Chapter 55: The Reunion of the Dinobot Brothers
"Host, it seems that the last time we met Dart, he hid a lot of information from us. After all, the Dinobots are said to be inseparable...but this situation looks nothing like the legends!"
Indeed, Starscream hadn't realized this detail at first. Dart, though the only Dinobot equipped with wings, was actually the weakest in combat. He was usually seen alongside the mighty Tyrannosaurus warrior Grimlock. Yet, despite scanning dozens of kilometers with radar, Starscream hadn't detected a single trace of other Transformers.
Now, after seeing this wounded Brontosaurus named Mud, it was clear...something extraordinary had happened on this planet.
Mud had always been incredibly durable, but he'd been severely wounded by some unknown force and ultimately buried beneath this underground city after exhausting his energy. Whatever attacked the Dinobots back then had been terrifyingly powerful.
"Heh, the more I think about it, the stranger it gets. On Cybertron, even though Optimus Prime explicitly banned secret battles between Autobots and Decepticons, that Grimlock guy never followed orders. Even Megatron avoided the Dinobots whenever they showed up! That massive Dinobot, Saurus, was reportedly beaten to scrap by Grimlock. I can't imagine what kind of fool would come to an unknown planet just to provoke these terrifying beasts!"
Though Starscream had only been a lowly henchman back on Cybertron, he'd lived long enough to witness countless events. He'd seen the Dinobots before...towering, fearless, and utterly destructive. But seeing Sludge (Mud) like this now… it was night and day.
Still, as the saying goes, even a starving camel is bigger than a horse. Even in his weakened state, Sludge towered over Starscream's robot form...his heavy footsteps shaking the ground slightly.
But this transformation clearly consumed more energy than before.
"Thank you… thank you. I never expected a Decepticon like you to be the one to wake me, but I'll remember your kindness."
Wow...so this big guy was actually polite. Starscream had imagined Dinobots to be brutal warriors who only solved problems with brute force and explosions, yet here was one acting like a well-mannered gentleman!
"Think nothing of it. Just a small gesture," Starscream replied smoothly. "How's your data processing going? Need me to give you more energy? Don't get me wrong...it's not that I don't want to give you more, but I've detected two more signals in this dungeon. They could be Autobots waiting for us to rescue them. Let's go find them first!"
Classic Starscream...always pretending to be noble when he was really just being stingy.
However, when he gave that explanation, the massive Dinobot suddenly froze...his optics widening in shock.
"What? I may not remember everything clearly, but I know for certain that I'm the only Autobot left in this base...because I chose to stay behind!"
Huh. Why was he so agitated? Starscream hadn't even said they were Autobots! Maybe one of those other two signals was that old scientist Skyfire. According to Cybertron's records, Skyfire had long since become a Decepticon...so perhaps he was one of the two still active here.
"BOOM!"
"What now?!"
Just as Starscream was about to take another step, a massive explosion rumbled from above the underground city. Rocks and debris cascaded from the ceiling like rain, triggered by some kind of resonance.
The minor quake didn't harm either Starscream or the enormous Dinobot before him, but given the city's age and decay, any further impacts could easily cause the entire structure to collapse. The tremor infuriated Starscream.
Those Huns! Hadn't they promised to stay obedient at the entrance until he returned? What were they doing now?!
"Your Excellency! Lord Red Spider! Something terrible has happened! That giant monster from last time...it's back! The one you drove away before!"
Before Starscream could even respond, the Hunnic priest...flanked by two soldiers...rushed in to deliver the news. But he barely got out a single sentence before a massive boulder from above crushed him instantly, taking the two guards with him.
Starscream froze. That monster from before… could it be...?
"Flying Dart! It's the signal of my good brother, Flying Dart! My brother has come to find me...hahaha!"
It was Flying Dart...the mechanical pterosaur. He must have detected the faint energy signal emitted by Mud's spark, which drew him here.
Unfortunately for the Huns, their broad swords, wooden spears, and crude arrows were no match for a rampaging Dinobot. Even facing just one was certain death.
"Boom! Hah! Those steppe bandits...let's grind them into dust! They'll never harm humans again!"
Yes, it was indeed the voice of Flying Dart. The mechanical pterosaur had arrived, clearing the area with merciless precision. Anyone tied to the Huns was doomed...but oddly enough, the captured Eclipse civilians seemed unharmed. Could it be that this Dinobot was selective in his targets?
"Flying Dart, you brat...you're still alive! These are my coordinates! I'm with a Decepticon warrior named Red Spider. Come find us!"
Sensing his brother approaching fast, Thunder Dragon Mud (Sludge) didn't even bother saying goodbye to Starscream. He immediately sent out a signal. Moments later, the transformed pterosaur...Flying Dart...soared down before them.
(End of Chapter)