A sharp contrast to the rotting hull of the Predacon pirates' abode, the Maximal station was a glistening star against the background of the galaxy. When the ships first approached, they encountered the station's tall spires at a tilted angle, and it hung like a top, spinning slowly and delicately, until the ships righted to meet with the flattened curve of the dock. A fleet of idenitical Maximal ships, midsized, silver, and battle-ready at a moment's notice, were docked along a horse-shoe shaped ramp, standing sentinal.
The station lowered a transparent airlock, styled so that the towers of the station's archetecture were still visible by any passengers that departed visiting ships. It was behind this airlock that General Aximus now stood, heading a flank of station guards and looking out into the stars for the movement that signified the now pair of expected arrivals. Seeing the Maximal ship first, with its peaceable design, comforted him somewhat, but the Whisper was not far behind. "Would you LOOK at that thing?" he muttered.
While the ships slid into place, Jaxtrin addressed the three Maximals behind him. "I don't know what these Predacons are about, but by Magnaboss' orders they aren't prisoners. I suppose they're doing the same job for their boss that our crew is doing for ours, but I'm not obligated to brief them. Skyram, Strongarm, you take them into the waiting area, and treat 'em nice. You can push the panic button if there's any trouble. The Maximal crew'll be in the briefing room with me."
Jaxtrin paused as the Maximal ship began its dock, and the occupants prepared to deboard. He then turned to face Barricade, looking over the larger, orange 'bot before his gaze drifted up to the tallest of the station's towers. "All they've told me about this hot shot is that he makes a lot of trouble and he can't talk. I don't think it should be policy to send an ex-Autobot to do an ex-Predacon's job, and I've already climbed that tower two times too many. It'll be your job to escort Kitfox onto the central turbolift and up to the top level. Let him go in the entryway and I'm told the Magnaboss will handle it from there."
"Yes sir." sighed Barricade, masking his frustration. Now they were nothing but babysitters. At least Skyram and Strongarm might get some excitement with guarding a set of Predacons. He, on the other hand, was stuck with a single bot that already sounded like a handful. This had better not take long, he thought to himself. "And sir, are there any orders in advance for me once the Magnaboss has this bot in his possesion?"
"Get back down with the others and the Preds," Jax replied. "They could probably use the extra help."
The Predacon ship was pulling into the dock now, and maintanance crews and a defensive force began surrounding both the ships. When the Maximals stepped off their ship, the first they saw was a fire-colored Transmetal, the head of a jackal folded down upon his chest. He had a friendly, open face with dark blue eyes, and he offered a taxi-yellow hand to the first Maximal that would shake it.
Silverquick delivered a precise salute before taking the proffered hand. "LCDR Silverquick and the crew of the cruiser Renegade, reporting." He looked over at the Whisper, taking in the sleek obsidian craft with a single glance. Predacon ship designers have a better flair for the aesthetic than ours, he thought.
The general shook Silverquick's hand with a good strong grip. "Jaxtrin, head general in charge. But I let the boys call me Jax, so you're welcome to do the same."
Silverquick nodded affirmative. "I'm looking forward to the briefing, but I need a cycle to speak with the Predacon Commander before we begin. I trust they will be treated as guests, rather than a threat?"
Jax almost spat his response. "Magnaboss' orders." His optics darted over to where the Predacons had settled into the dock. "If you need to talk with them, I need to supervise. You understand. You have the cargo?"
"Yes sir," said Silverquick. He turned to Krunch. "Sergeant, please retrieve our 'guest' from his 'personal quarters', and present him to the general."
Turning back to Jax, Silverquick said, "I understand. And thank you for allowing them to land. I gave them my word they'd not be mistreated, and we need to uphold our Maximal honor.
Silverquick paused, looked around. "Do we really need quite so many guards?"
"Not so much guards as lookie-loos, most of them. After all, there's a Predacon ship docking at Cerebros! Do you think I can just tell 'em to sit in their barracks and be good? Besides," he added, a little of the old indoctrinated prejudices creeping into his good nature, "you never can tell with Preds."
—AF, GD, LB
Stormclaw stood in front of the main viewscreen, and looked at the many Maximal guards positioning themselvs around the Whisper.
Silverquick better keep his word, for HIS sake.
The Predacon Commander turned around, and addressed his crew. Everyone, including the large Klaw-hammer and Alpengeist, had gathered on the bridge.
