Transformers Prime: Shrouded Truth (#4) [Completed]

Chapter 17

Grimlock, Ultra Magnus, Scorn and myself laid on the moon, watching the space bridge far in front of us. Ratchet had taken the Iron Will (with a preset course to our base back on Earth) with the new Dinobot, leaving us here. We had all agreed that this space bridge needed to be dealt with, before Megatron used it for anything unpleasant. It was an all hands on deck, and with only a few able to come up in the Jackhammer, our attack force would be small.

I still had four plus hours on my oxygen, so I would be all set. The only issue I would have was maneuvering in space, but Alpha Trion had said he would take care of it.

A burst of engines behind us caused our group of four to spring up, weapons out and ready for an attack. We relaxed upon seeing it was only the Jackhammer landing. Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Slug and Arcee stepped out; it looked as it had been a very crammed ride. Beside the Jackhammer landed Optimus, the jet pack's wings retracting on his back; and Swoop, Slash on his back and Slog in his talons. From that flight, he looked tired, worn. Normally, two bots would have been no issue to carry, even if he was breaking out of Earth atmosphere. Now he had a hard time carrying two. I could see that it hurt him a bit to be less useful.

"How did Ratchet let you up here?" I asked, looking as Swoop as he transformed.

"I'm just the ride," Swoop said. "I'm not allowed to engage."

"What's the situation?" Optimus asked, stepping up to Ultra Magnus. The rest of us followed the two of them, heading to the best vantage point on the space bridge.

"The Decepticons had obviously been hiding this from us for a while, as the construction is complete and fully functional," Ultra Magnus said. "The guard is minimal from what we can tell, but as soon as we launch our attack, we can be sure more troops will arrive. They don't seem to be expecting us."

"What's the plan?" Arcee asked. "They'll see us coming from a mile away."

"What's the goal?" I couldn't help but ask. "Are we destroying it or disabling it?" Both seemed to be an option, but no one seemed to be committed to one or the another.

Wheeljack spoke up, his voice hesitant. "May I propose a plan?"

••••••••••••

I floated through space, hiding behind the door of the pod, which Swoop had retrieved. Five of Wheeljack's grenades sat on the metal. I held onto the top, letting myself float through space. I risked peaking over.

The space bridge was nearing. It was much larger than I had first thought.

"How many Lora?" Grimlock asked, his voice loud in my helmet.

I counted. "I can see three workers. Correction, make that four. There are five guards, possibly more," I whispered. "They remain unsuspecting."

"Good."

"Was sending Lora with explosives a smart idea?" Arcee asked. "One shot, that's all it takes."

"I would not let that happen," Alpha Trion said, quickly speaking up before letting me control myself once again.

"I've trained her, she's got this," Wheeljack said. "Plus, she can just shield them, the shots will never hit them."

Arcee grumbled. "I don't like this plan."

"This is the best course of action. Lora can defend her own." Pride swelled in my chest at the Prime's words.

I felt Alpha Trion use the amulet to change my course, sending me closer and under the space bridge. I peaked over the top, barely letting my eyes peek over the sheet of metal. A vehicon looked at me.

I ducked down, holding my breath as I waited for the command to shoot to be ordered. It never came.

Cautiously, I peered over again. The vehicon was looking around, ignoring me. Thankfully, he had just viewed this metal as space debris. I had to hand it to Wheeljack, this was a smart move.

I felt the metal bump up against the space bridge. I barely breathed as I moved myself out from behind it. Slowly, I grabbed a grenade, placing on the bottom of the bridge. I grabbed the metal sheet and started to float around the space bridge, grabbing it to pull myself around its circumference. I made sure I remained on the outside, sticking close to the giant bridge so no one would see me. Once I came to the left side of the space bridge, I placed the second grenade.

"Two down," I said.

"Nicely done," Scorn congratulated. "You're almost done."

I grabbed the metal once again. I continued up, arriving at the top. I placed the third grenade on the North (I think?) section, then started to pull/float myself downwards. I moved slower, I was in more danger here, all they needed was to look up and see me.

The metal scrapped against the space bridge. I froze. The vehicons below looked around. I didn't move, freezing against the space bridge. With a shrug, hopefully thinking it was just their allies working on the bridge, the vehicons below ignored me. I let out a sigh and continued. I made it to the last side. I grabbed the second to last grenade, placing it firmly against the space bridge.

"All four down," I said. "All that is left is the package."

"Finish it up and get back here," Grimlock said. I nodded my head, even though I knew he wouldn't be able to see it. And prepared myself for the final move.

I went to grab the metal, but only grabbed empty space. My eyes widened.

The door, where was it?

It was slowly drifting away, the final grenade in plan sight of those working and patrolling on the bridge. I didn't think as I threw an energon orb at it. I squeezed it around a side, and pulled it and the metal back to me. It was in my grasp soon, and I breathed. That had been close, too close.

I moved, positioning myself to throw the door into the center of the ground bridge.

"Hello, human." I spun, smashing the door into the deception's face. Starscream reeled back, holding his face. He let out a scream of rage. When did he get behind me?

"Blow it, now!" I yelled. "We've been made!"

"I'm afraid they can't hear you," Starscream sneered, removing his hands from his face. There was a trickle of energon coming from a wound above his eyebrow. To answer my unspoken question, I heard the unforgettable sound of Lazerbeak. He flew around the space bridge, a scrambler in its grasp.

I clenched my teeth.

"We saw your ship first arrive, and took some extra measures. You were too concerned with what was on the moon then to notice us."

Good, they didn't know about the Dinobot.

"You're still too late," I said.

"To late for what? To stop you from blowing up our space bridge?" Starscream started to laugh, throwing his head back. The metal door drifted off, heading away from both the moon and the space bridge. "You're too funny. With no way to contact your precious Autobots, the one called Wheeljack won't be able to blow his grenades."

"Oh? You want to bet?" I thrust my hand out to the grenade. "I win."

I pushed a highly condensed energon orb at the grenade. Starscream's eyes widened.

"NO! Stop!"

Then space was on fire.