Nigeria - response to March Challenge at Transficsation
This is totally un-beta-d so please comment away and I'll update.
Title: Skimming the Surface
Universe: loosely G1 and the cartoon after the appearance of the Constructicons on Earth. Assumes the Ark is in Oregon so about 8 hours earlier there than at the scene.
Rated: PG? Could use feedback on rating - may post to fanfiction.net.
Pairing: none. Well, Jazz/Prowl in the background, if you squint really hard.
Author's Notes: Recognizable Characters/Names belong to Hasbro/Takara. I’m just playing with them. My airborne Starrunner makes his first appearance - he's not me just a namesake, one of my children.
==radio transmission==
"We are wasting more energy hovering here than we're collecting, wise leader," Starscream sniped in his most aggravating tone.
"You will follow my orders, Starscream, as closely as you try my patience," Megatron rumbled, scanning the horizon for any sign of observers. He had three Seekers in the air as sentries, two over land and the other over the ocean, but he knew well how easily they could overlook the very company he wanted. "Instead of grousing about my incompetence, you could turn that astonishing intellect of yours to deducing my motives for hovering with you over this..." he gestured disdainfully at the expanse of silt and mangrove stands, criscrossed with rivulets as the Niger river poured into the Atlantic, "this briny swamp."
***
==Cosmos to Ark, come in Ark==
Jazz's voice: ==Report, Cosmos m'man.==
Cosmos: ==Decepticon activity detected. It appears to be Megatron and four Seekers. Transmitting coordinates.==
Jazz: ==Three, there're three. Coordinates received. I'll relay 'em to Teletraan, see if we can't work out what they're after an' maybe crash their party. Keep an eye on 'em, Cosmos. Jazz out.==
Cosmos: ==Aye. Cosmos out.==
***
"Why can't you bring Soundwave on decoy duty? My talents are wasted here," whined the air commander, sloppily transferring the siphon line to another waiting transport cube and subspacing the full one.
"You don't find this sweet crude to your liking?" Megatron condescended, smirking at Starscream. "I'm certain Soundwave and his Cassetticons would appreciate your share of the energon it yields."
==Lord Megatron? Starrunner. Five unidentified Cybertronians approach by air from the west. Shall I hail them?==
Megatron smiled - he had to thank Shockwave for training his new Seeker to use that form of address which was Shockwave's own habit. ==No, do not engage, just watch them. Let me know when they are within my reach.== He scanned the air again.
==Yes, Lord Megatron.==
"We'll barely get enough energon from this to have even fueled our flight out here! Not nearly enough to justify all four of us as your bodyguard, Lord Megatron," Starscream reiterated his complaint, trying to keep from sounding too amused. He very much enjoyed the quality-time in the air, and any excuse to aggravate Megatron. Even Starrunner's incessant formality couldn't sully that. In fact, he thought it made a pleasant counterpoint to their banter. They'd been spending far too much time lately holed up in their spaceship-turned-underwater-base. Even the humidity and the salt couldn't ruin his - actually all the Seekers' - enjoyment of being airborne again. The night was cloudy and damp, but the wind off the ocean was a pleasant change from the stuffiness of their base.
Before Megatron could address Starscream's last comment, their radios crackled again. ==Lord Megatron. Starrunner. The contacts are Dinobots. They should be within your visual range shortly. Approaching from 250 degrees, heading straight for your position. Please advise.==
==Have they seen us?== Starscream broke in without preamble.
Thundercracker overrode Starrunner's response: ==Nah, they're bearin' down on a coordinate. They haven't made us yet!==
Skywarp had to chime in: ==One thing at a time - that's all their processors can handle!== Thundercracker cackled appreciatively over the comm line.
Megatron addressed them all: ==Remain aloft and out of visual range, let them think they're dealing only with Starscream and myself.== Over the grumbling of Thundercracker and Skywarp and a gratifying 'yes-lord- megatron' from Starrunner, he addressed Starscream. "Sensors at full range but keep your optics on the energon, Starscream. Let them believe they surprised us."
***
"STOP!" bellowed Grimlock as soon as he thought he was in audio range of Megatron and Starscream. "Me Grimlock see you Decepticons steal oil. We Dinobots stop you Megatron!"