"Predacons, we are in enemy territory now. Boss Balt's Trading Post was no thread to us, but this Maximal Fortress is a different situation entirely. You may believe that I have handed us over to the enemy. This is not so. We are here to inspect this bastion. I want you all to be on alert at all times. Show these wretched traitors the pride and honor of the Predacons. Make them see they have chosen the wrong side. However, only resort to physical action if they ask for it. Remember, this Fortress is crawling with soldiers. Numbers is their advantage.
"Charmacon, Klaw-Hammer, you two will accompany me at all times. Nightfall, you are in charge of the others. We shall enter the station momentarily, and we shall act as one.
"Am I clear on this?"
"Sir!" barked Alpengeist.
Nightfall nodded. "Understood, commander."
"Affirmitive, Commander!" Charmacon added.
Paradox knew Stormclaw was tired of his antics by now. "Aye Aye Aye Sir!" Paradox realized he said something very stupid. Just one 'Aye' would have been suffenent, but due to his stupid speech impendenemt, it sounded like he was complaining. "Uh, I mean yes yes yes Sir...." He tried to recover from that fall but it didn't exactly work. "Oh slag it! Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut during this mission. As not to embarass us any longer." Paradox then realized he didn't repeat any words three times in the last sentence. Paradox slapped his head.
What an IDIOT! Charmacon thought. That bug can't even say one sentence without bumbling like a fool! And to think that he was even SURPRISED to see me outrank him!
Aspis said nothing, resisting the urge to wave him off noncomitally. We aren't at WAR with the Maximals any more, moron! a voice screamed in his head. He hated being put under people less intelligent than he was.
Nightfall, however was a different story. She probably knew how to be a fun bot to be around if she'd let her hair down. But for now, Aspis just stood still, waiting until she came back from her talk with Silverquick.
Hmmmm, Maximal Station Cerebros.... Nice piece of engineering, I'll say... must have been a Predacon design. Charmacon stepped out following his commander, and viewed the surroundings. There's the Maxies... And to think OUR crew is a collection of misfits! There is that catbot. He will pay dearly for what he did to me, ohhh yes! A sudden shiver went through Charmacon, as if he didn't see Jynx, but felt him. Then, his optics were drawn towards Kitfox.
Starscream.
As the Predacons finally disembarked, they had a clear view of the Maximals, already speaking to the station's general. Kitfox, now lead from the ship's underbelly, did not seem to be making much trouble. Rather, he stepped mutely to the front of the Maximal group, and gave the general an exaggerated salute. It was on the verge of mockery, but the Maximal general did not seem to notice.
Charmacon's mind raced at the prospect of actually talking to him. He should thank Stormclaw for bringing him to the negotiations, though he probably wouldn't. He looked at Terrorpin. Though the turtle could not be trusted, he knew he had to 'use' him to get what he wanted...
—DN, LB, CB, BB, MdJ, AF
Jynx observed the mumbo jumbo the two Maximals were exchanging, and thought things would be so much easier if people didn't have to talk all that 'under the skin language' all the time. Just saying what you mean might make you some enemies, but you'll never be accused of using that political slag!! "Hey little buddy," he said to Velocity, "I don't think we are gonna be part of SQ's 'diplomatical crew', so how about you and me paint this here town red?"
Velocity's eyes were mostly on the Predacons. They were even bigger in person. He jumped as Jynx addressed him, whipping around to face the catbot with a sheepish grin at his own fear. His breath stunk of the High-O he had ingested after his hasty flight out of the bridge. He was now coming to regret that wasted bottle; he was in a Maximal outpost, surely they'd be a lot less tolerant of illegal drugs. Velocity could only hope no one knew the smell of it, or that here it would be masked by the ever-present smell of engine fuel.
At his friend's suggestion, Velocity glanced around the docking area and the pieced together his opinions on what happened on Maximal Fortresses (or Autobot Fortresses or...something like that). "Don't know if it's gonna be as fun as the Trading Post...but won't be half as dangerous," he added, pleased at the thought. His grin changed from sheepish to broad and his tail wagged at the thought of getting away from All Knowing High-O Sensing Superior Officers.
"You can lead, compadre, I'll follow!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Where we gonna go first?"
"How's about right over there, little buddy?" Jynx pointed towards a tall, busy corridor, which led towards a large structure. "First we gotta go when they're not looking?"
"Hey, how's about a little race? We dash towards that building over there when they's not looking..."
