Frozen in Prime

Chain of Command

Starscream growled but noticed his horn was on fire and patted it until it cooled down.

"And what could have possibly compelled you to bring the native?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Yo, can I come with?" A memory of Miko asked. "Why not?" Wheeljack asked.

"Are your circuits impaired, soldier?" Ultra Magnus asked. "Prime told you to lead the Wreckers on this one, I assumed he meant all of them." Wheeljack said. "Are you mocking your commanding officer?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Wouldn't think of it, sir. The kid's a full-blown Wrecker. Isn't that right, Bulkhead?" Wheeljack asked. "Well," Bulkhead started. "Look, she may be small, but she saved my tailpipe. Snuffed an Insecticon all on her own." Wheeljack said.

"Outside standard protocol, no doubt." Ultra Magnus said. "The point is, I can handle myself, sir." Miko said. "Miko has been through worse, and we've drawn out the enemy and cleared passage." Bulkhead said.

The Predacon was sleeping when Starscream came to it in the Apex Armor. "Okay, now, in you go." He commanded and pointed at the hall leading into the Nemesis. The Predacon hissed. "Do your worst. The Apex Armor is virtually-AHHH!!" The Predacon grabbed his arm and started thrashing him around, then threw him at the wall above the door. "Starscream, are you with the beast?" Megatron asked.

"Yes, Master. We've been reviewing attack maneuvers. He's doing quite well." Starscream lied. "One of the excavation teams has failed to report in." Megatron said. "I shall assemble my Seeker armada immensely and -" Starscream started. "I would prefer that you lead our newly returned asset on this mission so that we may see if our Predacon is as adept at fetching bones as it is hunting Autobots." Megatron said.

"Is this it?" Miko asked and held a rock. "No, that is a rock." Ultra Magnus said as they ventured further into the cave. "Just like old times, huh, Jackie?" Bulkhead asked. "Except back then, I didn't need permission to pick my partners." Wheeljack said. "Come on, we're all on the same team. Hey, beast hunters, right?" Bulkhead asked.

"During all those cycles it took me to travel to Earth, all I could think about was getting our band of brothers back together. But this isn't the lineup I had in mind. You did the smart thing, Bulk, leaving the Wreckers when you did while we were still bringing our a-game before the rust set in." Wheeljack said.

"Wait, I thought Wheeljack was the one who left the Wreckers." Miko said. "Jackie basically deserted once the Wreckers fell under Ultra Magnus' command. I transferred out before that to join up with Optimus in the battle of Thunderhead Pass. Sometimes, I think Jackie feels like I deserted him." Bulkhead said.

"You don't want to be the one who breaks up the band, Bulk." Miko yelped when the cave started rumbling, and Bulkhead caught her. "What was that?" Bulkhead asked. They heard roaring at the entrance. "Whatever it is, it's big." Wheeljack said. The thing hissed again as the light in the entrance vanished. "And it's coming fast." Wheeljack said.

The Predacon stormed through the tunnel. "The Predacon. Let's roll!" Ultra Magnus ordered. They all transformed, Miko inside Bulkhead, as the Predacon chased them down. "It's back?" Miko asked.

The Predacon's neck glowed, and it released a stream of fire, but the Autobots moved aside before they could be roasted. Ultra Magnus noticed another tunnel. He steered into it, and Bulkhead and Wheeljack followed as the Predacon kept following while roaring.

It then got stuck in the tunnel and released more fire. "Accelerate!" Ultra Magnus commanded. They entered a large room and moved aside as the flame pierced through the tunnel. They transformed. "That rock won't hold it forever. We need to contact base and request reinforcements." Ultra Magnus said.