***
==Cosmos to Ark, come in Ark==
Sunstreaker had taken over for Jazz in the afternoon: ==Spill it, Cosmos.==
Cosmos: ==Dinobots in need of assistance. They engaged the Decepticons in Dinosaur-mode. Only Sludge and Swoop are still mobile. They are holding off Skywarp and Thundercracker as best they can, but only Swoop can actively pursue the Decepticons. I read an unidentified Seeker circling at high altitude--==
Sunstreaker was too excited to listen to any more details of Cosmos' report: ==That'll be Starscream. No problem. We're on our way! Keep 'em in sight! Ark out.==
Cosmos: ==Aye. Cosmos out.==
With glee Sunstreaker brought up a window on his LAN console that rang Ironhide at his desk. As soon as Ironhide answered, looking bored but still bothered by the intrusion on his routine, Sunstreaker started in. "The Dinobots are stuck! Get Prime up to speed, 'Hide, and let's go get some action! Megatron himself's there with his Crows."
***
Disappointed (but not surprised) that he was not invited to participate, Sunstreaker was not above watching what he could from his post. Being on Jazz's Comm Duty Roster had to have some perks!
"Let's take a moment to evaluate the scenario logically," Prowl said as he joined Prime, Ironhide and Jazz in Prime's office. "If even the Dinobots are unable to free themselves from the mangrove swamp we must have a plan before we get there."
"Skyfi'e?" Ironhide suggested.
"We'll need him to get us there quickly," Prime mused,"but he's even heavier than the Dinobots so he has to stay airborne..."
"And ill-equipped to pull them out of their predicament in alt-mode," Prowl added. "Get me Skyfire, Trailbreaker and Seaspray. And Bumblebee."
Ironhide went back to his own console to summon the listed Autobots. Sunstreaker slumped in disappointment - he was so bored with the quiet of the last several weeks that he'd nearly picked a fight with the Dinobots himself, just to relieve the tension. Sideswipe said he had a death- wish.
"That sounds like a decent rescue party but won'tcha need some serious fighters in the mix?" Jazz drawled, leaning back in his seat. Sunstreaker found it funny that the camera in Prime's office showed Jazz, Prowl and the door to Ironhide's office perfectly but not a hint of Prime himself; he suspected that Prime had it set that way on purpose so security could monitor only what came into his office. Jazz continued, seemingly making optic contact with Prime near the camera, "Megs and the Crows are there. Only Swoop holdin' 'em off the rest." He paused and cocked his head back to look up at Prowl who stood behind his chair. "4-to -1's not odds I like for 'im."
"Correct. Swoop's probability of success drops with each passing breem." Prowl paused, then turned toward the door to Ironhide's office. "Ironhide, get the Lamborghinis."
Sunstreaker whooped excitedly at his post.
***
Prowl went over the plan with the assembly in Skyfire's hold en route to rescue the Dinobots and stop the pilfering of more Nigerian oil. Optimus Prime brought everyone who knew about the situation, leaving Cliffjumper to take up the remainder of Sunstreaker's comm watch. The Minibot had not been pleased with the order to start his comm shift early because the Lamborghini had been mysteriously reassigned. Sunstreaker smirked at the memory of Cliffjumper's anger. Even though he hadn't done anything himself to cause it this time, he enjoyed seeing the little slagger ticked off. Sorta reminded him of Sideswipe...
"Sunstreaker? Pay attention, Sunstreaker," Prowl interrupted his thoughts. "If you want to keep your finish intact you have to understand what we're getting into."
"Yeah, I got it," Sunstreaker resumed the scowl that was his habit for everyone but his brother and stared pointedly at the deck. "Salt water and mud, weird trees, oily surface. We fight off Megs and the Seekers while the rescuers pull the Dinos out of the muck. Expect human spectators by now and be careful not to frag any even if they fire on us. Did I miss anything?" Sideswipe shoved at him good-humoredly, making the yellow terror look at him and smile despite himself.