Jynx transformed to beast mode, but nobody noticed. They were all to busy with overcoming the awe of the situation, on Cerebros about to be confronted with the Predacons.
"You ready little buddy? I wanna see how fast that vehicle mode of yours is!"
The dogbot glanced over at the departing Maximals and Predacons but shrugged. They could fill him in if he missed anything important, and he was pretty sure he would've gone nuts with a pile of Preds nearby as well.
"Sure thing!" the Transmetal said after Jynx outlined the plan. In his state, Velocity was ready to show off his flying skills, even in that busy hallway. He was confident he could dodge the press of people.
"Just don't be too sad if y'lose, 'kay?" he said, with a cheery grin at his down beast moded friend. "Beast mode," the chihuahua said as panels and gears rotated and shifted and he fell onto all fours.
"I'll even let you get a bit of a head start," Velocity said, crouching down into a sprinting position after dancing on his paws in excitment.
"One...two...three...go!" As Jynx started forward, Velocity quickly added "vehicle mode". The panel on his back lifted and jets came to life and the dogbot himself began to fly forward.
Jynx already had launched himself at the count of three, and quickly got into a steady rhythm. Now, dodging obstacles wasn't something he'd sweat about, but he hoped the Chihuahuabot was a bit more able with his vehicle mode than before...
The racing pair spilled several of the station guards aside as they burst by, and a few of them gave chase, though, initially, on robot mode foot. As the lower tower loomed closer toward them, they broke off from the main group of Maximals and Predacons entirely, Jynx and Velocity gaining significant ground ahead of their pursuers.
The jetdog glanced backwards with a worried blink of orange optics at their pursuers.
"That don't look good," he muttered, as just now he realized what the effects of rushing blindly through a crowded area would be. Having a brain was one of those tools that came in handy sometimes.
Velocity slowed down ever so slightly to see if Jynx would do so to, the Transmetal's natural urge to obey others coming to the fore. However, if Jynx wanted to continue the race, well, Velocity didn't feel too much like getting caught by angry guards...
"Heh, Don't look back now, little buddy, or they's might gain on ya!" Jynx said, as he threw in another gear. He was running at a speed of close to 55 MPH hour now, and the tower was nearing quickly.
—LA, MdJ
"Well, that's all yours," Jax said to Barricade, pointing to Kitfox. "You'll find us downstairs with the Preds." The general stepped forward and assessed Kitfox, who had dropped his salute, and was standing, grinning up at Jax, who was over half a foot his better in height. In order to reassure what seemed to him to be a very young Maximal, the general laid a hand on Kitfox's shoulder. "Good luck up there, son." Starscream's grin grew quite broad, and it took all his willpower to prevent him from bursting out with laughter.
Barricade watched the general walk off with that motley, but still dangerous looking, crew of Predacons. "If this gets ugly...well, we'll just have to see," he muttered to no one in particular. He then turned his attention to the small fox-bot a few feet away. Remembering his assignment, he regained his composure and strode up to this "Kitfox" guy.
"If you'll follow me sir, the Magnaboss' chamber is this way," said Barricade in one of the more friendlier voices he had come to be known for. He lowered his head and turned his voice down a few notches to a whisper. "And don't try anything funny."
Kitfox simply smiled at this. He followed the guard out without complaint. As he passed through the Maximal crew, he made a point of reaching out and giving Krunch an agressive slap on the skid, then looking back to give him a conspiratorial wink.
Viracide looked back at the two. Something inside Viracide wanted to go with them, but he knew it would be best to stick with Silverquick, and maybe keep Kitfox in sensor range. Because, if he tried something, he and Goldstreak might be the only ones able to stop him.
Jax gestured for the other, large guards to follow him, and he stood before the Predacon ship, taking in the sight of its rather out-of-place-looking crew. He stands before the Predacon commander and his troops, addressing them in a much more severe manner than he did the Maximals a moment ago. "Greetings from the Maximal Council." He saultes. "I'm General Jaxtrin Aximus, and on behalf of the Magnaboss, I'd like to welcome you to Cerebros Fortress. While you're here, you're our guests, since we're in peace-time." If you'd like to change that policy, you're welcome to try, Jax added mentally. "I'm told you have some business to discuss with Silverquick and his crew, so follow me and the boys and we'll make this quick and comfortable and you can be on your way."
Nightfall smiled at him, sauntering past. "Thank you, general..."
