Sorry if this chapter is inconsistently detailed and paced, I am working on beefing up my writing, but some part of my brain won't let that happen, Also it is pure coincidence that most of my chapter titles so far start with R
Megatron began barking orders over the intercom as Shockwave finished programming the bridges, "Sergeant Bracken, prepare your troop for a hostile environment rescue operation, equip heat shields, plate cutters, and a medical stretcher. Insecticons will accompany you in order to salvage Bounceback's ship, report to the ground bridge and await further orders." he heard the vehicon commander's reply of "Yes Lord Megatron" before closing the comm.
Megatron smiled bitterly, the insecticons were something of a gift, courtesy of the late Airachnid. In the intervening year and a half since Soundwave turned traitor, Starscream ratted out Airachnid, telling him of her plans to use an entire hive of Insecticons against him. Megatron was initially furious that both of them had been plotting to usurp him, but he was pleasantly surprised that Starscream at least had some integrity left, even if it was just to get on his good side.
Airachnid's plans were swiftly put down, but in good grace, Megatron decided to give her a second chance, which she blew almost instantly when she tried to kill Breakdown on a scouting mission, luckily Dreadwing was sent to keep an eye on her and managed to catch her before she caused too much damage. It was somewhat amusing when Dreadwing came to the bridge, both hands tightly gripped around Airachnid, the black femme squirming in pain as her spider-like appendages were crushed against her back strut.
Megatron allowed Starscream the honor of executing the traitorous wretch, as a show of faith, and as an attempt to be more encouraging in his management tactics, he could not afford to scare off any more crew. Speaking of crew, "Sergeant Bracken, is your troop prepared?" "Yes, Lord Megatron." "Good, Shockwave will give you the details of your mission."
{Sgt. Bracken POV} The entire troop was silent as they listened to Shockwaves description of the mission, all vigilant and focused as each was given their roles. They were going to bridge to the spacebridge terminal which was currently on the far side of the planet, then taking that to bridge to a moon called Io, whose volcanic activity was not unlike the tides on this planet. Thus each member of the mission was equipped with a single use heat shield barrier, with an extra one to be used on the mech they were to rescue.
He looked over his shoulder at insecticon commander Hardshell, whom he respected very much, not simply because the brute could squash him, but because Hardshell was extremely intelligent compared to his animalistic compatriots, something that would come in handy to make sure they didn't all get scrapped.
He heard Megatron bark the order to begin, and they all marched forward as one, through the groundbridge and into the cavern which housed the spacebridge. The stifling heat coming through the spacebridge portal prompted them to activate their heat shields, they now had 2 hours to complete the mission before the shields ran out, which was plenty of time to work with.
None of them were prepared for what they saw when they stepped through onto the surface of Io. They were in a large valley the color of sulfur and rust, lava flows crept down the slopes, the burning ground gave off an awful stench that would have been suffocating if they had needed to breathe. The insecticons, however, didn't take it so well, they howled in pain, their sensitive olfactory sensors unable to handle it at first, even Hardshell was having some trouble. But once they got their bearings, they headed the only direction they could, forward.
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They had been walking for about 10 minutes before they turned a corner and saw a small ship lodged high in the canyon wall, just out of reach "Slag, how are we gonna get at it?" 5T3V3 grumbled, Bracken looked up, trying to figure that out, but before he could say anything, the ground quaked with the eruption of a volcano on the horizon in front of them. Some of the ash and dust kept going up, no longer held by Io's weak gravity, the rest of the large debris flew out in all directions, and one of those directions was straight at them. Panic gripped the commander momentarily before he gave the order to run. "Everyone scatter now!!"
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Shattered Ranks (A Transformers Prime Fanfiction) Discontinued : (
Action{(Non-Canon) Sequel to Ravages Return by Schizo Writer} Two years have passed since Jack went missing and the Autobots went quiet, Miko and Raf were forced to go on with their lives as if nothing had happened, but it isn't long before an unexpected...