"Trailbreaker's forcefield will support Bumblebee and one Dinobot at a time. One. Do not rely on it for support at any time while a Dinobot is being pulled out," Prowl paused to look at all assembled. "Do you have anything to add, Optimus?"
"This will have to be done in primary mode by everyone except Seaspray and Skyfire. Look sharp, Autobots!" Prime's 'roll out' tone got even Sunstreaker's coolant flowing a little faster.
They assembled at Skyfire's bay doors. "I chose to make final approach from over the continent," Skyfire's voice boomed through the hold, "I have two airborne contacts to the southeast - they fly like Thundercracker and Skywarp - and another southwest over the Atlantic at high altitude - could be Starscream but I don't recognize him, his energy signature and flight pattern are off."
"Good enough, Skyfire, open bay doors," Prime ordered, "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, choose your moment carefully, try to hit Thundercracker and Skywarp in the air." He made optic contact with the brothers. Sideswipe grinned and fiddled with the settings on his jet pack; Sunstreaker half saluted and fingered the releases on his paraglider. Prime turned to his senior staff: "Ironhide, Prowl, Jazz, we'll engage Megatron on the ground after Seaspray and Company are in position." The rush of air as the bay doors opened covered the various affirmations of agreement from that trio. Prime continued, putting a lot more power through his vocalization to be heard, "Seaspray, transform in the air. Get ready for Trailbreaker as soon possible."
Skyfire didn't have to change his volume to be heard over the wind, "I'm as close to directly over Thundercracker and Skywarp as I'm likely to get!"
"Go!" screamed Sunstreaker, grinning wickedly at Sideswipe. They jumped, Sunstreaker eagerly free-falling with his hand on the release of his paraglider, Sideswipe only a processor cycle behind him. With their optics set to infrared, the Seekers stood out to the brothers like beacons.
"Take us down to the water, Skyfire," Prime directed, watching in infrared himself as Sunstreaker literally fell from the sky onto Thundercracker.
"Those two are ahblivious!" Jazz hollered up at Prime from almost his very elbow. Prime briefly had no idea which two he meant: the Twins or the rank-and-file Seekers. Jazz was grinning up at him, though, and Prime grinned back under his battle mask. "How they call themselves Seekers when they don't notice it's about to start rainin' Lambos, I'll never know!"
Skywarp was a little harder for Sideswipe to catch, but after so many rounds of 'jet-judo' Sideswipe knew to fire up his jetpack and just hang out in the vicinity of Thundercracker. Skywarp would eventually 'warp' over to help his beleaguered comrade.
There was no time for Optimus and Jazz to watch that fight unfold: Skyfire had started his descent. "Seaspray, we'll be in position for your jump in 10...9..." Skyfire's voice seemed to be getting softer as they descended: he was slowing down and the noise was building. Jazz left Prime, moving to the side of the opening vacated by the Lamborghinis. "...8...7..." Seaspray awkwardly made his way to join Jazz and Prime at the bay doors - he had enough trouble walking on solid ground, deck plating in a rapidly descending airplane was not a challenge he appreciated. "...6...5..." Jazz firmly grasped one of Seaspray's arms, steadying him when it looked like he might stumble directly out of the bay. Prime took hold of the other, holding the smaller mech rock steady. "...4...3..." Seaspray watched the water getting closer and closer, and visibly relaxed a little -- they were about to be in his element! "...2...1...Go!" Prime and Jazz simultaneously gave Seaspray a shove and released his arms, Jazz still grinning and Prime worriedly watching the Minibot as he transformed in mid-air and seemed to dive into the black ocean water. "Prepare for second pass!" Skyfire's voice boomed again: the bay seemed silent at the speed he now held.
"We can't see where Seaspray went under any more," bellowed Prime, "do you have contact?"
"Rrready, Prrrime," the little Autobot's voice came through to them, amplified considerably by Skyfire's comm system.
