Chương 21: LOG-020.

The Nemesis' bridge was fairly packed, all things considered. In the back of my processor, the sight of Optimus Prime standing at the command table next to an incredibly still Soundwave was... amusing, to say the very least. Of course the Autobots hadn't exactly been given free reign of the ship. As much as we were now tentatively working together, one didn't just move on from literal eons of war.

While Optimus and Magnus were permitted access to the bridge, the rest of the Autobots remained outside with a garrison force of vehicons stationed around the Omega Lock. The insecticons had briefly raised the question of whether it was justified that we had imprisoned our Lord. Indomina had convinced them we were doing the right thing through generous application of kinetic energy. Gotta love insecticons. Very reasonable, so long as you spoke their language.

Dreadwing, meanwhile, had begrudgingly agreed to leave the Keys in the care of one of my Zakus, left in nominal charge of the planetside contingent. The rest of the mono-eyed constructs were also busy. Two of them accompanied me pretty much everywhere, despite Indomina's constant insistence that she was the only bodyguard I'd actually need. Zero was also around, keeping tabs on a side project I'd been working on in the background.

With luck, Starscream would soon be an asset, rather than a constant liability that we had to keep several optics on. Hell, even Dreadwing had approved of the plan, if once again reiterating that I was a mad mech. Though considering the warrior just wanted Starscream to suffer before dying a painful death, that wasn't too surprising. But those were all background details. What was important was the meeting set to begin in a few moments, once everyone finished preparing.

After all, telling everyone that we were gonna fuck up Unicron was all well and good, but actually doing it was a bit more complex.

Within one of the Nemesis' more isolated chambers, a small surgical theatre had been set up, a pair of vehicon troopers denying anyone without the appropriate clearance entry. The Zaku within said chamber glanced at the readout from a small, sleek datapad for a moment, before turning to stare at a dented and battered Seeker restrained to an operating berth, his frame slowly beginning to twist as a result of the cocktail of chemicals rampaging through his body.

"Initial parameters prove... promising. Foreign CNA injection and splicing successful. Anti-virus protocols have also been disabled." Thinking aloud wasn't something that the prototype Zaku had always done, but the creator did it, so it felt only right to replicate the act.

"Hm." Zero took a moment to go over the creator's notes and instructions. Per Shockwave's directives, each element had to be introduced in precise order, lest the subject expire as a result of an uncontrolled mixing.

"Frame diagnostic reads... nominal. Beginning mid-stage reformatting." The Decepticon that had once been known as air commander Starscream didn't make a sound, optics blankly staring at the ceiling above. Zero noted that they were more orange than crimson now. An interesting change. Even if that detail was incredibly minor compared to the other mutations. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I gestured to Optimus, even as the rest of the table slowly settled down from their damned bickering. Or rather, as Dreadwing and Ultra Magnus settled down from their damned bickering.

"The reliquary." Prime frowned, faceplate taking on a contemplative expression.

"A small force will be needed to retrieve it from it's current location. I will... provide you the coordinates. Do you truly believe it can serve as a vessel to contain Unicron's anti-spark?" I nodded.

"So long as we can get it in contact with his core. Of course, we will need to devise an alternative container for the Allspark beforehand." I tapped a digit against the surface of the table.

"Unfortunately, the only method I see of getting that close to the Destroyer is through travelling down the interior depths of his frame. We will need to return to Earth with a strong, capable army at our backs. Everyone here already knows my current plan for obtaining such an army." The Ultrablueberry chose that moment to butt in.

"Out of the question! You're asking us to help you increase the firepower available to the Decepticons!" Before Dreadwing could snarl out a retort, I responded.

"Yes. I am. After all, how else will we reach Earth's core? I know of Unicron's 'antibodies'. Do you propose a different solution to dealing with them?" Soundwave tilted his blank helm, his attention split between keeping an optic on Megatron, another on the Autobots, and actually contributing to the meeting. Personally I thought he was being a bit possessive. As bad as Knockout might be, he was a qualified medic. By Decepticon standards anyway.

"A strong, small, capable force." The mixup of Optimus and I's voices drew the rest of the meeting's attention. I chose to lean forward.

"You think a smaller strike team would prove more effective?" Soundwave nodded, inclining a helm Indomina's way, the predacon standing near the exit, her arms crossed and a bored expression plastered over her faceplate.

"Strong. Would prove more effective."

Smokescreen paced back and forth, occasionally turning to stare at some of the vehicons posted around the key to cybertron's salvation. After a moment, the elite guard recruit threw his arms up in the air, whirling around to face a nonplussed Arcee.

"I can't believe this! Working together-with them? They're cons!" The small blue femme glanced at one of the purple troopers. The soldier waved. Turning back to face Smokescreen, the Autobot shrugged.

"Orders are orders. Even if we don't like it, we need to trust that Optimus has a plan." Bulkhead rounded a corner, a bundle of components cradled in his arms.

"Even if that plan involves whatever twisted scheme Shockwave cooked up?" Setting down the bundle, the green Wrecker took a moment to stretch.

"Eugh. I get that Prime's convinced that he's... secretly reformed or whatever, but that mech just gives me the creeps." Smokescreen nodded quickly, enacting a shudder.

"I know right!? That mono-optic of his. Yikes." They all carefully avoided mentioning just why the Decepticon had only a singular point of vision. Thinking back to cybertron's old government never ended too well. Even for Autobots. As the three stewed in silence, their resident femme tilted her helm towards something behind the pair, frowning.

"Speaking of mono-optics... check it out. One of the Greens." The pair of mechs turned to stare as one of the 'Greens' walked past, the armored construct scanning the garrison site with it's singular red eye. Four vehicons stood behind the Zaku, each clutching what were unmistakably the Omega Keys. Then it noticed them, and began to approach.

"Aw scrap." Bulkhead's quietly muttered words weren't repeated, but the sentiment was certainly felt as the Zaku strode up to the trio, rifle magnetically clamped to it's back.

"Autobots. I have been instructed to relay critical information." Arcee stepped forward, glaring at the mech.

"Alright. Spit it out Cyclops." That singular optic 'blinked', before the armored mech inclined it's helm slightly.

"Affirmative. A decision has been reached by command. It has been declared that retrieval of the Allspark is now essential to current operations." The femme's optics widened as the Zaku kept talking in a mostly monotone voice.

"Confirmation will be provided by your superiors shortly. A task force is to be assembled to travel to Optimus Prime's provided coordinates. Please share this information amongst the rest of your Autobot network." And with that, the green lackey promptly turned around, marching off. It's squad of Omega-Key holders following behind it in perfect lockstep. They only had a moment to listen to Smokescreen's bewildered "Huh?" before their comm links activated, Ultra Magnus voice confirming what they had just been told.

A vehicon miner strode down a hallway, carrying several cubes of energon, only to pause halfway, staring at a pair of troopers guarding a door. Of course that was a perfectly normal thing to see. Some parts of the Nemesis remained guarded constantly, like the relic chambers. No, what had drawn the mech's attention was the strange, bestial snarling from behind the entryway. One of the guards gestured to the door with a servo.

"Commander Shockwave." At that, the miner let out a quiet "ah", nodding his helm and resuming his previous path. It was typically best not to ask too many questions when it came to the creator's experiments, after all.