Transformers: Eradication

Part 37: Don't Touch The Electric Fence

Motormaster is driving through the streets quickly. He takes no care for anything in front of him, it just gets run over.

"Careful there, I don't think we want attention."

"You have no authority over me. It would be best that you realize that."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Motormaster transforms to scan the area. Vortex is growing concerned with Motormaster's erratic behavior. He is pushing cars aside and looking under every crevice for Optimus Prime.

"Are you sure you should be looking there? I doubt Optimus Prime is hiding underneath a car.,"

"One can never be so sure."

"Shouldn't we be calling in? We should at least let everyone know we're still alive.

Motormaster looks at Vortex and slowly crushes the communicator Starscream gave them in his hand. He approaches the frightened Vortex, who is fearing for his life.

(trembling) "Oh no..... am I going to die?"

"No."

(falls to his knees) "Oh thank god! But why did you break it?"

"I do not trust everyone else. You are the one I rely on the most."

"Really? That's a huge compliment coming from you. But I have to know why."

"Because you follow orders like a soldier should. We are both soldiers, warriors who lust for combat."

"And your lust is to fight the Prime guy."

"It is my destiny. Our battle will be glorious, but I shall be victorious. I will stand over his cold corpse triumphant. His friends will all remember that I, Motormaster, king of the road was the one who did it."

"Sounds great, but we can't even find this guy. Heck we don't even know if he exists."

"If he doesn't exist then Starscream will cease to exist."

"Go easy on the guy. He did make us after all."

"He has no clue how to handle true power."

"And you do?"

"Yes. I know you all see me as some violent monster, but there is more to it than that."

"If I am allowed to speak freely the whole nearly killing us thing didn't sit well with the rest of us. We're all afraid of you. Maybe not Dead-end. That guy is weird."

"Fear is what keeps the weak in line. They know that any mistakes can be... fatal."

"We get the message."

"And your honesty is appreciated, Vortex. Come, Optimus Prime awaits."

"Yeah sure, M&M."

"Don't call me that. Ever."

(nodding violently) "Yeah sure! By the way I got a question."

"Oh? Spit it out then."

"If you wanted to find Optimus Prime we needed the communicators. I mean what would happen if they found him first?

Motormaster realizes that Vortex is right about his mistake. He angrily grabs a car and throws it obscenely high in the sky. It lands so far away that it hits Waspinator, who is flying next to Splicer.

"Why universe hate Waspinator?"

"I don't think it hates you, but it might thoroughly dislike you."

(sarcastic) "Waspinator is so lucky."

On Cybertron Shockwave is trying to have some sense of normality despite the loss of the Driller and the devastation of his tower. The Vehicons working there find the prototype of Optimus's flight gear.

Vehicon: "We found this for you, my lord. Perhaps you can use this to study and improve for your own use."

Shockwave in a surprising move shoots the gear, making it explode.

Knockout: "Someone has some issues."

Shock: "Can you blame him? He has lost something important to him. I understand his pain, but I wish he was mourning over someone more important."

Knockout: "I still can't believe those Predacon incubation pods don't have a scratch on them. I'm not even that lucky!"

Shock: "Fate is on our side."

Knockout "Speaking of fated events are you sure that your source is reliable?"

Shock: "The most reliable. Today will be a day to remember."

With everything going on they do not realize that they are being watched from afar. In the mist on the east side an unidentified Decepticon with his arms crossed watches them. The mist obscures him, but the few distinguishable features are the strange spikes around the shoulders and the mohawk. The Decepticon transforms into a floating motorcycle and drives off to parts unknown.

Back on Earth Mirage, Sideswipe, and Jolt are driving with Ace, Tyrone, and agent Fowler. Their path is surprisingly clear.

Ace: "This is too quiet. I'm not liking it."

Mirage: "Action is most often done in the shadows."

Fowler: "Keep looking. Someone is going to pop their ugly mug in front of us sooner or later."

Jolt: "You mean like that guy?"

One of the three Skywarp clones drops down in front of them.

Side: "Yeah just like that guy."

Mirage: "Agent Fowler, can you kindly get out so I may clear this obstacle?"

Fowler: "Of course, but you know we're going to help out too."

Mirage: "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Side: "Tyrone, move to the back seat and fire my weapons."

Tyrone: "Just drive steady."

Ace: "Bring it!"

The clone engages the six, and it opens by hitting Jolt in the chest. It fires at Mirage, but he jumps and flips to dodge them all. Sideswipe transforms into his stealth-force mode, and Tyrone mans the canon in the back. Mirage and Sideswipe's fire keep the clone at bay. Jolt appears from behind and holds the clone in place with his whips. Ace and Fowler take the front to pelt the clone with fire. Like the clone that kept Astrotrain in line this one has far superior intelligence. It grabs Jolt's whips and slams him on the ground. Sideswipe and Tyrone drive up to fire in its chest, but the clone kicks him. They are set into the air, and Sideswipe quickly changes from a convertable to a roof to keep Tyrone from falling out. The clone fires more missiles at Mirage, and he jumps on each of them to gain more air. He gets high enough the slash the clone in the face. The clone grabs him and throws him off, but Mirage lands on his feet. Mirage fires a sniper shot in one of the eyes to partially blind it. During the distraction Mirage does a knee slide and cuts at the right knee to force it down. Jolt whips it in the back, and Fowler takes out the other eye. Sideswipe and Tyrone gun it down where it is on its back trying to crawl away. Tyrone blows off its right leg, and Ace finishes it off by blasting a hole through its head.