Standing next to her, Stormclaw remained silent, and decided he would experiment with trusting Nightfall. After a slight nod to the Maximal in front of him, he waited patiently before following his escort to Silverquick.
Nightfall looked back, nodding to the commander as she gestured for her group to follow.
Terrorpin looked around the dark in quiet approval. The station was well-built and impressive. A technological piece of art. As he continued scanning the area, his optics locked with Charmacon's momentarily. The Turtle grinned to himself. The freaking lizard was stuck with the feline, and now he himself was supposedly under Nightfall's command. He was free to go at any time, indeed; regardless of any "orders."
He had no true allegiance and loved every bit of it. As soon as he got the chance, he'd be out on his own again. Besides, if he wanted to speak with Starscream, he'd do it himself. No incompentants needed.
With that thought in mind, he glanced at Paradox, who was beating himself up in more ways than one. He considered offering the insect a way out, but knew he'd most likely remain loyal to Stormclaw. He couldn't risk letting sympathy deprive him of freedom...
Jax gave Nightfall and Stormclaw each a nod, then he and the station guards returned to the gathered Maximals. "We'll sit you all around a table and see if we can get this sorted out. I don't think this is designed to be a VACATION for anyone." He gestured for everyone to follow, and the main doors to the station, tall and white, opened into a pristine hall. Maximals bustled in and out of archways on either side, many of them curious as to the intentions of the Predacon arrivals. Jaxtrin eventually halted before one of the archways, and a single metal door slid open to the side.
Beyond the door was a conference room, set ready for the Predacon visitation. Though not a briefing room, it had a large-projection screen at the front. The room had several exits, two of which had their sliding metal doors standing locked open and gave the Maximals and Predacons a good view of other hub hallways in the station. A guard neatly positioned himself by each exit, without having to be asked. A long table stretched from one side of the room to the other, surrounded by mismatched chairs of various makes and levels of comfort: from the well-padded to the industrial. The Maximal general helped himself to one of the more battered seats, at the table's head, signaling to the others that it was all right for them to sit down.
Silverquick ushered the other members of the Renegade crew into the conference room, then paused to step over next to Stormclaw. "I understand the observation lounge on this station has an exquisite view of the nearby Mutara Nebula," he said. "I'd like to share it with you, if you can wait a few megacycles." Silverquick narrowed his optics fractionally, hoping the Predacon would follow. "The recreational and training facilities here are at your disposal. Please excuse me, but I've a briefing to attend." At that, he headed into the room where Jax was waiting somewhat impatiently, quite eager for whatever scraps of information the Maximal High Command saw fit to throw his way.
—AF, CB, DN, DW
The hum of the turbolift was the only sound surrounding Kitfox and Barricade as it shot upward through the main tower of the station. Kitfox stared at the guard intensely. He wanted to mess with his mind...really, it was his chief source of amusement among Maximals, and although he had nothing to gain from many of these situations, they were at least a diversion. But Kitfox's eyes drifted to the security camera hanging above the elevator door. The cameras were such an omnipresent feature in these Maximal installations that many of the soldiers had become desensitized to them. Others, however, those that knew what they represented, were more mindful. Starscream bit his lower lip. Couldn't speak. HE would see it. Kitfox swallowed, hoping he would be able to hold out.
The lift stopped at the apex of the tower, and the obscenely tall doors opened. Beyond them towered nothing more than a second set of equally gigantic doors set into a sculpted archway in a metal wall. Where the doors met, across the middle and raised over fifteen feet from the floor, a giant Maximal symbol was emblazoned, staring down with its silent unfocused anger at the pair. Kitfox stepped off the lift, but before approaching the doors, turned back and gave Barricade a questioning look, raising a brow.
Barricade couldn't help but crack a small smile at the look Kitfox just gave him. He stepped off the turbolift and walked over to Kitfox. "I'm sorry sir, but if that look you gave me was a plea to take you hand and walk you inside, you're out of luck." said Barricade a little smugly. It looked like this one didn't get along too well with a lot of people. If that included the Magnaboss himself, then he probably had a right to look edgy. "Anyway, just knock and he should let you in." Barricade stayed where he was, however, just to make sure Kitfox would go inside.
Kitfox shrugged. If he were an honest Maximal, he wouldn't want to come any closer, either. He stepped toward the doors, and they slid open, revealing an enormous, clean and impersonal office beyond. No glimpse of movement revealed that this office had an occupant... until the moment just before the great doors slammed shut behind the fox's back, when Barricade caught a meager glimpse of a tower with one unblinking eye...
