Chapter 20: Starscream's Secret Contact
"Damn Autobots! Do they still call themselves the army of justice? Is this what the righteous Transformers would do? All Decepticons attack! Destroy these cursed Autobots!"
Maverick's outburst greatly angered Megatron.
This guy was truly double-faced. He allowed his own subordinates to do whatever they pleased, yet couldn't stand seeing the Autobots fight back.
When he saw Shockwave completely captured by Maverick, Megatron immediately ordered a full-scale assault.
Of course, he wasn't doing it to save Shockwave. Talking sense into Decepticons was never easy.
But Maverick had sabotaged Megatron's plans too many times, humiliating the Decepticon leader.
So today, Megatron swore he would wipe out every last Autobot, ensuring no one would threaten his peace again perhaps then he could rest easy in the days to come on Cybertron.
"Understood! We've been waiting for this moment! Let's dismantle every Autobot here and turn them into specimens for future generations to admire!"
"That's right, but it's such a waste to dismantle those female Autobots so quickly, don't you think?"
"Idiot. Do you think of anything else? Lord Soundwave has already studied the Fire Converter. Once the time comes, we'll extract the fire from those Autobots and rebuild them in Decepticon style. Then you'll get to see beautiful Decepticons!"
"Hahaha! Then we've got even more reason to kill that Optimus Prime today. Just seeing him makes my circuits burn with rage!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I've heard Optimus Prime is a high-level warrior who can fight Lord Megatron for a hundred rounds and still put him on the defensive. Save your energy. You'll be lucky if you manage to take down Ironhide!"
These ordinary Decepticons sure were arrogant.
Did they really think Optimus Prime and Ironhide were that easy to defeat? They truly underestimated them.
Even Megatron himself wasn't an equal match for Optimus Prime in a duel how could these first-generation Decepticons stand a chance?
"What are you fools mumbling about? Didn't you hear Megatron's order for a full assault? Check your weapons and gear! I'll be launching air-to-ground missiles at the Autobot front!"
Just as these flying Decepticons circled the battlefield, showing off and boasting, the Decepticon Air Commander Starscream arrived and promptly knocked some sense into them, silencing the group.
It was unclear whether Starscream wanted to prove Megatron's incompetence, hoping the leader would personally step in to resolve the chaos or whether he had another plan entirely.
His bombing targets were chosen carefully. Not a single Autobot would be harmed, but the explosions engulfed the area in flames and thick smoke. Visibility dropped to nearly zero, and radar was blinded by the interference.
The other Decepticon pilots, well aware of Starscream's temperament, dared not question him. Crossing Starscream and angering Megatron at once would be disastrous. They obeyed his orders to the letter.
No one noticed that, as the Autobot front lines disappeared beneath smoke and dust, a crimson aircraft quietly infiltrated the area.
It was a risky move but Starscream had no other choice if he wanted to reach Optimus Prime.
Unfortunately, instead of Optimus, he ran into the Grand Commander, still standing strong amidst the chaos.
"Decepticon brat! Your path ends here! You have two choices be smashed by my fist, or become my prisoner! Maybe the energy in your body, like Shockwave's before you, will keep me functioning a little longer!"
Starscream, who had risked his life to reach the Autobots, found himself intercepted by this titan of a warrior.
What a bitter twist of fate…
"Grand Commander, do you really think you can break through this siege with your current strength? Your only chance is to retreat through the route I Starscream have opened for you! You don't have much time left, big guy. Take me to Optimus Prime now, and everything will make sense when you see him!"
Though he wasn't sure if it would work, Starscream tried to reason with the Autobot warrior before him, speaking with as much sincerity as he could muster.
To his surprise, the Autobot's face showed genuine shock.
"You you're Megatron's right hand! Why should I trust you?"
"Then go find Elita. She can confirm my identity. If I hadn't cooperated with her last time, do you really think you could've rescued your team so easily? And if I hadn't disrupted the situation from within, do you think Megatron would've withdrawn so quickly?"
This was a matter of life and death for the Autobots and for Starscream, a crucial step toward completing the mission assigned by his system.
Even if his chances were slim, he had to earn their trust somehow. Deep down, Starscream sensed that Optimus Prime might already be listening to their entire exchange.
"Commander Meng, even if we don't fully trust Starscream, based on our earlier battlefield analysis, if we continue defending like this, the probability of our total annihilation exceeds 95%.
At the very least, let him show us the map of Fang County on Cybertron's outskirts!"
As expected, the Autobots' internal communication systems were still fully connected, allowing instant tactical updates across the battlefield.
A single misstep could mean total defeat and likewise, one small Decepticon error could give these elite Autobots a chance to escape.
"Starscream, I've already briefed Optimus Prime on your situation.
If your intentions are real, open your map and show it to me. I'll transmit it to my comrades!"
"Understood."
Though Commander Meng still wore a cautious expression, the Autobots had no other choice at this point.
(End of Chapter)