Hot Rod had encountered earlier, returning back along the expressway. It looked like they were searching for something, and were slowly headed towards the research facility.

  "Oh, slag it!" Ratchet said in a quiet voice, and quickly motioned for his team to back right away from view. "They're coming back this way," he said, "stay out of sight!" As his Autobot companions huddled closer to the building, Ratchet was about to issue them with further instructions, but then Hound called out to him.

  "Ratchet!" The tracker said, pointing to the front doors. And sure enough, the light on the door panel had turned green. The doors finally opened, revealing a large, mostly blue and red mech watching them as he stood in the entranceway.

  Relief swept over Ratchet as he hurriedly ushered everyone inside the building, not even bothering to introduce them all or explain to the mech why they were there. That would all come later, but first, they needed to hide from the Neutrals and get Red Alert the help he needed. Once they were all inside, Ratchet hit the button to quickly close the doors again, before turning around to finally acknowledge the mech.

  "Thank you," he said, relief underlying his mannerisms as he turned to face Magnus, leaning with his back against the doors.

  "Ratchet, it's good to see you," Magnus said, but then waited for Ratchet to speak, allowing him time to explain what the hell was going on in his own words.

  "Wish it were under better circumstances," the Chief Medical Officer replied, "but it's good to see you too, Magnus." He paused, watching the Autobots all gather around them in the foyer, Trailbreaker still with Red Alert in his alt mode, and he was reminded of the immediate task at hand. "Listen, if any security teams from Iacon come looking for us, you can't let 'em know we're here." Then without waiting for Magnus to acknowledge his request, he continued, speaking with a distinct urgency in his tone. "I'm also going to need a repair bay, workshop – anything – right away, just somewhere with a med berth and enough basic medical equipment."

  After a few quiet seconds of contemplation, Magnus answered him, "Of course," he said, then began to lead the way through the foyer and down a central hallway. "This way."

  Ratchet released a quick sigh of relief, before joining the rest of the group as they followed the mech up to the third floor of the facility via a transport platform.

  Jazz was accustomed to rising early before anyone else, just as the main day cycle began, but on this particular day, it seemed as though he were the last. As he awakened from recharge, he checked his internal chronometer to discover that he had not had a full rest cycle, though he felt fine. He recalled Wheeljack's quiet departure from the Decepticon base late last cycle, and hoped that he would find his way without trouble.

  Getting up from the recharge berth, he took a quick look around and saw that he was alone in the Constructicons' private quarters. Approaching the door, he opened it and peered out into the poorly lit tunnel. The feint sounds of a lively conversation could be heard drifting down from the level above, most likely the control room, and he listened quietly for a moment. He almost didn't see the Cassetticon, who had been waiting for him just outside the door.

  "There you are," Rumble said, pushing himself away from the wall that he had been leaning against. Then he indicated with a wave of his hand for the Autobot to follow him. "Come on, there's something you'll want to see."

  Jazz began to follow the smaller mech as he began to move down the passageway. Observing the Cassetticon, there seemed to be a certain buoyancy in his step, as if he were in much better spirits than when he'd conversed with him last, and as they headed up a level to reach the control room, it soon became evident to Jazz that not only Rumble, but the entire base was abuzz with activity with an almost exuberant energy that was shared among its occupants.

  Rumble stopped just outside the control room, peering inside, before he looked up at Jazz, indicating with a quick nod of his head towards the entrance. "You can go in. We're just about to leave," he stated, though his very basic way of explaining the situation left Jazz wondering whether he was expected to just be able to read his mind.

  "Can I ask where we're going first?" He ventured, matching the Cassetticon's casual demeanor and body language, appearing unconcerned.

  "Well, sure," Rumble replied, and then gave the Autobot a simple, yet mischievous smile. "Though, it'll be more fun if it's a surprise."

