Varuna
Minor Planet 20000 Varuna
Present Day
It sat ill with Starscream to huddle in the shadows of the ruddy-grey rockball and wait among their gathered forces for yet more Decepticons to arrive from the depths of space, but Shockwave had issued his orders. Just now Starscream had no desire to disobey them. That was a rare occurrence, and one not likely to happen again, but if Starscream was adept at anything at all in the universe, it was survival. And just now, he was absolutely, positively certain that countermanding Shockwave's orders would be the end of whoever was fool enough to try. Primus knew Skywarp and Thundercracker were flying perilously close to that line...
- Skywarp, - he heard the cycloptic mech's tightly pulsed signal go out. - Thundercracker. Report to my position at once. - A moment later, a more focused burst of signal added, - Aerospace Commander, I suggest you do so as well. -
It didn't have the feel of the kind of 'suggestion' Megatron used to give. Those had inevitably been laden with barely leashed wrath. This... Starscream could have been mistaken, but he thought he detected a faint trace of smugness in it. That alone was enough to make him wary; he signaled his acceptance and launched himself into the black Varuna sky. What was Shockwave planning?
Shockwave had set up his coordination post on the lip of an ice-lined crater overlooking a broad, flat, dusty plain. There weren't many strategic views to be had on the pathetic rockball, but he'd managed to find one. As Starscream approached he sent out a brief ping of greeting to the two other flyers. Of all the mechs on Cybertron, Skywarp and Thundercracker came closest to being mechs he actually liked. Not that the emotion ran deep enough to intervene with Shockwave just yet, of course- but still. He landed a little distance away from the two and noted, - Good luck, you two. -
- With what? - answered Skywarp- but before he could answer, Shockwave rose to his feet, and all three went silent.
- I have had word from Soundwave, - said the ancient mech. - The Autobots are preparing. -
- Yes? So? - said Skywarp, optic shutters briefly slanting in confusion.
Thundercracker winced, shoulder servos drawing closer together. Starscream didn't envy him. He could see where this was about to go.
And Shockwave didn't disappoint. -They are preparing, - he said tightly, - for us. They know we are coming. -
- So what? - said Skywarp, and even Starscream had to wince at that. Skywarp was a brilliant aerialist and absolutely deadly in combat, but at times he had all the sense of a drone. - There's what, seven of them on Earth? We outnumber them by- -
- THAT IS NOT THE POINT, - Shockwave's signal crackled. Skywarp went silent. - When I give an order I expect it to be obeyed, Skywarp, and I ordered complete silence on all potentially Earth-bound frequencies. -
Skywarp started to formulate a reply, but Thundercracker spoke first. - I should have stopped him, Adjutant, - he said. - The blame- -
- Is not his alone, - Shockwave acknowledged. - Especially given that the signal in question included names. Not only are the Autobots aware of our arrival, but they know who's coming. And who leads them.
Thundercracker didn't say anything. He only resettled his shoulders and nodded. He knew, if Skywarp didn't, where and how to pick his battles.
- Understand this, - said Shockwave, coming a step forward and no further. - I had planned on such a contingency. This breach of protocol is not a defeat for us; we will not fail. - His lone optic gleamed. - However. -
Starscream's sensors were so focused on the scene before him that Omega Supreme could have stood up behind him and he wouldn't have noticed.
- I dislike having to change tactics because of abject stupidity. It's a waste of resources and perfectly good planning. - Shockwave's head swiveled from Thundercracker to Skywarp, then back again. - And I will not see further chances to take this planet squandered by those who presume themselves secure. -
Skywarp and Thundercracker didn't dare look away from Shockwave's gaze, but they exchanged a brief, silent ping of worry.
- We will find where the humans have left Lord Megatron. We will retrieve him and bring back his Spark. And when we do, I intend to present him with his army of conquest- at full strength. - It was difficult to say, but Shockwave might possibly have glanced Starscream's way as he said it. - But that strength will be in the form I choose. -
He raised his hand and pointed, almost negligently, to the ice sheet that lined the crater interior. For a moment there was nothing, only light and shadow; then the shadows began to move, creeping, flowing together, heaving upwards. The glimmer of starlight from the Varuna sky glimmered off thousands of shards of silently broken ice as a carpet of something scurried over rock and ice alike to pool itself at Shockwave's feet.
Skywarp swore. Thundercracker stepped reflexively backwards.
- There is more than one way to make use of a mech who won't obey orders, - said Shockwave calmly. - Our parts can be broken down into all kinds of combinations with the right skill. In my research into ancient Cybertronian history I found more than a few secrets long lost. One of them was a means of producing and controlling an almost infinite number of mindless, sparkless surveillance and infiltration drones. Individually they aren't much, but en masse, they have the firepower and destructive capability of any one of you. I call them the Swarm. -
A trickle of glittering blackness raced up one of Shockwave's legs, across and around his torso, and up onto his shoulder from behind, where it sat still. Starscream was almost sure he could see scores of tiny, brilliant red optics peering out of that mass.
- The process of rendering a mech down into their equivalent mass of Swarm-bots is annoyingly complicated, and gives me another duty when I am already busy, - said Shockwave. - So I would prefer not to have to invoke it. But I will, if you fail our cause again. Am I understood? -
- Yes, Adjutant, - answered Skywarp and Thundercracker simultaneously.
- Good, - said Shockwave. - Now. I will require a planetary blockade of Earth before we proceed any further. The Autobots and their human allies are not to gain any more resources than they already have. Neither are they to be allowed to marshal their forces. Summon the others for me, all three of you. We have a disposition of forces to discuss before we reclaim our Lord and bring the third rock from Sol to its knees. -
Starscream shook himself, hard, and launched himself into the black sky again. Anything to get out of the ancient mech's line of sight.
