“Dispatching multiple squadrons will enable us to pursue all four coordinates simultaneously.” Megatron stated, having finally recovered from his unique aggressive stage and was back to leading the Decepticons, Skyblade, as usual, standing beside his leader, listening to what the silver and purple mech’s orders will be, the door to the command deck then opening, Knockout being the one to walk in.
“Lord Megatron, I have assembled a mining detail you requested for the first set of coordinates.” Knockout reported. “Breakdown and I enjoyed previous success in retrieving the other Iacon Relics. In memory of mine and Commander Skyblade’s fallen comrade, I intend to do the same again.” he declared, casting a small smile at Skyblade, although with him still grieving, Skyblade only kept a neutral expression.
“This is a mission, not one of your racing excursions.” Megatron growled, walking up to Knockout in irritation. “So, stop your preening, and move quickly with a surgeon’s skill! Do you understand me, Knockout?!” he yelled in the red medic’s face plate, Skyblade tensing, not just from how angry his leader got, but from the fact it was his friend that the warlord leader was yelling at, and the blue and silver Predacon knew that he wasn’t afraid of harming Knockout, especially nowadays since he’s pretty anxious.
Knockout responded with a nervous small chuckle and backed up a bit. “Explicitly, Lord Megatron.”
“Now since the unfortunate loss of Breakdown has left you rather vulnerable, you will require the appropriate support.” Megatron replied, almost spitting the word out.
One of the Insecticons arrived behind Knockout, the red medic turning to glance up at him, the insect-like Cybertronian giving a slight growl in greeting, Knockout then turning to Skyblade as if asking for some help, the blue and silver Predacon giving an empathetic look while shrugging his shoulder plating, figuring that it was best to just do what Megatron says, Knockout seemingly getting the message before glancing back at Megatron.
“How very repellent.” Knockout commented before he, a few of the Vehicons, and the Insecticon headed off.
Skyblade glanced over at Megatron. “Lord Megatron, are you certain that even with the Insecticon’s support, that it’s wise to send it with Knockout to get the Iacon Relic in New York?” he asked.
“I would not be doing so otherwise.” Megatron replied, red optics still showing slight irritation in them. “Our next stop will be the Antarctica; you will join alongside Dreadwing for the next relic there.” he stated.
Skyblade nodded, glancing over where Knockout, the Insecticon, and Vehicons left, hoping that the red medic will be alright, and turned back to the monitors to help in planning the oncoming trip, the blue and silver Predacon not liking the idea of going to a really cold place, but reminded himself that it didn’t bother him too much when he was still Metal on the day he had found Beetlebot, who soon then had to be killed off when Airachnid was controlling the entire Insecticon army, and honestly, Skyblade felt guilty considering what Beetlebot had gone through with the humans, though it was either he died, or the blue and silver Predacon and Megatron died.
_________________________________
A few hours later, Skyblade walked into the command deck after having spent some time training Seabreeze, the blue and silver Predacon glancing at the monitor as it showed the second set of coordinates.
“The coordinates indicate that the second of these four Iacon Relics lies at the very bottom of this world.” Megatron said, sounding slightly relaxed now.
“I will journey to the ends of this or any world to serve your will, Lord Megatron.” Dreadwing stated, dipping his head to Megatron.
“Then return with my prize, Dreadwing, and prove yourself as loyal as you say you are.” Megatron said as he turned to Dreadwing, Skyblade already knowing by now that his leader was testing the blue and yellow Seeker, considering it’s what the warlord leader did with the blue and silver Predacon when he was still Metal and a newer member to the cause. “And to be sure that you will do so, you will be taking Skyblade with you.” the warlord leader added, glancing over at Skyblade, who nodded and headed off with Dreadwing.
Skyblade, Dreadwing, and a few Seekers went to the flight deck and flew off, the blue and silver Predacon keeping watch, soon then spotting someone below that looked pretty familiar, Skyblade and two of the Seekers swerving around, his spark jolting as he could see that it was Starscream riding on a hover bike that was only moving up to twenty miles per hour, the blue and silver Predacon growling as he blasted his Ice Breath and the two Seekers beside him began firing at the grey and blue Seeker.
Skyblade flapped his wings, flying faster and slashing some of the ice above Starscream, the grey and blue Seeker passing by unharmed, only to scream as the blue and silver Predacon turned around and blasted the hover bike with his Ice Breath, hearing the Seeker yelling in irritation, the hover bike then stalling, launching Starscream off it, the blue and grey Seeker tumbling onto the snow.
The two Decepticon Seekers transformed into their Cybertronian selves and landed, forming a surroundment around Starscream, Skyblade landing in front of the blue and grey Seeker.
“Decepticons! Do you not realize you’ve just shot down your ship’s commander?!” Starscream yelled, trying to deter them, yelping right as Dreadwing landed.
“You command no one, deserter.” Dreadwing growled.
“Skyquake? B-But you’re...” Starscream stammered.
“You mistake me for my brother, who is one with the Allspark, as you are no doubt aware, former Commander Starscream.” Dreadwing corrected.
Skyblade’s frame tensed, unable to believe that the poor blue and yellow Seeker still believed that, but still remained silent about the fact that Skyquake is now a Terrorcon, otherwise Dreadwing would go crazy.
