They come back to the scrapyard via groundbridge and we call Optimus. Bee says "We don't know how many there are or what sort of tech they may have already found and their minicons appear to have the ability to take over our motor functions."
Prime responds "Calling for backup was the right thing, BumbleBee. I'll be there as soon as I can. It was great to hear from you all. Optimus prime out."
Bee looks to me "He was looking at you when saying that last thing." I snort laughing and punch his shoulder "Ow!" He says laughing.
Before we start walking away, Denny says "Uh, Bee? We- we just wanted to say again how— how sorry we are about the whole groundbridge deal."
Bumblebee replies "Stop, you don't have to say another word about it."
Russel sighs "Oh, thanks Bee, you're the best."
But it was short lived when he replied "Because you two aren't allowed to look at another piece of Cybertronian tech until you pass a Fixit approved training course."
From behind us, we heard Fixit "Strongarm, I wanted to let you know that due to your exceptional performance today, I've raised your PASERQAT score by 1.5 points."
Sideswipe complains "Seriously? Saving you, a mountain, and an entire human colony is only worth a point and a half?"
Strongarm counters "Thanks, Sideswipe but I'm over it. Numbers don't matter, only results."
The racer replies "That is a very mature attitude... for someone who I still beat by 4 and a half points!!! WOOOO!!!"
"Very funny." Strongarm replies "Fixit, since you couldn't give yourself a PASERQATs score, I've prepared an evaluation for you."
The minicon exclaims "Really? What did I get!?"
The cadet says "I think it's best to keep the results secret. I wouldn't want you to have a crisis of confidence."
The mini tries to get it out of her "can't you give me a hint? Is it higher than 90? Oh! Higher than 80! Oh come on, it has to be above 70! Uh- CALL ME!!!!"
A few days later, I was out on a solo mission in a rain forest. I was just planting my 4th decepticon beacon when Fixit had called in and asked me to join the others in a group call. I sit down by a big mossy rock and load up a screen.
Fixit called the rest in "You are now patched in with the rest of the team, Lieutenant."
Grimlock taps his screen "Hello? Is this thing on? Bee! Can you hear me? I know we're checking locations where these Decepticon scavengers might go to find old Cybertronian relics, but I'm all by myself on this mountain, and I don't think there's anything here for these scavengers to you know... scavenge?"
I shake my head and Bumblebee says "We have to visit every site of Cybertronian activity on earth Grimlock."
"Haven't there been hundreds of those, sir?" Strongarm questions.
The Lieutenant answers "At least. We don't want these cons getting their hands on some ancient weapon or bomb that's been lying around."
Drift remarks "Fixit, we have initialized the decepticon activity beacon you devised."
The orange minicon replies "Excellent, I'm receiving your sig—sig—sig—sig—signal!!! Simply plant the beacon in the ground and I will groundbridge you to the next location to repeat the process!"
Sideswipe groans "Agh! I'm gonna be rusty and obsolete by the time we finish this!"
Bee ignores him and asks "Fixit, any word on Optimus's arrival? We could use the help."
Said mech says "No word yet, Lieutenant."
Grim then asks "Hey, Bee? How come you only gave me one of these beacon thingies and ShiverTooth got the most?"
The mech replies "Given this morning's... incident, grim, I thought it best to restrict you to one mission where any damage might be limited, and ShiverTooth is the sleekest and fastest, not to mention the gentlest on our team."
I stand up while they are talking and go to activate the beacon for detecting Decepticons. Grimlock whines "But you know what happened this morning was an accident! I said I was sorry!!"
Bee says "And I appreciate that, but there's been a lot of sorries lately so let's just take it one mission at a time for now, okay? ShiverTooth, where'd you go?"
I reply "I'm just turning the beacon on to—- AH!!!" It starts warbling and a similar sound plays on Fixit's end and I ask "Is that normal?"
Fixit says "It is set to go off and report to the command center when a decepticon is in the area. Since your signal is still that of decepticon origin, it is going off. It will stop when you leave the radius of the beacon, groundbridging to the next location for short terms."
I nod "That's going to get real annoying."
A lot of them laugh, Grimlock lowers his ridges and Drift shakes his helm with a smile on his face.
Bumblebee then ends the meeting "Be careful out there, everyone." Everyone signs off but Bee stays "ShiverTooth, I didn't offend you when I said gentlest, right? Because that's when you stood up and left."
Sideswipe speaks for me "He's probably turning to the Decepticons again, like I told you!"
I correct "No, I just did it out of boredom. I would have done it after the call but I didn't see a time where I was going to talk so I went to do it. Im bridging to the next location in a bit."
He nods "Understood. You should have two beacons left. We'll see you back at base, and I'm sorry for Sideswipe. BumbleBee out." He signs off and I transform and fly into the sky, then set a bridge to the next location.
