eugenesis-text

Deep inside Autobot City, Mindwipe was sitting at his computer screen and fighting the urge to leap
into a vacuum lift and get the hell out of there. Why did he have to be stocktaking the day the city suffered
its first attack in over a year Twenty-seven levels up, above millions of tonnes of hardware and granite, his
newfound comrades were fighting for their lives; he, meanwhile, was stuck in a reinforced bunker with two
other ex-’Cons and a dwindling supply of weaponry.
He watched Skullcruncher load laser-clips onto the trans-materialiser. Triggerhappy pulled handfuls of
laser pistols off the shelves. The city held a modest complement of weaponry at the best of times, but the
last twelve months had seen regular shipments to Delphi and Autobase. The vault now resembled a giant,
stainless steel sink.
Every so often, Magnus or Grimlock would request some long-range torpedoes or blister-bombs.
Skullcruncher would beam them topside and follow their fate via the monitor screens.
Magnus’s voice was filling the room now: ‘We need portable rocket packs, as many as you’ve got. I’ll post
more receivers to—’ His voice was drowned out by distortion as a Trident flew too close. ‘—Magnus out.’
Mindwipe ran into the vault. ‘You heard him, guys! I want everyone hauling anti-gravity packs!’
The vault vibrated as another explosion did some damage above ground.
‘That’s the biggest one yet!’ said Triggerhappy. ‘I tell you, we’re not safe!’
‘We’re a hell of a lot safer than we would be up there,’ said Skullcruncher.
‘That’s not what I mean. I don’t think the city is safe. There are 31 levels to this base, 25 of which are
below ground. The Autobots had to reinforce natural caverns to accommodate the city’s foundations.’
Mindwipe heaved another backpack onto the transmat. ‘So what, you think they’ve weakened the
countryside Upset the ecosystem or something Fine time to go green, Triggerhappy.’
‘I’m saying that the renovations may have undermined the entire city. We’re lucky it hasn’t
collapsed.’
‘Which is what you think is going to happen’
‘If the Quintessons keep on pummelling us, then yes!’
Grimlock waded into waist-high Trident wreckage, found the pinioned pilot (warm and unconscious)
and pumped a full clip into his chest. Through a backwash of green flame, he saw Ultra Magnus and a
group of huddling Autobots.
‘What’s going on’ he demanded.
‘We need more men in the air,’ replied Ultra Magnus. ‘There are just too many Tridents.’ Magnus
turned to Freeway, Streetwise and Skids, who were already strapping themselves in their backpacks. ‘Listen.
You’re up there to complement Jetfire’s team, not get yourselves killed. And that goes double for you,
Freeway. No risks.’ He watched them take off. ‘I hope that turns the tide, Grimlock. We can’t hold out
forever.’
‘You think Blaster reached Cybertron The Comms room was—’
Grimlock’s voice skipped a beat as his chest exploded. He looked more surprised than pained as he
fell clumsily on his back.
Magnus skidded to the Dinobot’s side and slipped a hand underneath his neck. Oil collected in his
palm.
‘Robot down!’ he cried, noticing the dotted line of craters leading to Grimlock’s feet. Why hadn’t he
been paying attention Why hadn’t he reacted quickly enough He felt a subtle shift in Grimlock’s body
weight, watched the Dinobot’s optics drain of light and removed his hand, now
black.
‘Bastards!’ he yelled, firing at the sky.
‘Calm down, yes’
Magnus spun on his heels. ‘You!’
‘Relax,’ said Death’s Head, holding up his hands. ‘I’m not with the Quintessons. If I was you’d be
dead by now, eh’
‘What are you doing here’
‘Hitched a lift on one of their ships.’