  "A surprise, huh?" Jazz repeated, and glanced at the Decepticons gathered inside the control room. All the Constructicons as well as the Combaticons were present, and they were seemingly all talking at once with the Decepticon leader, with Soundwave standing quietly by his side. "Can't say I mind a good surprise," he said, and couldn't help but wonder whether there were many other Decepticons left on Cybertron – in particular, those loyal only to Megatron – or if all those who were now in the room were the last remaining. He knew there were others elsewhere in the Gamma Sector and on Alternity City, and it almost seemed ludicrous – being so very small in number, yet they had been forever relentlessly targeted and vilified by the Cybertronian High Council and the Autobots, and more recently by the Neutrals as well.

  "Oh, it's good. You'll see," Rumble added, before stepping inside the control room and taking his place at the communications station.

  As Jazz followed him inside, Soundwave focused his gaze upon him and approached. He was soon joined by Scrapper, who had also become alerted to his presence as the Autobot watched the goings-on. The Constructicon leader held a small device in his hand – perhaps a control module of some kind.

  "Jazz, it's time for us to leave Darkmount," Soundwave declared.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Jazz thought he might have more information to offer, but then the mech said nothing further, so he simply nodded in acknowledgment, and Soundwave moved to a nearby control console.

  The Constructicon leader's gaze remained on Soundwave as the communications expert entered coordinates for their teleporter. Jazz observed him with interest, allowing him to speak first. "I heard you'll be leaving with the Combaticons soon," he said. "But there's something I thought you might want to see first."

  No sooner had Scrapper said this, than the rest of the Decepticons quieted down to let Megatron speak. The Decepticon leader cast a quick glance around the room. He too, seemed to express a level of optimism and even earnest anticipation that Jazz had not observed in him before.

  As he stood among them, waiting to see what would happen next, Jazz couldn't help but notice the way they all seemed to understand one another beyond merely words, and even shared the same sentiments. It was obvious that they were a very close-knit team – they had to be – to have survived against all odds, though their advanced technology most certainly would have played a role in their survival as well. They were quite unlike the austerity of the Cybertron Command structure, with its rigid hierarchy, or the Autobot army, with its very strict rules of conduct and excessive regulations. Here, the Decepticons seemed not to require the kind of bureaucracy or red tape that he was used to dealing with, as an Autobot – instead, the camaraderie that they shared, that same one that he had picked up on during some of their earlier meetings, was what they relied on most.

  "Soundwave, activate the transporter," Megatron said, giving Jazz ample time to prepare for the temporary sensation of disequilibrium, and within a few astro-seconds, they all dematerialized out of the control room in the twinkling of an optic.

  The three guards that walked into the torture room, boisterous and haughty, weapons held in a self-assured manner with their guards down, never suspected what was about to happen to them. Of course, they had no idea that Elita had freed herself of the circuit immobilizer, nor were they expecting her to be standing just inside the door, waiting for them with an energy whip in hand.

  Had they been better prepared and immediately on guard, they might have been able to subdue her with their blasters, but they did not anticipate her sudden attack, and being of non-Cybertronian origin, did not stand a chance against her. She was, after all, the co-commander of the Autobot forces on Cybertron, alongside her spark mate Optimus Prime, and a highly skilled warrior, regardless of how diluted the Autobot military had become over the past vorn since it had delegated much of its power and authority to the Cybertronian High Council and its deputized Neutral regime.

  She was relieved that it wasn't Sixshot who had returned for her now, with the intention of forcibly escorting her to the Slag Maker's private chambers, since she knew she would not have had even half a chance of getting away. The thought of what might happen to her, should the Slag Maker get his way with her – the rumors of his torture methods and other cruel forms of deriving pleasure from his unfortunate victims were too horrendous to ponder for too long – made her recoil inwardly in disgust.

  However, she was reminded of the recent words from her late mentor, Alpha Trion – who had died several vorns ago, before the Great Devastation – and she allowed herself to relax. She would escape Hitec, she knew, and it was this very thought that gave her the confidence and strength she needed to make her escape.

  A precisely executed stroke of the energy whip caused the first mech to flail backwards, before he hit the ground with a thud, his main processor shutting down due to a sudden jolt of electrifying energy. As the second guard realized what had just occurred, his optics wide, he fumbled, then pointed his blaster at the pink femme, but he was too slow. Elita kicked the weapon out of his hand, spun once to gain momentum, and brought the live whip down upon him, as the highly charged device made full contact with the mech's chest. He yelled out in anguish, his facial features contorting in pain, before he dropped heavily in a heap on top of the inert frame of the first guard.