And: "I have him on my radar, Optimus, riding high on the water," Skyfire added. "Get Trailbreaker in position. Ready in 8..." Trailbreaker started to mosey in the direction of the doors. "...7...6...5..." Prowl and Bumblebee followed him, Prowl looking ready to shove Trailbreaker at the doors, Bumblebee looking as nervous as only his expressive faceplates could show. "...4...3...2..." Trailbreaker didn't pause and didn't look at the two flanking the exit. Jazz and Prime reached out for his arms, intending to repeat the process they'd used with Seaspray. Trailbreaker would have none of that, however. He evaded their hands, "...1...Go!", and stepped calmly out of the hold.
***
"What are they doing?" Megatron grumbled, almost to himself as he and Starscream watched the second Autobot fall from Skyfire's hold. They'd been hovering over the swampy delta for groons, slowly harvesting energon from the oil pipeline and waiting for the Autobots. Dinobots did not fit the bill - their arrival earlier in the night had not satisfied Megatron. After a brief engagement wherein Slag got in one good blast at Megatron and Grimlock nearly caught Thundercracker out of midair, the Decepticons had retreated. Always preferring their thunder-lizard forms in battle, the Dinobots moved too slowly in pursuit of their targets and sunk in the muck. Never quick to recognize their own danger, the four were thoroughly mired before they knew there was a problem. Only Sludge and Swoop were unhindered by the terrain. Sludge was built for this - his name said it all - but his attempts to lift the others out by clamping down on them with his powerful jaws were not well- received...Megatron was tired of watching that play out the same way, over and over. The only thing that changed was the direction of the wind and Snarl's energy level - that particular mech was winding down by the breem. After getting weary of listening to Thundercracker and Skywarp baiting the beasts, Megatron had banished them back to sentry duty over the African continent. Swoop was only an annoyance to Megatron, with his piercing Pteranodon scream cutting the night sporadically as he alternated between brief pursuits of the airborne Seekers and long stretches working with Sludge to try to pull the other Dinobots up out of the water and silt. Slag, Sludge, Snarl and Grimlock let loose an occasional blast, mostly in frustration, and had succeeded only in reducing the vegetation in their immediate vicinity to ash. As if Megatron and Starscream would be stupid enough to get within reach! But things were getting interesting again.
"They're up to something," Starscream began, running every scanner he had over the western horizon.
One of the mired Dinobots roared in frustration.
"Your deductive powers never cease to amaze me, Starscream," Megatron chided. "Why don't you go after that traitor Skyfire? I'll finish up here."
***
Skyfire knew those in his hold couldn't see Trailbreaker's landing, so he narrated the scene for them. "Seaspray's moving...farther away from Trailbreaker!" Prime and Prowl exchanged shocked looks - they'd directed Seaspray to catch the falling Autobot! "Trailbreaker's .... Oh! He's put up a forcefield under himself! He's floating! Seaspray's approaching him now... Trailbreaker's doing something, making the field shallower... It looks like he's walking on the surface of the ocean! He's climbing aboard Seaspray! They're ready!" Skyfire's relief spoke for all of them.
A Dinobot's roar randomly split the night.
"They could have told me they had a better way to deploy," Prowl complained to no one in particular as Jazz and Prime grasped Bumblebee by the arms.
Jazz caught his optics over the smaller mech's head. "You're hard ta say no to when your woun' up," he teased.
Prowl kept his faceplates impassive but dimmed his optics a moment. Prime ignored them. Bumblebee was too busy staring down at the water to hear anything over his own cooling systems.
"We're about to have company!" Skyfire warned as he skimmed the water, heading now almost directly toward Seaspray and Trailbreaker. Seaspray was picking up what speed he could, in the same direction as the jet. "Hand him off in 5...4...3..." It looked like they might scoop the duo back up out of the water, they were so low. But Skyfire was going as slowly as he could and still be flying. Seaspray had almost matched his speed. "...2...1..." and even before Skyfire said "Go!" Jazz and Prime had swung the little yellow Autobot out of the bay and into Trailbreaker's waiting arms. "Perfect!" Skyfire whooped.
***
"Why should I engage Skyfire? We have three Seekers in the air, I'll..." Starscream's insubordination was cut short by the ignominious arrival of Skywarp. The black and purple Seeker crashed so close to Megatron and Starscream that the two were splattered liberally with the water and sludge disturbed by his landing. Sideswipe soared up and away from his handiwork. Starscream took to the sky. "I'll bring him down!" He screamed as he transformed.