As the doors slammed shut in his face, Barricade blinked his optics. So that was the Magnaboss. Whatever he had been expecting, he hadn't thought that he would be so...gigantic and intimidating. All of a sudden, Barricade didn't feel so bad about not escorting Kitfox inside. Barricade slowly backed up, then headed back to the turbolift.
Shaking off his sense of awe, he quietly said to no one in particular, "Let's go see how the rest of our guests like our hospitality."
—AF, GD
Starscream stepped in behind the closed doors. The office was so sterile that it was like a vault. A single desk, covered in complicated terminals, stood on the end farthest from the door, and monitors, scenes from all over the station, were the only tapestry decorating the steel walls. There was a seat behind the desk, but it must have been for show, for Starscream had never known Shockwave to spend much time seated. Instead, the massive Magnaboss stood there, still, straight, and unmoving, as if he were merely sculpted into the room. His single yellow eye flickered to life as the doors opened, and he tracked Starscream's movement into the room.
Starscream silently cursed his new lack of height; Shockwave, once merely his comrade, now stood towering over him with unintentional meanace. Though a Maximal might gawk at the cyclops, Starscream was unafraid of a mere fellow Decepticon. Unwilling to tip his hand, he stood, and waited. The silence in the room was heavy.
After what seemed like at least five cycles, Shockwave looked down at his desk, and pushed a button on a device sitting there. Two flashes of his central optic indicated bemusement. He pressed the button again, and, then, a single flash. Starscream noted this, but barely had time to swallow before Shockwave, without another thought, reached up with his barrel left arm, and shot. The blast cleanly vaporized Starscream's right leg, and the ancient let out a howl of pain.
"You have removed your device," Shockwave said. "How insolent of you." His tone sounded completely unsurprised.
Starscream struggled and screeched for a moment, writhing on the steel floor. The only evidence of a missing limb was charred wires on a frayed stump, and Starscream coddled the injury as he continued to wordlessly, vocally protest.
"I did not expect you would stoop low enough to ask a female Maximal for aid. You surprise me. You have disobeyed my directive, and will be punished." Shockwave leveled the barrel at Starscream's opposite leg.
"NO!" Starscream shouted. The gun barrel lowered halfway. "No, no, please! I-- don't--" Another pause, and Starscream made a few more incoherent sounds. The barrel raised again, and again, Starscream pleaded, "Don't!" Suddenly, as he gasped in air, he felt the first tingles of the limb beginning to reform. Blue electricity sparkled along the socket of his leg, then, the leg began to grow again, from nothingness: folds of bronze-colored metal that appeared out of thin air and noisily wrenched their way back into place.
Shockwave did not shoot again, but did not drop his arm until Starscream was standing squarely on two feet. Starscream dusted himself off, and Shockwave looked down on him. He blinked once as if to ask for Starscream to continue his sentence.
"Nebulos?" Starscream asked smugly.
BLAM! Another shot rang off, and Starscream grimaced, but the blast had merely neatly scorched the floor to his side. Starscream looked up again, knowing the giant had intentionally missed... and Starscream HAD flinched. Drat.
"I am already aware of your unscheduled detour," Shockwave said. "You were able to access a copy of the Predacon quarantine list and derive the planet location based on matching systems in proximity to this station."
"Is that a congratulations?" Starscream asked, with a smile.
"Yet you were still on time for our meeting," Shockwave stated. This time he seemed to be intrigued.
"I don't think he's THERE," Starscream responded. "And if he IS, I'm SURE your Maximals...and the Predacons, not to mention Darkwave's little bonus weapon...will handle the situation. Aren't you?" He paced a little. "I'M more interested in the planet that got DROPPED. And now that I have a methodology discovered, I suppose I could easily figure out the entire List." He smiled. "Not that I SHOULD be telling you this."
"If you wanted a copy of Optimus Primal's List," Shockwave said, tapping his single hand on a keyboard in front of him, "all you had to do was ask." When Starscream gaped a little, he also adds, "It is not as if I will allow you to go. The 'dropped planet' was Earth." He looked up from the console, down at the fox-bot.
"I see. And it's already been destroyed." Starscream snickered. "No wonder you paid it no attention."
"Primal could not have known." Shockwave brought up the list on one of his many screens. Eight worlds in a neat row. All guesses, perhaps, but good ones, for the most part: a list compiled by Maximal General Optimus Primal from research he did using Teletran II. Shockwave looked at Starscream again, this time, scrutinizing him. "You already told them about the world."