  Without pausing, she then dipped low and circled around until she was positioned behind the third mech, effectively blocking his exit at the still opened door, and moved up behind him, ramming the sweeping lash into the center of his back and holding it firmly in place. The guard convulsed in agony, his weight falling backward against her, until the debilitating torture device triggered his automatic protection mechanism and he, too, off-lined. Slumped against her, she quickly guided the clunking frame to the floor, then stood for only a moment in silence, looking down at all three off-lined mechs, before deactivating the whip and releasing her grasp on the handle. It dropped to the floor with a metallic clink, and then she turned and ran as fast as she could manage, disappearing down the gloomy passage.

  Astro had taken a seat beside Comet, who appeared to be in restful recharge at the back of the large building that had been repurposed by the Autobot femmes. Firestar kept a watchful optic on them both, though she kept her distance, while the rest of her Autobot companions spoke quietly among themselves. In particular, Moonracer and Sunstreaker had formed a deeper friendship as she caught him up on all the latest news from Cybertron, and reminiscing of times gone by. The Decepticon seekers sat on the floor with their backs leaning against the wall, resting and watching the others in the room, and nearby, Thunderblast had all but retreated into herself after having returned from a quick surveillance of the local area, though it was more to clear her processor of Dirge than anything else, and refused to interact with anyone.

  After Astro's last revelations, Rook had become introspective. Almost an hour had passed, as he observed the blue Cybertronian with reserved curiosity while keeping a wary optic on their captured enemy, Jhiaxus, who still lay unconscious on the makeshift bench in the center of the room. Distracting him from his thoughts, Astrotrain placed a hand lightly on his arm, and indicated for him to take a break with a nod.

  "Go on, I can watch him," he said, and Rook looked up at him before nodding gratefully. Glancing briefly upon Jhiaxus' countenance, the jet had still not regained consciousness, though the light in his optics was steadily growing stronger. Then Rook quietly made his way over to check on Astro.

  He suspected that what Astro had shared with him about their current mission, as well as the mech's own shrouded history, was but a mere tip of the iceberg, yet the mysterious Cybertronian had not spoken to anyone again since he had finished working on Jhiaxus, had not revealed any further details regarding the next steps of their plan, if he even had one. The mech was resting his head against the wall, remaining motionless, and it occurred to Rook that he must have been sufficiently low on energy and possibly needed to recharge, as they all did, though he was fighting it.

  When Astro noticed his presence, he gradually moved his head to acknowledge him, as if he were being drawn out of semi-stasis. "Is Jhiaxus awake yet?" He asked simply, before glancing across at the jet lying defenseless and unarmed on the table.

  "No," Rook informed him, and Astro returned his gaze to the front of the room, looking past Firestar and Chromia to return to his private thoughts. "You need rest, you know," Rook added, a hint of concern in his voice, though he half-expected Astro to brush him aside, or give him no response.

  Astro looked across at him once more. He did not appear to resist the idea of recharge, yet the determination in his optics would not allow him to do so. "Not yet," he said, before glancing briefly down at Comet to check his vital signs. The seeker was stable. "Listen, Rook… I need you to do something," he finally said, speaking in a low voice. "I need you to retrieve that cruiser we left at Axel's spaceport."

  At first, Astro's instructions did not make sense to the smaller mech, but then the realization hit him. "Oh, Jhiaxus' cruiser."

  Astro nodded once. "Yes. It might prove useful, especially since we have Jhiaxus under control, and Tyranus is none the wiser."

  "What do you mean?" Rook looked at him quizzically. "Tyranus may be none the wiser, but sooner or later, he will notice that Jhiaxus is missing, and when he does, he's going to seek revenge – on all of us!" He was almost certain that he had made a valid argument, one that Astro could not simply dismiss out of hand, and yet, to Rook's chagrin, Astro simply shook his head.

  "No."

