Chapter 58: Lockdown, the Decepticon
"Roar! Hurrah!"
After being freed by his companion, the red-eyed creature trembled violently, as if trying to transform into robot mode. Yet no matter how much it shook, it remained trapped in its beast form...this Decepticon seemed to have lost the ability to speak.
"Poor thing, do you still recognize me? I'm Lockdown. What's your name?"
It turned out that the first one to be resurrected was a Decepticon warrior with a long history...a veteran, even an elder once under Megatron himself. No one could have expected to find such an old warrior on this primitive, unknown planet.
"Roar!"
"Chirr... chirr... chirr!"
Perhaps realizing it couldn't transform, the mechanical panther looked at Lockdown with pleading optics. It likely wanted its companion's help to restore its transformation ability.
However, Decepticons are inherently selfish Transformers. Why would Lockdown help without something in return? Once his own energy had mostly recovered, Lockdown ascended toward Starscream and the two Dinobots hovering in the space above.
Logically, meeting others of his kind should at least warrant a greeting, right? But for some reason, as soon as he sensed the Dinobots' energy, Lockdown instinctively tensed. His head shifted and reformed into a massive laser cannon equipped with a remote targeting system.
"Huh? So these are the two. I didn't expect those Autobots to still be alive...how troublesome. How about a little game? You want your transformation ability back, don't you? There are two Dinobots here, one badly injured. If we can take them down, we'll install their transformation converter into you. Understand?"
As Lockdown analyzed the situation, he fixed his gaze on the beast beside him. What exactly was he planning?
Whoosh!
Perhaps driven by Lockdown's words...or simply by its desperation to regain its original form...the fierce black mechanical panther nodded immediately and fired two green beams upward at the ceiling. It seemed to be scanning for its prey!
The energy fluctuations from below couldn't escape the detection systems of any Transformer. Starscream instantly received a warning.
"Host, looks like our two underground friends aren't exactly friendly. You'd better prepare for battle...at least one of them is hostile!"
Things were becoming increasingly unpredictable. This primitive planet...unknown even in the Cybertronian records...had suddenly become quite lively.
Now, not only were the Decepticons present, but the Autobots had arrived as well. Even more shocking, two unknown Decepticon warriors lurked beneath the city...ones Starscream had never encountered before. What secrets was this world hiding?
Boom!
Among Transformers, greetings were rarely polite...combat was their true language.
Almost simultaneously, once both sides locked onto their targets, Starscream and Darts detected intense thermal signatures rising from below. The enemy had already opened fire!
Starscream and Darts counterattacked immediately. The first and second layers of the underground complex fused together in the blast...no need for stairs now. Within a single minute, five Transformers stood face to face.
"You're ruthless! I barely got close before you opened fire. Judging by your markings, you seem to be one of us...Decepticons. I'm Starscream. And who might you be?"
Though the encounter had begun with explosions instead of introductions, both sides cautiously lowered their weapons, refraining from a second round.
"Starscream? Never heard of you. A new Decepticon warrior, perhaps? Because before I left Cybertron, there was no record of you at all."
Wow. This guy...forgotten long ago...was quite the arrogant veteran. He'd attacked without warning, not even letting Starscream get a word in.
But the real concern wasn't the old Decepticon's attitude...it was the black mechanical leopard at his side. Those sharp fangs and spiked claws… they looked familiar.
The scars across the Dinobot Sludge's body, the two puncture holes in the underside of his head… there was no mistaking it. Those marks belonged to this beast's fangs.
"Very well! Seems you're not one to be trifled with. Can you tell me what happened in this human dungeon? I found a friend here, but his memory database is severely damaged. If you could fill me in on the basics, it would help."
Though Starscream and this stranger had never met...and despite the other's disdain toward him...Starscream still responded courteously.
"My name is Lockdown. I may belong to the Decepticons, but my dream is to be an independent bounty hunter. I'll spare your life today since you're one of us...but those two Autobot Dinobots won't be so lucky. If you don't want to be torn apart, get out of my way."
Though the Decepticons and Autobots were locked in an irreconcilable war back on Cybertron, Starscream doubted this hostile Decepticon was here for that reason.
"Very well! Seems you won't tell me easily. Then, as the younger one, I'll have to offend you. Maybe if we 'talk' a different way, you'll answer all my questions."
Red Spider (Starscream) wasn't one to back down. He had anticipated this...and this time, he'd brought plenty of ammunition.
(End of Chapter)
New chapters of Hunter x Hunter :Eternal Will Today in PATREON