Present Day
It sat ill with Starscream to huddle in the shadows of the ruddy-grey rockball and wait among their gathered forces for yet more Decepticons to arrive from the depths of space, but Shockwave had issued his orders. Just now Starscream had no desire to disobey them. That was a rare occurrence, and one not likely to happen again, but if Starscream was adept at anything at all in the universe, it was survival. And just now, he was absolutely, positively certain that countermanding Shockwave's orders would be the end of whoever was fool enough to try. Primus knew Skywarp and Thundercracker were flying perilously close to that line...
- Skywarp, - he heard the cycloptic mech's tightly pulsed signal go out. - Thundercracker. Report to my position at once. - A moment later, a more focused burst of signal added, - Aerospace Commander, I suggest you do so as well. -
It didn't have the feel of the kind of 'suggestion' Megatron used to give. Those had inevitably been laden with barely leashed wrath. This... Starscream could have been mistaken, but he thought he detected a faint trace of smugness in it. That alone was enough to make him wary; he signaled his acceptance and launched himself into the black Varuna sky. What was Shockwave planning?
Shockwave had set up his coordination post on the lip of an ice-lined crater overlooking a broad, flat, dusty plain. There weren't many strategic views to be had on the pathetic rockball, but he'd managed to find one. As Starscream approached he sent out a brief ping of greeting to the two other flyers. Of all the mechs on Cybertron, Skywarp and Thundercracker came closest to being mechs he actually liked. Not that the emotion ran deep enough to intervene with Shockwave just yet, of course- but still. He landed a little distance away from the two and noted, - Good luck, you two. -
- With what? - answered Skywarp- but before he could answer, Shockwave rose to his feet, and all three went silent.
- I have had word from Soundwave, - said the ancient mech. - The Autobots are preparing. -
- Yes? So? - said Skywarp, optic shutters briefly slanting in confusion.
Thundercracker winced, shoulder servos drawing closer together. Starscream didn't envy him. He could see where this was about to go.
And Shockwave didn't disappoint. -They are preparing, - he said tightly, - for us. They know we are coming. -
- So what? - said Skywarp, and even Starscream had to wince at that. Skywarp was a brilliant aerialist and absolutely deadly in combat, but at times he had all the sense of a drone. - There's what, seven of them on Earth? We outnumber them by- -
- THAT IS NOT THE POINT, - Shockwave's signal crackled. Skywarp went silent. - When I give an order I expect it to be obeyed, Skywarp, and I ordered complete silence on all potentially Earth-bound frequencies. -
Skywarp started to formulate a reply, but Thundercracker spoke first. - I should have stopped him, Adjutant, - he said. - The blame- -
- Is not his alone, - Shockwave acknowledged. - Especially given that the signal in question included names. Not only are the Autobots aware of our arrival, but they know who's coming. And who leads them.
Thundercracker didn't say anything. He only resettled his shoulders and nodded. He knew, if Skywarp didn't, where and how to pick his battles.
- Understand this, - said Shockwave, coming a step forward and no further. - I had planned on such a contingency. This breach of protocol is not a defeat for us; we will not fail. - His lone optic gleamed. - However. -
Starscream's sensors were so focused on the scene before him that Omega Supreme could have stood up behind him and he wouldn't have noticed.
- I dislike having to change tactics because of abject stupidity. It's a waste of resources and perfectly good planning. - Shockwave's head swiveled from Thundercracker to Skywarp, then back again. - And I will not see further chances to take this planet squandered by those who presume themselves secure. -
Skywarp and Thundercracker didn't dare look away from Shockwave's gaze, but they exchanged a brief, silent ping of worry.
- We will find where the humans have left Lord Megatron. We will retrieve him and bring back his Spark. And when we do, I intend to present him with his army of conquest- at full strength. - It was difficult to say, but Shockwave might possibly have glanced Starscream's way as he said it. - But that strength will be in the form I choose. -
He raised his hand and pointed, almost negligently, to the ice sheet that lined the crater interior. For a moment there was nothing, only light and shadow; then the shadows began to move, creeping, flowing together, heaving upwards. The glimmer of starlight from the Varuna sky glimmered off thousands of shards of silently broken ice as a carpet of something scurried over rock and ice alike to pool itself at Shockwave's feet.
Skywarp swore. Thundercracker stepped reflexively backwards.
- There is more than one way to make use of a mech who won't obey orders, - said Shockwave calmly. - Our parts can be broken down into all kinds of combinations with the right skill. In my research into ancient Cybertronian history I found more than a few secrets long lost. One of them was a means of producing and controlling an almost infinite number of mindless, sparkless surveillance and infiltration drones. Individually they aren't much, but en masse, they have the firepower and destructive capability of any one of you. I call them the Swarm. -
A trickle of glittering blackness raced up one of Shockwave's legs, across and around his torso, and up onto his shoulder from behind, where it sat still. Starscream was almost sure he could see scores of tiny, brilliant red optics peering out of that mass.
- The process of rendering a mech down into their equivalent mass of Swarm-bots is annoyingly complicated, and gives me another duty when I am already busy, - said Shockwave. - So I would prefer not to have to invoke it. But I will, if you fail our cause again. Am I understood? -
- Yes, Adjutant, - answered Skywarp and Thundercracker simultaneously.
- Good, - said Shockwave. - Now. I will require a planetary blockade of Earth before we proceed any further. The Autobots and their human allies are not to gain any more resources than they already have. Neither are they to be allowed to marshal their forces. Summon the others for me, all three of you. We have a disposition of forces to discuss before we reclaim our Lord and bring the third rock from Sol to its knees. -
Starscream shook himself, hard, and launched himself into the black sky again. Anything to get out of the ancient mech's line of sight.