  "No? No, what? He won't seek revenge?" Rook knew that he was pushing the point, but he couldn't help it. Regardless, Astro remained patient with him, tolerant of his impetuous questioning – perhaps, with Comet now safe under his watchful optic, it was one less burden that he had to worry about. The red Autobot femme, Firestar, approached them cautiously, her guard up.

  "No, Tyranus won't notice he's missing, if we play our cards right," Astro answered him, but then stopped talking to meet Firestar's gaze, as she came to stand before him. Appraising her silently, he did not move or offer her any kind of assurances, so she spoke first, interrupting Rook before he could ask Astro for further clarification.

  "Listen, Astro," Firestar began, emphasizing his name. By now, Chromia had taken note, and walked up to stand beside her friend, a look of concern on her face. "I don't know what you're planning on doing, but I really think you ought to know that neither myself, nor Chromia here, are going to just stand by much longer waiting for something to happen, while Elita One's being held hostage. We need to rescue her, and now – with or without your help!" She informed him, raising her voice enough that everyone in the room had cause to stop what they were doing and glance across at her. But despite her anger and frustration, Astro kept his gaze fixed on her, saying nothing, and she realized then that she had lost her composure. Offering Chromia a sigh of resignation as an apology, she turned away abruptly to allow the second-in-command of her crew to deal with the situation.

  Chromia watched her friend walk away, striding out of the front door of the building without looking back. Firestar obviously needed time to clear her head; she could empathize, though with Elita still in danger somewhere out there, she needed her to remain with the others, where she would be safe. Hesitating, the blue femme thought about going after her to talk her into coming back, but then Astro spoke.

  "Let her go," he said, and Chromia turned to face him. He indicated with a nod of his head, before meeting her blue optics. "She'll be back."

  After a tense pause, she relaxed, realizing he was right. As hot-headed as she was, Firestar wasn't one to abandon her crew. "She's right, you know," Chromia said then, in a much more compassionate tone than the fiery femme, "We can't just stand by and do nothing."

  Briefly looking down at Comet once more, Astro spoke little, until finally he stood from his chair, slowly and deliberately, to face her. He was at least a head taller than her, and could be very intimidating to any mech, or femme, as the case may be, if he had wanted. His penetrating gaze conveyed much more than words could express in an instant, and she found herself weakened by it, wanting to place all her trust and hopes in this strange mech, but the logical part of her told her that it simply made no sense to do so. She wanted to turn away, to hide her fears and anguish, but she couldn't; in spite of herself, there was something captivating about him that was almost seductive.

  "We'll get her back," he told her, his tone almost understated, yet with a strength that she found undeniably reassuring, and she nodded in acknowledgment. He held her gaze a moment longer, until Astrotrain called out to him from across the room.

  "Astro! You might want to come over here. Jhiaxus is waking up."

  All attention in the room shifted to the enemy jet on the table, as Dirge and his group got up from where they had been seated on the floor to gather closer, though they kept their distance. Thunderblast, too, suddenly became fixated on the orange and grey jet, deliberately ignoring Dirge as he stood behind her. Sunstreaker and Moonracer halted their conversation, as the yellow Autobot indicated for her to move closer to the others gathered, guiding her gently. Only Rook remained where he was, watching Astro, waiting for him to take charge of the situation. It seemed that the moment they had all been waiting for had arrived.

  Aware that his attention would soon be fully occupied with the captured jet, Astro glanced back briefly to acknowledge Astrotrain, before returning his gaze to the Autobot femme one last time. "We'll soon know everything we need to know. Just give us a bit more time," he told her, and before she could think of a suitable reply, he added quietly, sincerely, "Trust me," he said, and then turned and stepped away to approach the makeshift bench, preparing himself mentally for his next task.

  All of a sudden, as she ran through the gloomy tunnel, Elita-One felt a burst of power and energy that was almost exhilarating. She was ever closer to freedom. Adjusting her helm light to be able to see clearly, she circumvented large rocks and leaped over slabs that were strewn along the ground. Her own footfalls were amplified back to her audial sensors in resounding echoes that made her want to cease running, but she was determined to get as far away as possible, desperate to avoid any chance of encountering the Slag Maker or his subordinates.