"Well, they DID ASK." Starscream grinned. Seeing Shockwave formulate no immediate response, Starscream's face fell, and he made a disgusted noise. "So you'll SILENCE me again to prevent me from telling...HER about this List! Do you REALLY think she doesn't suspect?"
"She does not. I spoke to her not twenty cycles ago."
"How VOMITOUS. I don't even want to IMAGINE. Shockwave, you've become truly PATHETIC. Wasting such time and resources on compensating for your own insecurity. That...iiiiihhhh, that GIRL! has gotten the better of you. It PAINS me to see you fall so far."
"You misjudge. The peaceful conquest of the universe is what is at stake."
Starscream made another disgusted sound. "When you DO kill Optimus Prime, it will be for all the wrong reasons."
Shockwave stepped around from behind the desk, glancing at the List. "Primal had no evidence to support his theory that Prime still lived at all. However, since the reports of my death at several different pairs of hands were certainly exaggerated, I simply take the precaution. Regardless of whether Prime still lives, on ANY of Primal's chosen worlds, Nebulos is a tactically important location. We will destroy them all."
"Hm. Even the Decepticons."
"Indeed," Shockwave said, without pause. "It is not as if my plans will benefit from competition like Zarak Scorponok. But I did not summon you here for idle conversation."
Of course he hadn't, Starscream thought. Shockwave hated idle conversation. "So what is the POINT?"
"I am going to present you with...a change of assignment," Shockwave explained.
Starscream looked particuarly unamused at this. It was clear that it would take some real doing if he wanted to see how this King mission turned out.
—AF
Jax stepped into the station briefing room: filled with identical chairs facing a bank of viewscreens. He waited for silence. Then, looking around the room, he asked, "Do we have everyone?"
Viracide stood up and looked around him, "I'm afraid I saw Jynx and Velocity sort of go off." Viracide looked around again. "And where's Kitfox?"
Jax looked at Viracide curiously. "Kitfox? The tech you transported, right? He's up on the top level with the 'boss." Jax shuddered a little, involuntarily. "Poor soul. I'll tell ya, I've talked to that guy twice in the past two days. If you had to get your mission info the way I got my mission info, you'd be hatin' life.
"As for those other two, they'll be a little out of the loop if they don't show up." He flipped open a panel on his wrist, and pushed a button. "Jax to Gamma Unit. Are we missing some Renegades?"
A lower voice over the com-link replied: "Think so, sir. They're playing tag with us out on the docking bay. Heading toward Supply Tower One."
Jax looked up with some amusement. "Discpilined bunch of soliders you've got out there."
Viracide smiled and gave a face like he was about to laugh sheepishly. Then he sat down. "Well, ask Scanner..."
Krunch could feel the flush of embarrassment as Jax commented on the Renegade crew. But there was nothing he could do about it, since the large Maximal wasn't being held accountable for his crew-mates actions. If he were in charge, Velocity would have been the first jettisoned out the nearest airlock when they left home. The thought of that sight brought a small grin to his face. The sergeant stood in the back of the room with his back against the wall, looking at all those present, silently waiting for the briefing to begin.
"It is a rather.. eclectic team," smiled Silverquick, "but a capable one. I'd put my spark in any of their hands." He activated his commlink. "Jynx, Velocity, return to the docking area and report to the briefing room on the north side. That is an order, gentlebots, not a suggestion."
The dogbot gave another blink and came to a full halt in midair at Silverquick's message. Looking back at the guards and then at his surroundings, he grinned sheepishly as he switched back to beast mode. Racing was fun, but these were orders.
"I'll just...be going back to my team, 'kay?" he said, loudly enough for the approaching guards to hear and hopefully not kill him, and also loud enough for Jynx to hear if he was hopefully still around.
With that, he rushed back the way he had come on his beast mode legs. He might as well use his beast mode as much as he could for however long he could use it.
Jynx came to a screaching halt as he heard Silverquick's voice. "Bah, yer no fun!" he replied, as he saw Velocity hesitate. "I bet ya were scared of losing, huh? Oh well, back we go then." At that moment the pursuing guards gained up on them. "Excuse me, fine gents, would you be so kind as to escort us back to our teammates?" Jynx said with his widest grin to the astonished guards.
