Transformers Prime: A New Beginning

Chapter 69: Project Predacon

The Autobot Commander, in a newly-acquired vehicle mode, which looked nearly identical to Optimus's old one, drove through the portal, carrying a lone Energon crate on his back end where the trailer coupling should've been. Bumblebee lifted the crate off, allowing Ultra Magnus to transform; the mech walked forwards a short distance away from the portal as the others approached. Ultra Magnus then spoke up.

"We didn't find much else in the rubble of the former base." He said.

Just then, Wheeljack came through, holding the lobbing ball, which had somehow survived the destruction, and didn't look damaged or scorched in the slightest.

"Ya call this 'not much else'?" The Wrecker asked with a smirk.

Then, as its name implied, he lobbed the ball at Bulkhead, who wasn't prepared for the sudden move, and the ball bounced off of him, flying towards Mike, who then summoned his Keyblade and swung it at the ball, which went flying towards Fowler's office, nearly crushing Miko, who was pulled out of the way by Jack and Vince at the last second.

"Oops..." Mike said meekly.

"Wheeljack!" Ratchet scolded, knowing that it was his fault. "You could've caused serious damage!"

"To me!" Miko added in anger, as she, Vince, and Jack got back up.

Inside the office, Fowler, who had been completely caught off-guard by the ruckus outside, recovered from having been thrown from his chair by the force of the ball slamming into the wall, and went to see what happened, but was surprised to find the entrance blocked by the ball, and called out from behind it.

"A little help here?"

Breakdown, who was the closest, went to move the ball, and did so, freeing the agent from the room, as Mike glared at Wheeljack for his stupid action.

The Wrecker, however, just sat there, looking at where the ball had ended up, then a voice from behind him pulled him from his thoughts.

"What were you thinking soldier?" Ultra Magnus asked, clearly unhappy with the Wrecker's poor choice of actions.

"I was thinkin' Bulk could catch that lob." The Wrecker replied with a smirk, which was immediately wiped off his faceplate when the Commander spoke again.

"Allow me to make myself clear!" He said firmly. "As one of Optimus Prime's Second-in-Commands, I have no intention of tolerating Wrecker behavior!"

Wheeljack just scowled, and rolled his optics as he looked away from the Commander.

"Some things never change." He said lowly.

He had clearly shown his dislike for the Autobot Commander, and wasn't about to be bossed around like he had been before on Cybertron by him when he had previously taken charge of the Wreckers unit.

His problem with authority still remained, even after gaining his respect for Optimus, as he, and Michael, as he had come to realize, were exceptions, for they weren't like the other Commanders he had known.

Ultra Magnus, on the other hand, was on the other side of the exceptions line.

A long silence fell over the room, with everyone looking at the two, wondering what would happen.

"Jackie..." Bulkhead said, breaking the tense silence, knowing how his fellow Wrecker could get when faced with authority.

Ultra Magnus just groaned, annoyed, then spoke again.

"Need I remind you that it was Optimus Prime himself who assigned me to command your Wreckers back on Cybertron, and get you loose cannons under control!" He said firmly, as the humans watched from their respective areas of the base. "An effective combat unit begins with discipline! If you won't accept that, feel free to choose the path of least resistance! As you did before." He added in a lower voice.