  The tunnel seemed to go on forever, but she kept running, keeping her focus straight ahead. Turning a corner, the tunnel system continued on, splitting up in several directions, and she finally halted to take stock of where she was. The air was humid, and droplets of moisture dripped slowly from the cavern ceiling. All she knew for certain was that she was somewhere within the bowels of the Hitec base, though beyond that, she was not able to get her bearings. Her private communication link was dead. There were no sounds, other than those made by her own movements and the drops of water hitting the ground in tiny splashes.

  She began to walk down the largest tunnel, slower now, almost certain that no mech would follow her down this far, which was a relief; however, she realized that she now had a new problem – she was lost in a vast subterranean base that was as eerie as it was impenetrable. Passing several dark dungeons and confined alcoves that lined the walls on either side of the tunnel, she avoided peering directly into them. Most of the cells were empty, though occasionally, she would catch a glimpse of the metallic sheen of what she thought was the frame of a mech, propped against a corner or lying on the ground, unmoving. Most likely dead. She shuddered involuntarily, quickening her pace.

  The first thing Astro did, even before taking note of Jhiaxus' disoriented yet disdainful expression, was indicate to Astrotrain to help him reposition the jet. Without words, they both grabbed Jhiaxus roughly by his arms, lifting him up off the workbench and dropping him into a nearby chair. There was no resistance from the jet whatsoever, as though he were conscious but had no control of his frame. Astro placed another makeshift chair directly in front of the jet's field of vision, and he sat down, arms crossed in front of him, until finally his gaze acknowledged the yellow optics of his enemy.

  The space inside the building had become deathly quiet. Thunderblast, careful not to be seen by Jhiaxus, nevertheless watched in silent consternation, her countenance an expression of bewilderment. Even as the second-in-command of the Hitec base quickly became aware of the unpleasant situation that he had awoken to, Astro's expression remained impassive, neutral, showing neither satisfaction of his dominance, nor fear of the jet.

  As Rook moved quietly into Jhiaxus' field of vision, standing behind Astro, the jet's facial covering quivered with scorn, and his yellow optics became icy cold, though he could not turn his head to determine who else was present. When his vocalizer crackled to life, speaking for the first time since he had been off-lined in Megaplex and then taken here, Moonracer had to stifle a yelp by placing a hand over her mouth.

  "Astro… what have you done to me?"

  Astro watched him silently for a few more moments, not responding to his question. He stood and moved to the workbench behind the jet, rummaging through some tools, and picked up the portable scanner and a long, pointed probe. Holding up the probe, he returned to his seat, then inserted a small, black device onto the end of its handle. He activated the portable scanner, and the small screen came to life, scrolling through several lines of code as he input a series of commands.

  Rook gazed curiously upon the probe in Astro's hand, and realized it was the same tool they had used earlier to access Jhiaxus' primary cortex, only now it had Comet's transceiver attached to it. He continued to watch as Astro got up again to reach across and insert the probe into the base of the jet's red helm, ignoring the expression of animosity and hatred that defined the jet's visage.

  "What is that? What are you doing?" The jet demanded in a harsh voice, and Astro sat down again to face him.

  "It won't take long, but I needed you conscious for this part," Astro explained simply, not answering his question.

  Jhiaxus let out a low growl, but said nothing further. Astro waited patiently for the scanner to run through its programs, until a flashing red light indicated the process was complete. Then he silently handed the scanner to Rook, who took it with curiosity, and reached across one last time to remove the probe from Jhiaxus. Finally, he disconnected the transceiver, placed the probe back down on the bench, and returned to his seat.

  "Whatever it is that you think you're doing, you will fail," the jet warned him, "You're already a dead mech."

  Crossing his arms again, Astro watched him with a cold, calculated calmness. "We'll see about that," he said. When he offered nothing more, the jet continued.

  "You're a fool. Once the Commander finds out what you've done, you will have nowhere to run. We control Alternity City. Even if you terminate me, it is too late for all of you," Jhiaxus said, his voice a low, threatening growl.

  Consternation began to cloud Chromia's and Sunstreaker's faces, as they listened quietly to the interaction. The yellow Autobot instinctively drew Moonracer closer in a gesture of protectiveness, and he hoped that this mech called Astro knew what he was doing.