I fly down and it was a valley around a bunch of hills. I transform and land and find an energy signature in a nearby cave. I find it and then a loud screech and boom scares me. I flip around and see an F18 with blue and black details around the cockpit. That thing was going fast and twisting and turning and all that. It was pretty cool. I shake it off and walk inside to find a control system and a light-bended forcefield. I pick up a rock and throw it at it to assure I wasn't seeing anything weird. It bounces off and rolls away.
I then get a com "Hey, ShiverTooth."
"Hi Windblade. What's up?" I say.
She replies "Im reading your signature near one of my caches. Just wanted to check that the infliction to the defenses was just a test."
I say "Yeah. I thought I seeing things because of our last mission with you guys so I threw a rock to check it. Would you like me to take the items back to the scrapyard?"
She remarks "Sure thing. It would definitely keep Decepticons away. I'll send you the code now. Thank you, ShiverTooth."
I agree "Of course, Windblade. Appreciate it."
"Appreciate you too, ShiverTooth. Windblade out." The com ends and I plug in the code Windblade had sent. I set a bridge back to the scrapyard and bring everything back. I then spot a stasis pod in the corner. I stand on my toes, if I had any, and look into the pod. It was a skunkticon. I slip and smack my head against the controls.
I fall down and hear the pod open "Oh scrap." I groan, still dizzy.
He jumps out and then starts mouthing off "Pal? Where's my pal! Where is he!!? Oh there you are." He grabs a yellow sphere along with a massive case and a gun "Let's go, buddy." He spots me and growls "You tried to take my pal, deputy scum!" He lifts his tail into the air and shoots green slimy liquid at me. It hits me in the eyes and my audials and it clouds it all. I couldn't see or hear anything anymore. I stay still and watch his blur run out of the area.
I stay still and wait for it to go away. I then stand up and shake my helm "Fantastic." I groan. I place the beacon even though it was not needed.
I transform and bridge to the next location afterwards. I plant a beacon and then hear hissing nearby. I get out my decepticon hunter and turn to find a massive insecticon. It was a bit bigger than Hardshell and he was the biggest insecticon we had on the ship.
I walk over and ask "Hello?" He turns and is surprised. I then recognize the mech "DUSTY!!!??" I ask, smiling. I run over and hug him "You've gotten sooo big!!"
He growls happily "Insecticons grow fast, ShiverTooth! I'm happy to see you again!" He nods "What are you doing now? You look a bit different. You're lighter."
I say "I'm in the police force now!"
"Really!? I'm in the Bounty Hunter business." He states.
"That's awesome! Dusty! I'm so proud of—-" I feel an electric sensation run through me and I fall to the ground. I turn onto my back and see Dusty holding a taser "Dusty?.... Why?"
"I'm sorry, ShiverTooth. I'm doing what I'm told." He says. I black out and close my optics.
When I awake, I'm in a dark cell. I look around and then see a bot in the same room. "Hello?" I ask.
He turns to me "I would let you out but, you're friend, Steve."
I growl "Steve's been dead a long time. What could you possibly want with him or me?"
The unknown mech replies "And guess how?"
I was surprised "Airachnid did it! Not me!!"
"But you let him, just like you did, Breakdown." I step back and hit the wall. He just went on "You let so many of our friends die. If only you had been in their place or have done something about it, it would have solved so much."
I whine "You can't hurt me, I—"
"Actually, yes I can." The mech walks forward to me "You see, neither Megatron nor Optimus are here right now. That lets me do anything I want to you."
He grabs a nearby chain and wraps it around my wrists and then around my neck, making my hands pull my neck back if I try to escape. He grabs the chain on my neck, holding it tight. He then begins to run his claws up and down my right wing. I couldn't make any noises at all except the most quietest of whines. It hurt to feel like this again.
A familiar voice sounds "That's enough, Shadelock. Let him go. Untie the defenseless thing." Shade let's me go and unties me, then pulling me down to the floor. He walks out and other mech walks in. He was huge. Just a bit bigger than Bumblebee...
"who are you?" I ask weakly.
He laughs "You know who."
He kicks me in the frame and and smacks my knee accessory plate down, making my leg bounce against the wall and shock filling it. He then grabs my throat and slams me against the ground. He kicks me in the side and I roll and hit the wall again. He uses my decepticon hunter and slashes me up over and over again. The room became filled with my energon, splattered against the walls and the floor. It was a crime scene. I fell weak and soon I couldn't move without tremendous pain overcoming me.
Once again, I ask "Who are you?"
He laughs "Please...." He puts his servo against my cheek "Don't tell me you don't recognize..... your own brother." I was shocked. I was about to say something but... it was too much and I closed my eyes.