Chapter 113: The Ruthless Decepticons
"Foolish Decepticons! Do you think I'd believe your lies? We Autobots are too compassionate that's how you heartless bastards stole Cybertron from us! I'll never allow that tragedy to happen again!"
As an Autobot medic, Ratchet had recently witnessed countless heartbreaking deaths. Many kind-hearted Autobots had fallen to Decepticon weapons because of a moment of mercy a mistake that could not be repeated.
"N-no, wait! Listen to me! I've never fought the Autobots before! I just joined the Decepticons! My Spark it's completely new! Look!"
Feeling the crushing pressure of Ratchet's anger, the Decepticon known as Steelbeard finally panicked. He even exposed a small part of his Spark to prove his innocence.
But the instant Ratchet saw it, his composure vanished. As the Spark's protective layer flickered open, a familiar aura radiated from within it was the Spark of a fallen Autobot warrior, stolen by the Decepticons and implanted into this new body.
This was an unforgivable crime. There was no point in further discussion.
"I will never allow you to corrupt Autobot Sparks! Prepare yourself!"
Before the young Decepticon could even react, Ratchet unleashed a storm of laser fire and missiles from the captured shuttle, pouring all its firepower into his target.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Ahhh!"
"Help me! Please!"
The poor Steelbeard barely had time to send a distress signal before his newly forged metal body was blown apart his Spark extinguished in an instant.
"Damn Decepticons! This is the greatest insult to us Autobots! The Sparks of our fallen comrades will never live on in your filthy shells! I, Ratchet, swear to purge every last one of you Decepticons from Cybertron!"
Any Autobot would have been filled with righteous fury at such a sight. They all knew, deep down, what fate awaited their captured comrades. It wasn't enough that they were defeated their Sparks were torn from their bodies, stripped of all memory and data, and then used to create new Decepticon soldiers.
This was the ultimate desecration of a warrior's soul.
In the old days, when the Autobots governed Cybertron, such acts were strictly forbidden. But Megatron had no such morals his Decepticons were parasites on the very fabric of the universe.
After venting his rage, Ratchet quickly regained his composure. Even if few Decepticons passed through this route, the chaos of battle was sure to attract more enemies. The wisest course was to retreat at once, taking alternate paths to avoid detection.
However, Ratchet had overestimated Decepticon loyalty. These warriors had no regard for the wounded or fallen. Even if Megatron himself were gravely injured, his troops would abandon him without hesitation that was the Decepticon law of survival.
"Commander Soundwave, this is Barricade. I think we've received a distress signal from Steellord. I'm not sure what happened, but it seems the Autobots attacked him. Should we check it out?"
Barricade, one of the newer Decepticons who had trained alongside Steellord, still retained a trace of empathy. But Soundwave rejected the idea immediately.
"Ha! So the Autobots finally got him? Then his luck ran out. Remember this our primary mission is to complete Lord Megatron's orders. Everything else is irrelevant. Steellord was just a trainee. If the Autobots destroyed him, it means he wasn't worthy to be a Decepticon warrior. We will not waste our energy on garbage. Understood?"
As commander of the operation, Soundwave made sure the younger soldiers understood the Decepticon code: the strong devour the weak only the fittest survive.
"If Steelmaniac can't even handle a few scattered Autobots, he's useless. Let him be destroyed. We have plenty of Sparks to spare."
"Yes, Commander Soundwave. I'll shut down the auxiliary channels immediately. You're right we Decepticons don't need weaklings who can't fight!"
The conversation between Barricade and Soundwave took place on an open channel. No one interrupted, but every Decepticon marching toward Megatron heard it.
To the veterans, this was normal business as usual. But to the new recruits, it was a harsh lesson in Decepticon reality.
"Good. Remember you have only one leader, and that is Lord Megatron. Every action you take must align with his commands. Even if the Autobot who destroyed Steellord was Optimus Prime himself, we cannot falter. Understood?"
After scolding the rookie Barricade, Soundwave conducted a quick scan. Within seconds, responses from the remaining Decepticon squads came through.
Still, there were strange readings possible electromagnetic interference or Autobot transmissions from other zones. Of the half-dozen faint signals detected, at least half likely belonged to fallen Decepticons.
The reason was simple: their formation was too scattered, leaving openings for wandering Autobot strike teams especially the legendary leader Optimus Prime and the powerful Ironhide. Even Soundwave himself would struggle to defeat them.
(End of Chapter)