Transformers Prime: Stay Tuned

Chapter Five: Mission Failed

 Knock Out was the last to arrive at the emergency meeting. Optimus, in his moment of panic and desperation, found that he couldn't think clearly enough to decide the next course of action on his own. He needed to consult Team Prime. Quickly, he had dialed all of them, plus Kickback and Knock Out. Both former Decepticons could possess background information on the mechs that had taken Ratchet, and it couldn't hurt to have them around.

The red medic tiredly sat down at the table in between Wheeljack and Bumblebee, rubbing his optics. Optimus felt a guilty pang; Knock Out hadn't had a moment of rest since the accident, and had been treating injuries and fixing 'bots up all this time.

"What's going on, Chief?" Wheeljack was watching him closely. Optimus hadn't explained the situation, only called an emergency meeting. Everyone was looking to him expectantly.

The Prime tried to keep his servo from shaking as he set the datapad on the table. Inhaling, he spoke carefully, "Ratchet. . . Ratchet's been taken by Decepticons." There was a stunned silence.

"What?!"

"How do you know?"

"He was taken from our home, this was left behind. They intend on holding him hostage. I need your help in finding him." Optimus activated the datapad. "I recognize Thundercracker and Skywarp, but I don't recognize the third mech. Knock Out, Kickback, can either of you identify him?" He let the video play for a few seconds, until the small mech's face was in view, before pausing it.

A scoff left Knock Out. "That little twerp is Rumble. Never met him, but I spent enough time with Soundwave to know all about him."

"You're certain?"

"That's him alright. Megatron kept records, I can get the file. He left Soundwave and Megatron on a little quest for independence before everyone fled Cybertron, if I remember correctly. The Big M never liked him much."

"Please, retrieve the file." Optimus nodded. "We need to know who we are dealing with."

When Knock Out returned with the datapad, Optimus played the video for them. As it went along, all of the Autobots visibly grew angry and restless. Bulkhead seemed to have a hard time watching the clip, averting his optics and clenching his jaw. There was a silence when the video ended. "So, Megatron's got to be behind this, right?" Wheeljack broke it, and crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his optics. There was a certain I told you so that was on his glossa, and Optimus was glad he chose to keep it to himself.

"Wouldn't we have seen him?" Bumblebee pointed out. "Megatron doesn't hide, and Knock Out said that he disliked Rumble."

"Perhaps he doesn't want us to know that he's involved?" Kickback offered.

"I don't believe Megatron would dismiss a chance to throw his victory in Optimus' face. The mech's petty and cruel, if he was involved, he'd be right there beside Ratchet, dangling him in front of Optimus to tease him." As Knock Out spoke, he cringed at the way he put it, flashing the Prime an apologetic look.

Optimus couldn't look at any of them, and instead looked at his servos. They were trembling. "If we know where he has been taken, we can start planning a rescue."

"How can we find that, based off of the video?"

"Perhaps not from the video," the Prime closed his optics thoughtfully. "We know that Rumble, Skywarp and Thundercracker are involved. To start, we should search for their signals. If we're lucky, the Nemesis would've picked up their signals when they arrived at Cybertron. It may tell us where they are hiding."

"I'll start scanning." Bumblebee rose to his pedes. "Knock Out, I might need your assistance. You know how to locate Decepticons on this ship better than anyone here." The pair disappeared through the door, and there was another silence.