Meanwhile, back in the briefing room, the Maximals were still settling in. "Well-worded," the general said. "Not that I begrudge them their rec time, but it makes a difference whether they wander off in the dark."
After a moment, the errent pair was escorted to the room: Velocity following a bit less reluctantly than Jynx.
The general cleared his throat and began. "All right, I'm going to make this easy on all of you. But I don't mind being interrupted, so if anything I say isn't clear, be sure you give a holler."
Jax pointed upward, to a spot above the main viewscreen in the room, where a small round lens was set into the wall. "I'm gonna take one second to remind you all not to make faces at this camera. HE is up there, and he'll see you." He looked over to Jynx and Velocity, and practically stammered his next sentence, in such a manner that it was difficult to tell if he was angry or simply extremely nervous. "And... it's not funny."
After another moment of composing himself, he pushed a button on the podium, and resumed a speedier clip of explanation. "You've seen this image BEFORE, now we're going to put it in motion for you." He pressed another button, and the purple-hazed planet on the screen began to turn slightly, the cloudy atmosphere churning with storm. The 'boss tells me you're already aware that this is Nebulos. Home of the Headmasters. We're providing you with exact coordinates, and we want you to go the planet and get a good look around." He looked up at the group, and paced away from the podium.
"Some of this you already know. The reason behind this mission is to send you to scout Nebulos, take some atmosphere readings, and find out which of our boys made it out alive. By 'our boys' I mean un-UPGRADED," he tapped himself on the chest with a closed fist, "un-altered living Autobots. A secondary part of this mission, which is why you were all trained to be READY for violence, is to see if any of THEIR boys are still alive. Meaning the 'boss's type. Un-upgraded Decepticons.
"There is a good possibility," he said, a bit more heavily, "that there is NO ONE left on this planet. All our communications to Nebulos are cut off. It is true that the planet is under quarantine, but the reason for that quarantine is not known. We suspect a virus or toxin, purposely seeded, somewhere in..." he made a swirling gesture towards the map, "all those clouds."
"What the 'boss really means for you to do is report. That's all. Don't fight with Decepticons if you find them. If they own the world, back away slooowly, don't tell them ANYTHING, and come home. If Autobots own the world, do your universal greetings and find out what they've been up to these past few centuries. You are scouts, and that's all.
"I'm going to take a BET that the Predacons waiting out there for you are doing the same thing for their leader that you're doing for ours. Maybe. I'm also going to take another plunge and make some guesses about what you'll find."
Jax walked down from his more lofty position on the speaker's stand, stepping down to the floor where the Maximals were seated. His tone became slightly more confidential.
"The Magnaboss tells me that the reason behind all of this secrecy on Cybertron isn't because of any threat to the general population, or any matters between the Predacons and Maximals. He really doesn't mind that the Predacons know about the mission, or that Darkwave is 'countering' the mission. I really wouldn't be too shocked if they were coordinating. The reason behind all the secrecy, is that the Magnaboss doesn't want his wife to know." He takes a moment to scan the crowd, wondering if they already understand the implications. "If you don't follow the internal politics of the Magna-family I won't bother you. Just, so you know, she IS an Autobot, and she's SENSITIVE. So what I assume you're gonna find... is a lot of dead Autobots." His tone was grave. "Probably dead Decepticons, too, but mainly, dead Autobots. He doesn't like to trouble her consitution with that kind of upset, and, to be frank, this is Fortress Maximus we might be talking about, here." Jax's voice almost breaks at the prospect, but he straightens up, and continues. "Because of that, I'm adding one more task to your mission." He pointed to the wall behind the group. Directly and strategically across from the security camera, an enormous flag spanned across the wall: a red Autobot symbol blazing on a white field. "Your ship is being stocked with a crate of those. Our Autobot heroes deserve to have their graves marked." He smiled weakly, and added, "Of course, there's nothin' in the box big enough to throw over Max, but, you get the idea.
"If you have any questions I promise I'll answer with everything I know."
Velocity blinked his green robotmode optics as he slowly digested the information, trying his best to make sense of it. He had been brought here just for that very purpose—to figure out the mission. As he thought, Velocity brought a hand to his head and slowly pinched his ear. A throbbing of pain from his ear told him that this was indeed real.
This is loco! the dog thought in amazement as he glanced around the room. Why am I here? And to think, I was worried about people smelling High-O on me. They won't even notice me; I'm nothing in this whole thing. This involves the past and...my ancestors? The Autobots? It's also got death...and the possibility of pain if there are any Decepticons...
