Frozen in Prime

Toxicity

Aboard the Nemesis, Megatron stepped into a large room that housed the Insecticon Hive. "Who is the fiercest among you?" The warlord asked.

"There is no greater ferocity than an Insecticon Hive. But if you were to choose one among us, I am Hardshell." Hardshell the Insecticon landed behind Megatron. His helm was covered in scars. "You will retrieve something for me, Hardshell. And annihilate everything that gets in your way!" Megatron said.
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3 Insecticons flew through a Ground-Bridge, with Hardshell walking through last. "Divide, and do not hesitate to conquer." Hardshell ordered.

"Jack, Miko, and Elsa will accompany Arcee and Bumblebee." Optimus said. "Yes!" Miko said. "Initiate transport and triangulate coordinates of the other 3 relics." Optimus said to Ratchet. "That was some trick, Miko." Bulkhead said. "You mean swiping intel from right under Megatron's nose? Just doing my part for Team Prime." Miko said, and Bee's horn honked.

"Oh, gotta go, Bulk. I'll tell you all about it when we get back." Miko ran to Jack, Elsa, Bee, and Arcee, and entered the scout. "Wait up!" She called.

"Take care of her, Bee." "Take care of him, Miko." Bulkhead and Raf said at the same time. "Bye-bye." Anna said. The Ground-Bridge opened, and Jack, Miko, Elsa, Bumblebee, and Arcee drove through.

"Bulkhead, Cyclonus, Jetfire, Chromia, prepare for departure." Optimus said. "You four are headed for the equator." Ratchet said. "I'll prep for troptical weather Wrecker style." Bulkhead said. "As long as I'm not frozen or roasted by the Sun first." Cyclonus joked.

The Ground-Bridge reactivated. "Rafael and Agent Fowler will be your communications and transportation hub." Optimus said. "I can haz cheezeburger. Guh!" Agent Fowler rambled. "Communications, huh?" Jetfire asked.

"Be on your guard, Autobots." Optimus said. The four Autobots walked through the Ground-Bridge and emerged on the other side near a volcano. "Augh, what is that stench?" Chromia asked as she waved a servo. "Smells worse than the Decepticon barracks," Bulkhead said. "This is a good place to hide a relic." Cyclonus said.

The Autobots started walking around. "Base, we can't find any sign of the relic. Can you reconfirm coordinates?" Bulkhead asked. "Triangulating your positions, Bulkhead. You're all at the correct location." Raf said as a woozy Agent Fowler stumbled by. "Need coffee." He groaned.

"Then the coordinates are wrong, 'cause there's nothing here." Bulkhead said. A faint noise got their attention. "But something's coming." Bulkhead said. An Insecticon flew towards them, and they fired at it. The Insecticon collided with Bulkhead and threw him into Cyclonus as it transformed into Hardshell.

Hardshell attacked Bulkhead, but the Wrecker pushed him off. "Leave it to Megatron to send a bug to do his dirty work." Bulkhead said. "You know a thing or two about dirty work yourself, Wrecker." Hardshell said. "Do I know you?" Bulkhead asked.

"I know your kind as I have crushed more than a few Wreckers in my time." Hardshell said. "There is a problem with bugs your size. They make a bigger mess when you squish them." Chromia said. Bulkhead roared as he readied his maces and hit Hardshell, but the Insecticon caught his mace, hit him back before tossing Bulkhead into the ground.

The Autobots shot Hardshell, but he punched Bulkhead and Cyclonus, then backhanded Jetfire. One of Chromia's podshots hit one of Hardshell's mandibles. The Insecticon howled as the mandible fell off. Hardshell fell to the ground, unmoving. "I hate bugs." Cyclonus said. Bulkhead looked at the direction Hardshell was facing. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Jetfire asked.