  But rather than feeling threatened by the jet's words of warning, a barely detectable smile touched Astro's features, as he leaned forward slightly, holding up the transceiver so that it was in clear view of Jhiaxus. "While you were offline, I hijacked your internal comms system. I have full control of it now. I can intercept every message that you receive. Not only that, but I'm also able to transmit any message, as if it were coming from you." He paused to emphasize the point, and Rook thought that Astro might have been enjoying the jet's discomfort, though he didn't outwardly demonstrate it. "But you want to know what the best part is? Tyranus won't have a clue."

  As the full implications of what Astro had done hit home, Jhiaxus's vocalizer let out a burst of anger, but then he quietened, evaluating the information, and doubt spread across his features. "You're lying," he challenged. "You don't possess the necessary authorization. No one does."

  Astro sat back in his seat, crossing his arms again. He seemed unperturbed. "Rook, activate his comms and open a direct line to the Commander. Then put it on audio."

  Shock and surprise hit everyone all at once. Thunderblast released a small gasp, while the Decepticon seekers looked at one another in astonishment. Jhiaxus seemed unsure of what to make of Astro's threat, though his resolve began to weaken as he cried out once more in protestation, and Rook thought he could see fear in his optics. The jet was absolutely helpless to do anything to stop Astro. There was no sympathy for the cruel second-in-command, as everyone watched and waited anxiously to witness him receive his just rewards. Even Dirge couldn't hide his complete surprise at what Astro had supposedly done to him – a near impossible feat that no mech he knew was capable of accomplishing. Apparently, he had underestimated Astro by a wide margin.

  But Rook had become accustomed to the mech's skillful methods and resourcefulness, after having spent time in Astro's company since being removed from the Hitec base, and simply did as he had been asked, looking down at the portable scanner he held in his hand before selecting the necessary commands. As lines of code scrolled down the screen, Rook slowly looked back at Astro, and then at Jhiaxus.

  "Rook?"

  The green and white mech seemed a little taken aback, momentarily lost for words, but then he cleared his vocalizer, avoiding Jhiaxus' dangerous gaze to answer Astro's query. "Ah, yes. It appears that the channel is open–"

  Before he could continue, the scanner emitted a burst of static, before a mech's voice, low and raspy, pervaded the space, reaching all their audial sensors as it cut through their strained silence. "Jhiaxus?" Rook quietly looked at Astro in awe, unsure of what to do, before the voice spoke again. "Jhiaxus, report your status."

  Thinking quickly, Astro flexed his fingers a few times as he prepared to relay his instructions. "'This is Jhiaxus. I'm in Newhaven, my Liege.'" When Rook returned a look of confusion, he clarified. "It won't relay through audio. He can't hear us. You'll have to enter it into the scanner."

  "Ah." Rook quickly caught on, and entered the command into the handheld device to relay Astro's message.

  "Stop! How dare you, Astro – you'll pay for this!" Jhiaxus seethed in rage, as he realized with panic that the mech had not been lying about having hijacked his systems.

  "Shut up," Astro told him, gazing briefly in his direction, "before I deactivate your vocalizer as well."

  That seemed to do the trick. The jet quieted down, fearful that the Cybertronian would make good on his threat – he had no further doubts about Astro, now that he had proven that he was quite capable.

  The High Commander's voice came over the scanner's speaker once more. He sounded impatient and slightly wary, though he seemed to accept that he was communicating with his second-in-command. "Hm. And what of the traitor?"

  All optics focused upon Astro, who ignored the astonished expressions being directed his way from both the Decepticon seekers and the Autobots, as they realized that he was the traitor that had been referred to. "'We are in pursuit, my Liege. What are your instructions?'"

  Rook relayed the message and then looked up at Astro, nodding to indicate that it had been successfully received.

  "Good. I want him brought to me alive," the Commander responded. "Do not fail me, Jhiaxus."

  "'Understood, my Liege,'" Astro relayed, posing as the second, as Rook again input the message, which was then translated into audio and sent via Jhiaxus' own cranial unit, the controlled interface made possible with Comet's transceiver.