Then again, we are just scouts. I'm good at scouting. This'll be fine.
The short Transmetal shifted nervously, waiting for anyone to ask a question. His head was filled half with pain from his residual headache and half with doubts of his own abilities. That left little room for questions.
Jynx exploded in a burst of laughter!! "So yer saying, I signed up for this here trip out of a mixture of concern and curiousity, only to find out it's so mysterious because the Big Guy upstairs—" Jynx waved at the camera— "doesn't want the missus to know? Hey, is one of the missing Autobots an ex-lover of hers or sumthin?'
For such a throwaway question, the general seemed to spend an uncharacteristic amount of time considering the response. "Highly improbable," he finally settled on. "...Probably not."
"But anyways," Jynx continued, "to get a bit more serious about this here matter... Dead 'bots on a planet called Nebulos, eh? Why were they there in the first place?'
"It was the Great War, son. Why were we ANYWHERE?" He gave a moment for it to sink in, seeing if Jynx would catch on. "Resources. Energon."
Velocity glanced nervously at Jynx as the catbot laughed and he repressed a shiver. The dogbot gave a glance at the camera, as if he expected Magnaboss to jump out of it and smite them. Still, the chihuahua was rather interested in the answers, so he didn't interrupt.
Snarler sat in the background and was torn between delight and anxiety. On one hand if the Autobots were in charge of Nebulos he would get a chance to see his ancestors and find out about the era of the Great War from them. However, if the Decepticons were in charge, then they would most likely not be coming back.
Krunch spoke up from his position in the back of the room. He remained at ease as he continued to lean against the wall.
"Sir, how are we going to know if these characters are up-graded and how will we know the difference, especially if no one has been in contact with them for a while?" asked the sergeant.
"They aren't upgraded as far as we know. If something has changed, you'll have to deal with it when you come to it. That's about all I can tell you."
"Also," added Silverquick, "do we know anything about the atmospheric conditions?"
"Specifically? No." The general shook his head. "Unconfirmed, bad." He added, "If the air quality's so poor that nothing could survive, then there's no point in trying to land there at all."
Viracide patently waited his turn then he asked his question, "What about those Predacons? Do we want them to come with us?"
"Do you?" the general asked. "They have a ship of their own, don't they?" He sighed. "Personally I don't like it, but I had orders to allow them to dock here. And Magnaboss seemed to be expecting them. In all likelihood...they're on the mission too. It might be a different mission, but it's all going the same place." His voice dropped. "If the planet's full of living 'cons, and the Preds side with them...slag 'em if you can. If they get agressive, don't take it lying down. If they're there to bury their dead... just let 'em. That's about all I can say."
"What about Starscream?" Snarler mentioned. "You never know; he might come in handy if we do bump into some of his old comrades."
Jax's eyes narrowed, and he snapped straight into attention, almost reaching for his weapon. "Starscream?" He blinked, snapped out of it, and turned his head to the side, a dog-like mannerism. But before he could go into any deeper questioning, Silverquick began to speak again.
"I don't understand why we weren't privileged to have this information before we left Cybertron, but it really doesn't matter. I appreciate your candor, General." Silverquick stood, and turned towards the door. Before he reached it, he looked back at Jax. "Is there a specific time when the Magnaboss wants us to depart? My crew could use a bit of R&R, but I'd like to get this over with."
"As soon as the ship is stocked, you'll all have a rest cycle, then you'll be off first thing. Tomorrow, 0900 Cybertropolis Standard." Jaxtrin stood at full attention. "You are all dismissed." He looked over to Snarler, and met his gaze. "Except you. Obviously we need to talk about this."
—AF, BB, MdJ, LA, LB, JA, DT
Krunch could tell that the briefing was about over from the way the General was talking. The sergeant didn't care for Jax's relaxed attitude. He got the impression that the high-ranking officer didn't give a pile of bolts about the mission. Jax seemed more like an apathetic messenger. That bothered Krunch, given his military programming. He certainly had missed out on a lot while being in stasis.
Snarler's comment gave the soldier an idea. As much as he despised Starscream, the little Maximal with the Decepticon spark had piqued his interest.
I wonder what that skid-plate is up to? he thought. Krunch went to the nearest soldier, asking where Kitfox had been taken.
"Magnaboss' office at the top of the tower, sir," the station grunt responded.
—JA, AF