eugenesis-text

claws peppered their backs like tarantulas, overcrowding their spines, fighting for unclaimed skin. Rev-
Tone’s mouthpiece was missing, revealing a rectangular mouth and awkward teeth. Quark’s eyes were
splintered. He could barely see.
Quantax completed 30 circuits of the room before cocking his head and saying, ‘You know, I’d
hoped it wouldn’t get this far.’
Rev-Tone and Quark stared at the table, a garish mess of red/blue paint flecks. They hadn’t looked at
each other since Kup had run away with Hot Rod’s body tucked under his arm. Quark’s head was
twitching.
‘I won’t pretend that hostage brutality is something I disapprove of, but it would have been far
simpler if you’d told me what I wanted to know. Perhaps your two team-mates would have been more
talkative.’ He gestured towards the mishmash table. ‘Too late to find out now.’
There was a lopsided, gurgling sound. Rev-Tone closed his eyes and felt a warm trickle of lubricant
roll down his chin. Bad things were happening inside him.
‘I know there are more of you out there, hiding on our planet, waiting to attack. All I need is a set of
co-ordinates. Just give me six numbers and I’ll let you both go. I’m not promising an everlasting reprieve,
but you’ll be airlifted from this base and dropped on your doorstep. We may even let you get inside before
we open fire.’
Quantax was tired of talking. He disliked the sound of his own voice, especially when he was making
threats. ‘This isn’t working, is it’ he said, and unclipped a laser pistol from the small of his back. He held
the weapon at arm’s length, slotted an energon clip into place and rolled the barrel settings. ‘What is it with
you Autobots’
‘You realise that killing us will solve nothing.’ said Quark.
‘Dear god, it speaks! I was beginning to think my men had ruptured your synthvox. Can your friend
speak too’
Rev-Tone looked up and mumbled something. His words were soft and shapeless.
Quantax moved forward. ‘What was that’ He spread his hands, bent low and said, with faint hope,
‘Are you trying to tell me something’
Rev-Tone hacked a wad of oil into Quantax’s face.
The Quintesson dabbed his cheek. ‘You should know better.’ He held the pistol close to Rev-Tone’s
head as the guards pinned him still. ‘You’ve settled any doubts I had about using this.’
‘Don’t touch him!’ yelled Quark, struggling to break free.
Rev-Tone felt the barrel scrape against his battered cerebral casing and said, ‘Well If you’re going to
shoot, shoot.’
Quantax pulled the trigger.
Quark screamed.
Rev-Tone heard a deafening click and realised he was still alive.
‘Perhaps I should have explained this before,’ said Quantax. ‘This pistol is loaded with a one-shot
charge, randomly primed. It’s going to go of eventually, but who can say when’ He pointed the gun at
Quark’s head and looked at Rev-Tone. ‘So. Where are the other Autobots’
‘Don’t!’ yelled Quark. ‘Don’t say anything!’
Rev-Tone stared at Quark’s head and the black barrel hovering in wait. His circuitry burned. The
Institute flashed through his mind.
Quantax squeezed the trigger – but nothing happened. Quark was still intact.
‘What are the odds of that’ smiled Quantax, skirting the table, a skip in his step. He returned to
Rev-Tone’s brow.
‘Don’t say anything, Quark,’ said Rev-Tone. ‘I mean it.’
‘Oh, don’t listen to him!’ interrupted Quantax. ‘If you give me the location of your base, I’ll let him
live. I’ll let you both live. He’s your friend, Autobot! Now give me the co-ordinates.’
‘Quark, no!’
Quantax squeezed the trigger and Rev-Tone buckled against a rush of silence. He rocked in his chair
and prayed for a conclusion: anything to break the chain. A guard cupped his throat and forced him to
watch Quantax put a gun to the back of Quark’s head.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Rev-Tone, closing his eyes.
‘Fourth time lucky’ said Quantax, and fired.