The Good, the Bad and Starscream

Chapter 19: Alpha/Omega

Night had fallen by the time Brawl reached Swindle's location. He was hiding behind some large boulders, scouting at a nearby human military base. As the tank rumbled up behind him, Swindle flashed his back lights to acknowledge the other's presence.

"I'm sensing his signal from that base over there," Swindle whispered. "Can you see him?"

Brawl focused his vehicle vision system and zoomed in on the army vehicles of the base. Naturally, they didn't know what Onslaught had scanned for an Earth-based vehicle mode, but they both guessed he would choose something about his size and build.

After about a minute of searching and studying the vehicles, Brawl noticed one of them was a large anti-aircraft truck with two silver cannons on the top. The truck was a grayish blue and green color scheme and seemed pretty worn and battle-scarred. Particularly the color scheme caught the two Combaticons' attention.

"I see him," Brawl replied quietly. "It's his colors, no doubt."

"I was thinking the same," Swindle replied. "None of the other trucks have those colors. It's Onslaught alright."

Brawl lifted his cannon a little up, pointing at the base.

"Let's destroy some stuff!" he growled lowly.

Swindle chuckled and peeked from his hiding spot, also pointing his roof cannon at the base.

"You took the words out of my mouth."

-----

Meanwhile on the Nemesis, the Decepticons were still recovering from the experience of Optimus Prime's magic sword attack. Skywarp had joined Thundercracker by his monitor, telling him about his fight with Starscream and then how the Autobot Seeker used himself as a ramp to allow Optimus to reach the Star Saber. Dreadwing seemed to be the only one not concerned enough with what they had just witnessed.

"Forgive me, Lord Megatron," Dreadwing spoke. "While I do not question the wisdom of our tactical retreat, know that I am fully prepared to lead the troops in a counterattack against the Autobots."

"Counterattack?" Megatron replied surprised to his second-in-command. "Perhaps you failed to notice Optimus Prime cleave an entire mountain with a single blow. With the Star Saber in his possession, my enemy can obliterate us all with a wave of his hand! I must find a way to tip the balance of power back in our favor."

"Do we not also possess a powerful relic of the Ancients?"

"Indeed. The Forge of Solus Prime. But it is useless, except in the hand of a Prime." Megatron thought for a moment and chuckled. Dreadwing and the other two Seekers in the back gazed puzzled at their master. "But I might wield that power, if I were to control such a hand."

Skywarp and Thundercracker gazed confused at each other. "What does he mean?" Skywarp asked his Trinemate quietly. "Is there another relic thing that can turn him into a Prime?"

"I doubt it," Thundercracker whispered back. "But I somehow have a bad feeling about this."

"Like, a good bad feeling?"

"When are bad feelings ever good?"

"Like, bad feeling for the Autobots, but good for us, right?"

Thundercracker squinted at his Trinemate for a moment. "I can't imagine what it's like inside that head of yours, Warp," he replied. "But fine, make sense of it as you will." He gazed ahead at Megatron, who ordered the pilots to steer the ship upwards. "Surely Lord Megatron has a plan. Hopefully one that will benefit our cause."

"Lord Megatron, I have some good news for you!" Swindle's squeaky voice sounded over the comm. link. "Brawl and I have found Onslaught!"