02x06 - Loose Cannons

[bunniefuu]

Prime! What in blazes are your people doing out here?! We had an agreement! No collateral damage! I am sorry, agent Fowler, but all Autobots are present and accounted for.

Then explain why I'm receiving reports of two jumbo-size bots mixing it up Decepticons? There has been plenty of infighting lately.

Megatron can't seem to keep his ranks in line.

Well, I'm just arriving on the scene.

Have a look.

I don't know.

Paint job beside it can't be Skyquake.

You and Optimus pounded him into the ground.

Before Starscream yanked him back out as some kind of undead terrorcon.

The question still stands who's the dance partner? By the Allspark, it is one of ours.

Wheeljack.

Jackie's back! I don't care if Abraham Lincoln is back.

We have to contain this situation before we all wind up on the You got nowhere left to run, Con.

This is special agent Fowler of Whoa! Stand down, hot head.

I'm on your side.

Had a feeling the g*ng might show.

Jackie.

That will do.

Oh, not this again.

- Oh, no, you don't.

- Wheeljack.

Jackie, no! Dreadwing rigged the place to blow.

Dreadwing? Actually, that was your handywork, sparky.

It's called a gas station, kind of like an Energon depot.

Doesn't mix well with blaster fire.

Huh.

Well, our Con's getting away.

Wheeljack, there are other considerations.

While upon this world, you would do well to follow my lead.

Ow! Take it easy, Doc.

I need that arm.

Hold still and maybe you'll keep it.

But I tracked Dreadwing across I thought you were roving the galaxy you know, looking for Autobot refugees.

I was until I found one a Wrecker.

- Who? - Seaspray.

How is old barnacle butt? Not so good, Bulk.

Blown to bits, actually.

What? No! Dreadwing.

My flier, the Jackhammer, picked up Seaspray's signal a couple of light-years from Madeira.

We made contact and arranged a rendezvous in the Andromeda system.

But Dreadwing must have intercepted the transmission, 'cause he got to Seaspray first.

Proximity b*mb was supposed to take us both out.

Guess I should be glad that Jackhammer can take a punch.

I picked up Dreadwing's ion trail and tracked it through a dozen solar systems before catching up with him.

And he led me right back to this marble.

- Some coincidence, huh? - I know of this Dreadwing.

He was captain of a seeker armada, and, as such, like his twin, Skyquake, fiercely loyal to the decepticon cause.

Dreadwing has no doubt traveled to Earth to pay allegiance to his one true master.

Hope he's enjoying the visit.

It's gonna be his last.

Wheeljack, this planet is heavily inhabited.

Any strike we make against the Decepticons must be carefully measured as a team, lest we risk endangering the human population.

Are you suggesting we sit back and do nothing? You! Loose cannon! Your cowboy antics almost blew our cover.

- Cover? - We're robots in disguise, Jackie.

You needed an earth-based vehicle mode outside of here.

That spaceship you sh*t down not earth-based! I had to jump through some big hoops to get it hauled out of plain sight.

You need to keep a tighter leash on your people, Prime.

A tighter leash? Let me clarify, tiny.

Jackie I'm not one of Optimus Prime's people.

I'll talk to him with your permission.

Of course.

So, the new guy has a little problem with authority.

Wheeljack and Bulkhead served together in the Wreckers, a combat unit that operated outside the normal chain of command.

Hmm.

Black ops.

They accepted missions no one else would, and many of them did not come back.

Lord Megatron, I live to serve.

Rise, Dreadwing.

Loyalty such as yours is a rare commodity.

Mine runs deep and true, yet it is not loyalty alone that brought me here.

Oh? I seek confirmation of the demise of one whom I considered a brother.

How did you learn of his passing? My twin and I shared a split Spark.

We're metal, but two halves of the same life force.

Even across the galaxy, I sensed when he emerged from stasis on his planet and when his Spark was no more.

It is true.

Skyquake perished at the hands of the Autobots, though not, in fact, under my watch.

Then by the pit, every last Autobot on this accursed world will pay.

The Autobots will be punished for their crime, and many others, how and when I see fit.

But master Conflicting agendas will only result in chaos and failure.

You would be wise to remember that, Dreadwing.

You are under my command now, and as such, you must follow my lead.

Jackie, look.

Even if it weren't for the humans, we couldn't take on the Cons right now.

We're outnumbered.

Roadbuster, Pyro, Impactor, Rotorstorm, Seaspray all dust.