==Thundercracker, Starrunner, Report!== Megatron barked.
==Sunstreaker's on me again!==Thundercracker groaned.
==Lord Megatron. Starrunner. I am circling between the human traffic and orbit.==
Megatron cursed Shockwave's insistence on protocol - that Decepticon did not do a thing without an order! ==Get Sunstreaker off Thundercracker!== he growled, ==and watch out for the red one with the jet pack!==
Starrunner: ==Yes, Lord Megatron.==
Then Megatron found himself under fire from at least three ground-based positions. His Seekers had completely distracted him from his quarry! Human projectiles bounced harmlessly off his skin, but he felt a graze to his left shoulder that felt familiar, like Prime's laser rifle, and a peppering of something on his back that proved to be acid within astroseconds.
"Prowl! No acid pellets!" Prime bellowed across their battlefield as he opened fire on Megatron again.
***
Sunstreaker was having more fun than he remembered, holding onto Thundercracker as if his spark depended on it (it really did) and pounding the blue Seeker for all he was worth (which if you asked him was a lot). He grinned fiercely as Thundercracker did barrel rolls in an attempt to dislodge him. "Yeah! That's my favorite! Keep it up!" He crooned to his victim.
Suddenly he heard another jet approaching, but it didn't sound like Skywarp or Starscream. ==Skyfire?== he sent over the Autobot radio channel.
Skyfire's voice ==You've got company, Sunstreaker, but I don't recognize him. MiG alt-mode. I mistook him for a local.==
The jet sounded very close behind them. Rather than turn to look, Sunstreaker hunkered down on Thundercracker's back, holding himself as flush to the Seeker as he could. The unidentified jet passed so close to him he was nearly dislodged by the wake itself, Thundercracker's violent shuddering added an extra challenge. "Leave me the frag alone!" Thundercracker cursed as he fought to retain control.
"Hang on Bro'!" Sideswipe shouted, roaring up with his jet pack. "I'll get him!"
Thundercracker went into an almost vertical climb. Sideswipe hovered briefly, casting about for another glimpse of the MiG-Seeker. He looked up after Thundercracker and saw the impossible in infrared: the MiG was coming down in an almost vertical dive toward Thundercracker. He was going to literally peel Sunstreaker off the F-15's fuselage. Without processing it, Sideswipe shot upward to intercept the MiG.
***
Thundercracker watched Starrunner heading straight for him and panicked. The crazy 'Con nearly grounded him in that last close call. ==Abort! Abort!== Thundercracker screamed over the radio.
Starrunner: ==I will dislodge the yellow Autobot.==
Thundercracker: ==You'll dislodge my fuselage!== In his panic to avoid his fellow Seeker, he abruptly flattened his climb and collided with Sideswipe who latched onto his underside. The mass of two additional mechs was too much for the F-15 and he started to fall. The ocean was approaching a lot faster than he liked. Seemingly at some signal, the Autobots both let go at once and Sideswipe fired up his jet pack, gathered up his twin, and was gone. Thundercracker tried to right himself but was unsuccessful in bringing his stalled jet-mode engines back on-line. In desperation he started to transform.
***
Deciding he'd succeeded in completely distracting the Autobots from Soundwave's diamond piracy, Megatron smiled to himself through the discomfort of the damage to his back. He took flight. "Decepticons, retreat!" he broadcast with both radio and vocalizer. He looked around, wondering where his Seekers had gotten to. He saw Thundercracker falling toward the ocean, that idiot Starrunner flying to intercept his leader in retreat, and no sign of Starscream and Skywarp. Maybe the campaign did not go as smoothly as he thought.
***
==I have you== Starrunner's voice came over the radio as relatively small, seemingly delicate hands grasped Thundercracker's stabilizers firmly and stopped his fall. Starrunner slowly flew higher, literally dragging Thundercracker with him.
Nose-down, in alt-mode, thoroughly humiliated, Thundercracker got a grip on himself. "Let me go," he demanded. This was worse than being beaten by that awful Sunstreaker!
"In a breem," Starrunner assured him, "We will be high enough that if you are still unable to fly I can catch you again."