  "Have you located that Decepticon asset?" the Commander relayed, his raspy voice impatient and accusatory.

  Astro's expression seemed to turn dark at the mention of the seeker now under his protection. He glanced across at Comet's still form at the back of the building, and then met Jhiaxus' gaze in an unspoken challenge, carefully selecting his response. "'Not yet, my Liege. But once we have captured that traitor, Astro, I am certain that he will lead us directly to him.'"

  There was a long pause as the High Commander considered Jhiaxus' words. "I want all of his secrets extracted… but if he proves to be stubborn, then his secrets die with him."

  A pause, and then, "'Leave Comet to me. By the time I am done with him, he shall submit fully to you, my Liege, or suffer a fate worse than death.'" After a moment of hesitation, Rook relayed the message, and then gave Astro a quick nod.

  "Hm. That is an interesting proposition. He could be used as a decoy, perhaps… and lead us directly to Megatron and his Decepticons. Sentinel has informed me that they are more of a threat than he had first anticipated. If what he says is true, then we must deal with them – this time, for good."

  Astro waited until the High Commander had finished, before offering his reply. "'Understood, my Liege.'"

  Once Rook had relayed Astro's words, the Commander spoke again. "Very well. Keep me informed."

  A moment later, Rook's red visor met Astro's steady gaze, as he released a slow exhale. "He's cut the link."

  Astro slowly stood up from his seat and straightened. Looking across the room, he watched as the others began to fully fathom what had just occurred. Astrotrain placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, as he observed the helpless jet with a smirk on his face. Jhiaxus was fighting to keep his rage in check, but he knew that he had been well and truly defeated, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it now. "You never cease to amaze me, Astro," the triple-changer said, shaking his head in bewilderment. "I won't even ask how the hell you did it."

  Resting his gaze on Astrotrain for a brief moment, Astro then noticed Rook by his side, the scanner still in his hand. "We'll need to keep monitoring his comms," he told them. The smaller mech had already arrived at that same conclusion, though he simply nodded.

  Then, ignoring the bewildered expressions and the mix of questioning comments coming from several of the others, Astro made his way slowly back towards Comet, took his seat beside the seeker's recharge berth, and dimmed his optics, unable to remain fully awake for much longer.

  The disorienting sensation passed quickly, and Jazz found himself again in the company of the Decepticons, only this time, the landscape was not immediately familiar to him. Upon closer inspection, however, he thought he knew where they were.

  Jazz took several steps forward and looked around. Multiple glistening structures that reflected the full spectrum of colors drew his optics upward, though only a few were still standing intact. Collapsed spires and shattered towers, once majestic, contrasted against the pink-tinged sky. Ravaged by long-fought battles, apices crumbling and splintered, their formerly polished facades were now punctured and forever marked by the catastrophe of war. Beautiful crystalline structures, abandoned and left to decay. "The Crystal City ruins…" Jazz wondered, partly in awe, yet also perplexed. This had once been a beautiful place, but he could not begin to fathom how it might now be of use to the Decepticons. Located within a neighboring region to Polyhex, the site was abandoned, as far as he could tell. Even so, if they set up their base here, they could still become easy targets. No, there had to be another reason for their choice of location, something that was not immediately apparent. And if he'd learned anything about the Decepticons during his short stay with them, they possessed a far greater level of intelligence and resourcefulness than what might appear at first.

  "The area is secure," Soundwave informed their leader, as Laserbeak returned to perch on his shoulder, having quickly scanned the area from the air. Sure enough, the location was abandoned, desolate; there were no other mechs in sight.

  As he pondered what exactly it was that they had wanted him to see, Scrapper quietly joined him, standing slightly behind him to his left. The Constructicon's gaze swept the plain horizon with his red visor, while to Jazz's right, Rumble stepped closer, followed by Soundwave and then Megatron.

  "It's not what you see on the surface that matters. It's what's underneath," Scrapper told him. Then he raised the small device that he held and pressed a few buttons.