That's what I'm talking about.

Wreckers are Autobots.

There just aren't that many of us left.

But if we get behind Optimus, we have a chance to end this once and for all.

Guys like Optimus they talk a good game, but when you're in the scrap, they don't want to get their hands dirty.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You don't know Optimus like I do.

Being a Wrecker meant everything to me, but I left that behind.

Because Prime was the real thing blah, blah, blah.

Wheeljack, I know you're out there, listening.

I have a proposition for you.

- Is that? - Dreadwing.

Meet me at these coordinates if you have the Spark.

I'll see you there, Con, just to watch you fry.

Jackie, it's a trap.

I know, but when has that ever stopped me? You coming with? At least let me call for backup.

You know Wreckers don't call for backup.

They call for clean-up! I wasn't certain you'd come.

I don't like unfinished business.

That all you got? If you're thinking about flying out of here Think again.

Bulkhead! Bulkhead's signal over 1,000 miles from here, and I would have to imagine that Wheeljack is with him.

- Have you attempted contact? - No response.

What took you so long, Bulk? Don't tell me your riding with Prime has made you soft.

If you will not take orders from me, that is one thing.

But when you place one of my Autobots in danger With all due respect, sir, Bulkhead knew the risks.

Every Wrecker does.

Now, I'm sure he's just somewhere in this rubble.

Optimus, Bulkhead's signal has moved from your current position.

You coming with? You and Bulkhead share quite a history, and yet you prefer to work alone.

The Wreckers scattered a long time ago, and alone's usually a lot less complicated.

We are close to population.

Remember Blasters and fuel pumps don't mix.

Our boy is just up ahead.

Hey, guys.

Scrap.

You really got yourself in a heap of scrap this time, partner.

Stay back, Jackie.

Better get to work.

Have you defused one of these before? Fail-safes, dummy leads, booby traps.

It's a work of art.

Dreadwing, where are you? Merely pursuing my destiny, Lord Megatron.

Did I not order you to stand down? Forgive me, one true master, but it is my hope that vanquishing Optimus Prime will earn your respect.

Optimus is not so easily disposed of, as I keep trying to explain to all of those who foolishly attempt it.

Jackie, if you don't abort, we're both gonna need clean-up.

Trying to focus here, Bulk.

Where's Optimus? Like I told you, when the scrap hits the fan blades, the generals are the first to bail.

No, not Optimus.

I assure you, master, in but a few moments, Optimus and two others will be blown to atoms.

I will allow it, Dreadwing, in memory of your departed twin, but only this once.

I will be quite surprised if we ever set eyes upon Dreadwing again.

Where is the Prime? Dreadwing, if you are anything like Skyquake, I know that you value loyalty and honor.

Is there a point to your bluster, Prime? Only that Megatron knows nothing of those principles.

He lives solely for destruction and conquest, but there is another path deactivate the b*mb.

Get out of here, already.

I didn't leave you on Sandakan, and I'm not leaving you here.

Face it, there's only one bot who can defuse this mess, and his name's Dreadwing.

Blaster fire's getting closer, as if the commander Oh! Sorry, Jackie.

It's 'cause I love you.

I'm sorry, fishies.

- Bulkhead, wait! - Out of my way! Will you listen to me, Bulk? You were right.

Dreadwing's the only one who can defuse it.

And Optimus knows it, too.

Dreadwing, defuse the b*mb or fall victim to your own device.

I will gladly sacrifice myself to avenge my brother.

Then we will, in turn, gladly join the Allspark with our brother.

And with you.

You'll never shake us.

Very well.

I had it narrowed down to the blue or the yellow.

Or the red.

So, who do we call for clean-up? Optimus Prime still lives.

As do you, Dreadwing.

And that is a victory however small, as Skyquake so tragically discovered.

Speak to me not of my twin, Lord Megatron, for I am here on Earth to obey your will and yours alone.

Listen, commander, I just want to say it was an honor watching you work.

I, uh, think maybe I had the wrong idea about you.

And it would seem that you place a greater value on community than you otherwise let on.

Whoa, let's not jump the g*n here.

Come on, Jackie.

If you leave, you'll probably just wind up coming right back again.

All that wasted fuel, and Energon is in short supply.

Then again, we do have limited space.

Not sure if I'm ready to give up my freedom just yet.

Maybe I could do some exploring, see if this rock suits me.

No offense to the Jackhammer, but you need an earth-based vehicle mode.