Ace: "And that's how it's done."

Fowler: "That one still counts as mine."

Tyrone: "Man I was pulling all the weight."

Mirage: "These humans never cease to amuse me."

Side: "They proved themselves in that fight."

Mirage: "That they did. Let's hope they keep that trend going."

Back in Central Park the other Constructicons bar Rampage have awakened. Longhaul is forced to have him hauled on his back while he is driving. That is not the true issue because as the leave the park Swoop, Slag, and Sludge enter.

Swoop: "We got nothing."

Slag: "You're nothing!"

Swoop: "Now that was just plain rude."

Sludge: "Me Sludge can taste colors."

Swoop: "And now we're back in weird territory again."

The three walk near the lake, and suddenly a sphere of electricity surrounds the park. A shrill cackling is heard around them. They look for the source of the laughter, and they don't have far to search because Shrapnel drops down to face them.

Swoop: 'Shrapnel!"

Shrapnel: "That's right Dinobot! None of you are going to make it out alive alive!"

Swoop: "You really think your electricity can hurt any of us? Watch this."

Swoop transforms and flies to escape the sphere of electricity. Unfortunately Swoop underestimates the power of Shrapnel and he gets shocked. He crashes to the ground.

Sludge: "He escaped."

Swoop: "Do me a solid and stop talking, Sludge."

Shrapnel: "I'll do you all a solid and silence you forever forever!"

Shrapnel fires a concentrated bolt of electricity straight into Slag, and Swoop tries to fly into Shrapnel. Shrapnel puts an electric forcefield around himself to avoid damage. Swoop keeps trying to break through. Swoop's hand breaks through the barrier reaching out but still getting damage. After forcing himself through Shrapnel rolls out of the way. Sludge transforms and makes an earthquake. Shrapnel transforms and flies onto Sludge's back. The beetle's mandibles clamp down on Sludge's long neck Sludge shakes him loose, and Shrapnel lands on his feet. He didn't see Slag coming, and he gets hit by his club. He then gets hit by Swoop's mace and Sludge's warhammer. The battered Insecticon flies out of range to avoid getting hit, and he fires bolts of electricity on the ground below.

Slag: "Get down here, bitch!"

Shrapnel: "Never!"

Shrapnel traps Slag in a barrier by conducting his energy across the nearby lights in the park. He tries to break free but hurts himself. Instead of trying out a new strategy he keeps trying to charge through. Swoop is the only one that can reach him. He flies to combat Shrapnel firing blasts of fire to breach his defenses. They both hit each other and go down. And that in turn breaks Shrapnel's concentration, freeing Slag. Sludge sees Shrapnel about to recover so he transforms into his dinosaur form and fires lasers from his eyes. The lasers blow off both of Shrapnel's wings. He falls to the ground, and before Sludge can move in to attack Shrapnel fires a full-power blast from his antennas to launch Sludge high in the sky and makes him exit the park entirely. That attack did train him, so he was completely vulnerable for Slag to transform and impale him with his horns. Slag shakes his head violently to give him more pain, and Shrapnel screams in pure agony. He eventually gets thrown into the lake. He slowly gets up, and Swoop sees a downed power line at the edge of the park. He flies over, carries it, and jams it into the lake. The electricity meets Shrapnel, and he gets horribly elctroctuted. Shrapnel disappears underwater, but his screams can still be heard. It's like the fourth of July in the water, and then it stops. Swoop and slag exchange a glance, but then they see Shrapnel's body resurface. His back comes up, and his arms are drooped down like someone who drowned.

Swoop: "Well I'm glad that's over."

Slag: "Me Slag have unfinished business."

Slag begins to lubricate on Shrapnel's body, but he forgot the power line is still in the lake so he gets electrocuted too.

Swoop: "That's karma for you."

Slag: "Shut up!"

Suddenly a ground bridge opens underneath Slag's feet, and he falls through. Slag is sent to a small island in the middle of nowhere. In a hilarious coincidence it is the same island that Ironhide was transported to in Enslavement. Speaking of which Soundwave is the culprit behind Slag's disappearance. He is trying to do the same to Swoop. Swoop fires a blast, but Soundwave activates a bridge in front of him and another behind Swoop to redirect it to his back. The downed Swoop would have been dead, but a giant fireball strikes Soundwave in the back, moderately damaging him. It's Grimlock to the rescue. Soundwave knows this is fight he may not win and becomes his liquid spheres to retreat. Grimlock helps Swoop us and discusses the recent events.

"Good thing I got here when I did."

"I would have been a goner. Thanks."

"Where are Slag and Sludge?"

"Sludge is who knows where and Slag was teleported away."

"They'll be fine. For right now let's focus on helping the others.

"Lead the way."

Two Insecticons are defeated and one is captured. Bombshell however is still the smartest of the bunch, and you can be sure he has a score to settle with Megatron.