  At first, the tremors were barely detectable, but as they steadily grew in intensity, Jazz felt as though the ground were shifting and splitting apart. He could hear the loud rumbling of the disturbance, and wondered whether it was safe to remain out in the open, lest a huge cavity should open up beneath them, sending them falling into a bottomless shaft. It was a very odd sensation, though it didn't seem to alarm the Decepticons around him, as they stood watching, showing no outward signs of concern for what was occurring. So, he stood his ground, cautious yet trusting that whatever was causing the disturbance, it had obviously been expected, and likely being controlled via Scrapper's device.

  Then, after several minutes, the tremors finally ceased, though the rumbling sound became louder, almost as if there was something just beneath the surface, having forced its way up through several underground strata, and was now ready to burst through the uppermost layer. Scrapper operated his control module, carefully guiding the object, and he glanced across at the Decepticon leader in a silent communication, who gave him a small nod.

  And then, almost with a subdued sense of excitement tempered by trepidation, Scrapper activated the final step, as they all watched intently at the spectacle that was about to unfold before their optics.

  All of a sudden, a large expanse of ground before them shifted and collapsed, as pieces of rock, rubble and debris flowed up and outwards, resembling a large volcano that was slowly erupting and spewing forth its very foundations, though it remained clear of the crystal ruins.

  Then, as the dust settled, Jazz saw it, and it took him completely by surprise. Revealed before them, emerging from the large hole that had just opened up in the ground, was a large warship. Its outer hull was battle damaged and its sheen dull in the daylight, but it appeared to be mostly intact and was completely surrounded by a translucent force field.

  As the last of the displaced rock fragments settled around the imposing warship, Jazz thought it looked familiar, though he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

  "It's not able to travel far just yet, but it shouldn't be too difficult to get it fully operational again," Scrapper explained.

  "In the meantime, we can still use it as a secure base," Rumble added. "It's got everything – shields, weapons, long-range comms – you name it."

  "Hold on just an astro-second..." Jazz started, looking at them each in turn, before turning to question the Decepticon leader, who stood close by in silent approval. "This is going to be your new base?" he managed to say. "I mean, I had no idea."

  Megatron gave him a hint of a smile. "It will be very soon," he explained. "Scrapper, how long before we can complete the transfer and relocate all our equipment and resources?"

  The Constructicon took a few moments to calculate the request. "Oh, I'd say about half a deca cycle, to be on the safe side."

  "Then, we have work to do. How long before it's up to standard?" Megatron asked him.

  "Probably a little longer," Scrapper answered without hesitation. "Though, if you want it to be better than good enough, give us about a month. It'll be as good as new."

  "Better than new," Hook added, standing beside him.

  "You can hide this thing, right?" Jazz asked after several quiet moments, though he thought he already knew the answer.

  "Of course," Hook replied smugly. "What kind of base would it be if it could be easily seen?"

  "Damn," Jazz whispered, gazing at the huge craft before them. He could already see its incredible potential, both as a base of operations but also as a very capable spacecraft, beneath its rundown, rustic coral-bronze veneer.

  "It hasn't seen daylight since the Great Devastation," Scrapper informed him, and Jazz detected a hint of nostalgia in his voice, as if he were recalling a time when this ship had seen greater days.

  "Well, it's time it was put back into action," Megatron commented.

  Then Jazz remembered – it had been used by the Decepticons as their battleship during that notorious and most turbulent time in the history of the Gamma Sector. "We thought it'd been destroyed," he told them, as he recalled the early intel reports that the Autobots had made on the Decepticons. They had obviously got this part wrong. "Wait, you mean to tell me that it's been buried here all this time?" He asked in disbelief, his optics staring intently at the craft beneath his blue visor.

  Megatron nodded affirmatively. "Where no one would ever think to look."

  It was true; today, the Crystal City ruins were nothing more than a vestige that had barely survived the wars, its location offering neither a strategic nor a defensive advantage. And since the end of the Last Great War, it had been largely overlooked by the High Council.

  Jazz shook his head, amazed, trying to recall the name of the war vessel, though he was not familiar with all the details of the Decepticons' fleet of war ships – current or historical. "This is the… Nemesis Raider, right?"

  He received a bemused look from Rumble, who shook his head. "Nah. That one got destroyed."

  "This is the Phoenix One," Scrapper informed him evenly.