Eugenesis - The Transformers Archive

He liked pacing. It was one of the only Earthen habits he could understand: the jittery impatience,the compulsion to keep moving, the anger implied with every stride.Where the hell was Ratchet, anyway? Probably chatting to Windcharger or Gears, swapping oldEarth-stories. He hated stories – he just didn’t see the point of them. Actions speak louder than words, healways said.Ah, there he was, with Bluestreak, Hound, Trailbreaker and Wheeljack.‘Where have you been?’‘Calm down, Mirage. I was just saying goodbye to the others.’Why bother? Mirage thought to himself. You’ll be seeing them all soon enough. He took a few steps up theramp and hovered.‘Hound, Trailbreaker and Bluestreak will accompany you to Cybertron,’ explained Wheeljack as therobots in question filed into the shuttle. He groped for something else to say, something to make hisstatement less abrupt, but found nothing.For the first time, Ratchet felt indignant. Why should he shoulder the blame for High Command’sdecision? He opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. These people were about to be evicted.He didn’t envy them, or begrudge their anger.‘Look, you know I’m sorry about this. Who knows? Perhaps one day, when the war’s over, we canbuild another city on Earth.’‘Somehow, Ratchet, I doubt that will happen.’ Ultra Magnus was leaning against the hangar door.‘You’re off, then,’ he said steadily.‘That’s right. Thanks for your hospitality,’ said Mirage flatly.‘Always nice to entertain High Command. Good to know the Resistance is in such capable hands.’The hangar bay doors opened and a damp wind mingled with the purr of the Autoshuttle’s engines.Mirage looked at the dull daylight outside and said, ‘Let’s go. I’ve had enough of this planet.’Ratchet watched the Intelligence Officer disappear into the shuttle. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said to no one inparticular. ‘He’s been very… uptight lately.’‘Don’t apologise,’ said Ultra Magnus. ‘Just have a safe journey home.’Wheeljack pulled Magnus away as the shuttle powered up, swung 360 degrees and rocketed out ofthe hangar. It was only as the roar of its engines had subsided that Ultra Magnus heard Blaster’s voicecoming from his wrist communicator. ‘Yes Blaster, what it is it?’‘I’ve got Prowl on sub-space. He needs to speak to you immediately. He says he has some bad news.’Ultra Magnus sprinted towards the Command Tower, relishing the prospect of this particularconfrontation. It was somehow fitting that it should be there, where he had confessed his fears of the City’sclosure, that Prowl should choose tell him officially. He took the lift this time, and burst into the room tosee Prowl’s face already on the central monitor.‘Well? What the hell are you playing at?’‘Ultra Magnus, I—’‘You decided to close the City days ago!’‘Magnus—’‘How dare you patronise me by sending Mirage to “inspect” us! Haven’t you got anything better todo than shut down peaceful Autobot outposts? Typical High Command ignorance!’ Ultra Magnus realisedthat he was holding his clenched fists out in front of him – all his aggression, all his frustration, poured intoa single gesture.‘Have you quite finished?’ said Prowl. ‘Because right now I don’t give a damn about Autobot City,or the troops posted there, or you. And it’s funny you should criticise High Command, because at thismoment in time two of them are dying and the third is already dead.’Magnus lowered his fists. ‘What’s happened?’‘The troop inspection. Doubleheader was a double agent – he was wired to a body-bomb. Itexploded when he and Rodimus were shaking hands and his grip reached a certain pressure.’For the first time, Magnus noticed the burns and scratches disfiguring the side of Prowl’s face.‘Rodimus is dead?’‘No. He’s hooked up to life-support in AMC1. Red Alert’s in there too. What’s left of him, anyway.’‘But… but you said someone in High Command had been killed.’