Waiting was the soldier's lot. Even for alien robots.
Nathan leaned against the wall of the Connecting Hangar, watching the E-Series clones brawl. It had been hours.
"T-22," T-24 asked again, his voice lower this time. "Do you think we will ever see Cybertron?"
Nathan looked at the brute. T-24 wasn't just a killer; he was homesick.
"I don't know," Nathan answered honestly. "Cybertron is a dead planet now. Why go back to a graveyard?"
"Because it is home," T-24 said simply. "And because I want to kill the Autobots who ruined it."
He turned to Nathan, his optics burning with fervor.
"If you see an Autobot, tell me. I want to be the first to tear them apart."
Nathan stared at him. You want to solo an Autobot? With your mid-tier frame and standard blaster?
Buddy, Bumblebee would rip your spine out before you finished transforming.
But he nodded solemnly. "Sure. If I see Bumblebee or Optimus Prime, I'll let you know so you can... handle them."
"Thank you, brother."
Don't mention it. I'll prepare your eulogy.
...
CLANG!
The hangar doors slammed open.
Starscream stormed in. He didn't walk; he stomped.
He saw two E-Series clones wrestling on the floor.
"ENOUGH!"
WHAM. WHAM.
Starscream kicked the brawlers apart, sending them skidding across the metal floor.
"If you dent my floor, I will recycle you into toaster ovens!"
The clones scrambled to their feet, terrified.
Starscream was in a foul mood.
Earlier, Soundwave had contacted him from deep space. The Communications Officer was losing patience.
"Starscream. Lord Megatron remains missing. If you do not produce results, I will deploy to Earth personally."
That was a threat. If Soundwave came to Earth, Starscream's little kingdom would collapse. He needed to look busy.
"Decepticons! Assemble!"
The 35 warriors scrambled into formation. The seven T-Series stood in front; the twenty-eight E-Series clones lined up behind.
Starscream paced before them.
"The time for hiding is over! We have a mission!"
"You will scour this miserable planet! You will find Lord Megatron!"
Finally, Nathan thought. The plot begins.
"T-19!" Starscream barked.
"Here, Lord Starscream!"
"Take units E-1 through E-4. You are Flight Squadron 1. You will search the Northern Sector."
"Yes, Lord Starscream!"
Starscream went down the line.
"T-20, Squadron 2."
"T-21, Squadron 3."
Finally, he reached Nathan.
"T-22!"
"Here, Lord Starscream."
"Take units E-25 through E-28. You are Flight Squadron 7."
Starscream paused, looking at Nathan.
"Since you are... resourcefull... I am assigning you the Western Sector. Specifically, the area surrounding the Colorado River."
Nathan's spark skipped a beat.
The Colorado River runs right through the Hoover Dam.
Is he doing this on purpose? Or is it fate?
"You will scan for Cybertronian signatures," Starscream ordered. "Report anything unusual directly to me."
"Understood, Lord Starscream."
Nathan saluted. Behind him, four E-Series clones—smaller, uglier versions of himself—snapped to attention.
I'm a Squad Leader now.
And I just got a free ticket to the AllSpark.
Starscream turned to the hangar exit—the massive blast doors leading to Connors Canyon.
"Decepticons! Transform and rise up!"
KA-CHUNK-WHIRRR-ZING!
Starscream leaped into the air, shifting mid-jump into his F-22 Raptor mode. His afterburners lit the hangar with blue fire as he shrieked out into the desert sky.
"Squadron 7, on me!" Nathan ordered.
He activated his T-Cog.
Transformation sequence initiated.
His limbs folded, panels shifted, and his head tucked away. In less than two seconds, he was no longer a robot.
He was a sleek, dark gray F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.
WHOOSH.
Nathan blasted out of the hangar, his four minions following in formation.
The desert stretched out below him. The sky was wide and blue.
Target: Hoover Dam.
Objective: Godhood.