Thundercracker's response was preempted by Megatron's bellow. It came to the airborne Seekers in stereo, over both audios and radios: "Decepticons, retreat!"
"Let me go! That's an order!" Thundercracker demanded. He knew he really didn't have rank to pull over the new Seeker, but he was hoping the mech's adherence to protocol would get him out of this humiliation.
"Yes, Sir," Starrunner immediately obeyed, loosing his grip on Thundercracker and transforming to meet Megatron to execute their retreat.
***
"This place looks like a smeltin' pit," Ironhide remarked to Prime as the sun came up. Smoky little oil fires still burned at the edges of the destruction wrought by the stranded Dinobots. Two factions of humans had added to the confusion in the pre-dawn light, each blaming the other for the mess despite the fact that large alien robots were still in the area. Jazz had hurriedly explained to Prime that the Ogoni were farmers until the oil companies polluted the area too much to support their crops of palm oil and sugar cane. He got them to withdraw from the fray and had gone off with them in a small motorboat to talk. Primus only know where he'd acquired a translation program for Izon to English, but it had shocked that faction into listening to him. English was the language of their oppressors so although several in their group understood it, they refused to speak it. Izon was at least a dialect of their region, if not the personal choice of their camp. Bumblebee had volunteered to deal with the other group of humans, accompanying them back to the refinery to substantiate their report and hopefully expedite the clean-up effort. That group looked like true military but claimed Shell as their employer.
"Human politics did more damage than even Megatron could," Prime lamented, shaking his head. Prime had laid out his trailer over some already-devastated trees and it was serving them well. It gave him, Ironhide and Prowl a place to dry out while the clean up continued. He wished they were a bit higher, he couldn't make out the Dinobots through the remaining trees. "Are all the Dinobots aboard Skyfire?"
"Not yet. They're still workin' on Grimlock. Trailbreaker's runnin' too low on power so his forcefield- platform's gettin' smaller." Ironhide was still amazed that Trailbreaker's forcefield really had provided the means for Bumblebee, Sludge and Swoop to free the other Dinobots. "I gotta hand it ta ya, Prowl," Ironhide shook his head appreciatively, "That 'as a good plan." Prowl only nodded.
"Who is that?" Prime asked, sounding suspicious.
Ironhide and Prowl followed his gaze. "Odds are," said Prowl, "that is the new Seeker Sunstreaker and Sideswipe encountered." They watched as the unmarked black MiG slowly over flew the area. The jet ignored all the Autobots, apparently looking for something or someone else. In the distance, a Dinobot roared. The jet adjusted its (his?) flight pattern a bit. The three mechs on the mobile command unit watched as the jet came around for another slow pass, wondering if it was the Decepticon or some other local faction. Only when the mech transformed did they get a good enough look at his wings to see the Decepticon sigil outlined there - black on black, not the purple all the others used. "That is very strange," Prowl remarked. The Seeker hovered over the water in mech mode, then crouched down and reached a hand into the sludge, coming up with a very battered Starscream. After a moment during which they seemed to argue, Starscream flew slowly away.
"Shouldn't we go after 'im? Or do somethin' about that new Seeker?" Ironhide turned to ask his commander and XO. But they were still staring in that same direction. Ironhide turned back to see what held them speechless. The black Seeker was flying toward Grimlock's position, deftly dodging blasts from his dino-mode flamethrower. He disappeared behind the trees, then came up with a very unhappy Grimlock, still in his T-Rex form. The Seeker had him by the head; there was nothing the 'Bot could do - his little dino-arms couldn't reach the offending hands on either side of his head and he didn't have leverage to angle his head up to blast the Seeker. He roared. The Seeker placed him atop the remaining relatively sturdy patch of trees near the others, then took off fast, zigzagging and transforming back to his jet form, again avoiding every blast Grimlock sent his way. No other Autobot moved. "Well, I never," Ironhide snorted.
Prime watched as the strange Decepticon merged paths with Starscream after he was well out of Grimlock's range. "Let's pack up and get home," he said wearily.
This fiction has a sequel as of 28MAY2007, here.