“To think you were dumb enough to try to interfere with Decepticon business too.” Skyblade snarled.
Starscream stuttered nervously, glancing from Skyblade to Dreadwing, the blue and grey Seeker obviously remembering he resurrected Skyquake, but was thankfully being silent about it.
“If it were up to me, I would end this here and now.” Dreadwing threatened as he towered over Starscream, only to then put some cuffs onto the blue and grey Seeker’s manipulator joints. “But it is my duty to follow up on Commander Skyblade’s instruction to render all traitors to our lord and master for due punishment.” he stated.
“Second in command?! Him?!” Starscream gasped, glancing at Skyblade in shock. “That’s my post!” he yelled, the three Seekers raising their blasters at him, warning the whiny Seeker not to do anything. “Was my post....”
“Just get moving you whining moron.” Skyblade growled and bit onto one of Starscream’s wings, lifting him to his peds and pushing him forward to begin walking in the direction of the relic, the blue and grey Seeker grumbling, but obeying and started walking.
Skyblade stayed behind Starscream to keep an eye on him while Dreadwing and the Seekers formed a circle formation around them, the cold wind howling pretty hard, but luckily the weather wasn’t severe enough to freeze their circuits, the blue and silver Predacon remembering that Starscream was on a hover bike instead of flying in his jet mode, and that Bumblebee wasn’t able to transform a while ago, so if Silas’s project involved in him making his own Cybertronian, then he would have needed a t-cog for it to transform, which would explain Starscream’s lack of transforming.
Silas and Eggman likely lost Bumblebee’s t-cog, and then took Starscream’s, rendering the blue and grey Seeker unable to transform now.
“Commander Skyblade. This must be a very important mission if Megatron has dispatched his second in command to do what? Scouting for energon? Or something else altogether?” Starscream asked.
“That’s none of your concern.” Skyblade hissed, already irritated with Starscream’s blabbering.
“If I knew what we were looking for, perhaps I could help.” Starscream replied, only for one of the Seekers beside him to whack him on the shoulder plating to shut him up.
Skyblade scoffed and rolled his optics. “As if we’d be dumb enough to tell you when you’ll just try to take what we seek for yourself.” he growled.
Starscream grumbled a bit and kept on walking, Skyblade really having to fight the urge to dismantle the blue and grey Seeker, the journey to the Iacon Relic continuing for around an hour before they finally reached the location.
“We have arrived at the coordinates to the relic.” Dreadwing said, walking up to what looked like an old mine shaft that looked like an ice version of the mine that reminded Skyblade of the one he, Starscream, and Megatron got trapped in when Megatron tried to terminate Starscream, and during a battle against Arcee, the mine collapsed, Skyblade luckily had acted quickly and put a shield around himself and Megatron, the blue and silver Predacon then wondering if he even could still use his shield as a Predacon, since he hadn’t even tried to before, but in the time between when he became the exotic being and now, he never had any reason to.
“Relic? What sort of relic?” Starscream asked, his scratchy, high voice snapping Skyblade from his thoughts.
“No concern of yours.” Skyblade hissed at Starscream, the blue and grey Seeker immediately whimpering, the blue and silver Predacon then looking at the mine shaft again, noticing the red flags sticking into the snow as Dreadwing and the Decepticon Seekers started looking around for it.
“Commander Skyblade, we’ve uncovered vehicle tracks.” one of the Seekers reported.
“The Autobots got to it.” Dreadwing growled beside Skyblade.
“Perhaps...” Starscream said, walking up to the red flags. “Though I’ve never known the Autobots to plant flags on the sights of their victories.” he pointed out.
Dreadwing glared at Starscream and turned and lifted him up by his chest chassis with ease, Skyblade just now seeing how small and feeble Starscream really looked.
“Do not try me, traitor! Or I will leave your lifeless husk in this frozen waste!” Dreadwing yelled.
Skyblade rolled his optics. “Dreadwing, enough. Starscream’s right. No Autobot was here or took the relic. It was some humans that might be living not too far from here.” he stated indifferently.
“He’s a lowly coward who should be put out of his misery, Skyblade.” Dreadwing argued, metallic groaning being heard as he tightened his grip.
“Stand down.” Skyblade ordered, unable to believe that he was actually defending Starscream, but Megatron did have orders to bring him to him in one piece.
“Have you forgotten that not only has he caused my brother’s death, but tried to terminate Lord Megatron as well? You told me yourself.” Dreadwing replied, glaring back up at Starscream and raising a curled servo, about to beat the scrap out of the terrified Seeker.
Having enough of Dreadwing’s insubordinance, Skyblade tackled Dreadwing down, having him drop Starscream, frontal metallic paws pinning the blue and yellow Seeker’s arms down, the blue and silver Predacon keeping himself in front of Starscream as much as he could, the latter gazing at him in shock as Skyblade’s optics were glowing purple from his high irritation at Dreadwing, whose optics were wide in fear from the intense dominance.
“I said, enough.” Skyblade growled in Dreadwing’s face plate, a bit of smoke blowing from his intake when he spoke, the blue and silver Predacon waiting a moment before getting off of him.
The sound of an engine revving being heard had Skyblade, Dreadwing, Starscream, and the Seekers glance up to see Optimus approaching in his vehicle mode.
Just what Skyblade needed.
