Myra's Story Chapter 22

Earlier

Jack stood with the others as they decided on the next course of action after the events of the news Bulkhead had given them. Optimus had suggested as much as to employ the use of the Spark Extractor, and it was during this preparation that Jack got a call. He pulled out his phone and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Jack...remember when you told me about that incident outside the base a while ago?” his mom suddenly blurted, sounding edgy.

“Yeah?”

“I think I found her.”

Jack nearly dropped his phone before he continued.

“Are you sure?” he asked, suddenly more attentive.

“Yes, this girl bears the same resemblance, even the same outfit, she just came in with a very suspicious wound and a VERY familiar curse pattern.” she explained.

“Okay, I'll alert Optimus, once they finish here we'll visit and try to let Optimus and Bulkhead get a look at her. If she is who you think she is we might finally get some answers.”

“I'll try to keep her here, so I suggest you hurry.” June warned before hanging up.

Jack put his phone away before he faced his friends who were looking at him expectantly.

“What happened? Who did your mom find?” Miko asked.

“She thinks she may have found our mysterious motorcyclist, mom said she came in with an odd wound and wore the same exact outfit. Plus she said she used a similar vocabulary to you guys.” Jack explained.

“Pfft our Mysterious Motorcyclist is clearly too intelligent to let herself out in the open like that.” Ratchet snorted.

“Though the circumstances lead us to believe she is not our mysterious benefactor perhaps her close proximity may play a role in how she keeps herself informed in our active duties.” Optimus suggested before turning to Jack.

“Jack, has your mother been informed to keep this suspect contained?” he asked.

“She says she'll try to keep her there until we arrive.” Jack explained.

A sudden beeping turned their attention to the console where Ratchet began to read.

“Optimus, I'm detecting an energy spike at the Decepticon crash site. It appears to be Dark Energon.” he explained balefully.

Optimus turned to Jack, his mood instantly becoming darker.

“The information June Darby along with the task involved must wait until we have initiated our plan of action. Until then we must deal with our current situation.

Ratchet went to the lever and opened the ground bridge.

“Autobots, Roll out!”

Present

Myra grunted as she stifled the pain as she sprinted down the hall, her sword out and ready. She held her other hand to ease the ache in her side and to systematically have it close to her throwing knives.

“Your attempt is pointless, I am in command.” the vessel boomed, activating its stasis grating and shooting it down the hall towards Myra.

“Stupid ship.” she muttered, facing the approaching beam netting and sprinted towards it.

Thinking quickly she crouched low before leaping through, avoiding the attack by passing through one of the gaps in the stasis netting. She landed in a somersault before continuing the roll back to resume her sprint down the halls.

Myra hoped the children were having better luck at defeating this vessel-

“Parasites! I am infested!” the ship suddenly boomed.

“Scrap!” she hissed, skidding to a stop.

Quickly Myra backtracked, heading towards the infuser as she instinctively went to defend the children. Within moments she skidded to another stop, her path blocked as a door closed in front of her.

“Scrap.” she hissed again, turning to run down another hall but was blocked in again, she froze, realizing she was trapped.

“I am in command!” the ship boomed, Myra couldn't help notice something distorted in its voice when a buzzing sound behind her caught her attention.

Turning she gasped at the grating that was heading in her direction, its parting had been reduced to prevent her from passing through again. Shaking she backed away as it neared her, soon she had her back against the wall.

“Prepare...to be...eliminated...” the ship droned, noticeably becoming slower as the overhead conduits changed from violet to blue, a sound that resembled a power down reaching her ears.

The grating was inches from Myra and she turned her head to avoid it longer when the doors suddenly opened and the grating vanished. Surprised Myra looked about, she realized the presence of the ship was fading quickly and was soon gone all together.

“They must have succeeded.” she sighed, relieved.

Deciding to meet up with them Myra ran down the hall to meet them when she noticed the bots around her beginning to move. Realizing the danger Myra doubled her speed, she decided to head towards the room where they had left Fowler. She ran around the corner in time to see a space bridge disappear, revealing a damaged Knockout. Also at that moment Megatron appeared, glaring at Knockout.

“You let them Escape?!” he snarled before looking at the screen in surprise.

“And with vital intelligence!” he gasped then turned to face her, it was then she realized she was in a very dangerous position.

“And You allowed them?!” he snapped.

“My lord, I've been trapped within a hall while this happened. It seems the ship recognized me before it had recognized the other humans.” Myra tried to explain.

Megatron swung an arm at her, taking a step in her direction, she stepped back in fear, her sword hand twitching as she withheld her instinct to fight back.

“No excuses! We must hurry! Knockout! Gather mining personnel! We must make haste!”

Myra hesitated for a moment as Knockout nodded and hurried away when she realized Megatron was still looking at her.

“As for YOU...”

Myra winced, her hand that held her wound started to drift upwards towards her throwing knives when Megatron spoke.

“Report to Soundwave at the bridge and investigate the four discovered sets of coordinates. Inform us what to expect from each location and how we may hasten our path to obtaining these relics.” Megatron growled.

Surprised Myra put her hand back in place before saluting him with her sword hand, she then re-sheathed her sword and ran off to find Soundwave. She sprinted towards the bridge the whole way, she did not intend to disappoint Megatron anymore than she already had.

She made it to the bridge and rushed up to Soundwave, who looked down at her, unreadable as always.

“Megatron ordered me to report to you as an aide in retrieving the relics.” she explained.

Soundwave nodded and led her to one of the consoles, there he pointed to the screen where each coordinate had been identified.

Myra gazed at them then nodded, she knew each place well and knew what action could be taken for each.

“The first coordinates are beneath a major human population. Luckily the coordinates correspond to a system of passages beneath where you can travel without raising suspicion. The second location is a cold tundra, I suggest a sturdier bot, a sturdy built flyer would be best due to the unpredictability of the terrain and the landscape. The third is a wooded area with several open areas and high mounds, I suggest a flyer or team of fliers due to the terrain. The last however is a known volcanic area, so heavy measurements must be taken.” Myra spoke, adding suggestions and instructions about each terrain and how to best navigate them.

Once done she turned to Soundwave who nodded in acknowledgment before turning and bowing to Megatron, who suddenly appeared beside him.

“Your native Intel seems to be most useful, I do hope the measurements are satisfactory.” he rumbled before turning and walking to his post.

Myra held her breath as he stood there, she had a feeling if she didn't apply herself more to the cause she may have to leave sooner than she anticipated. After he left she allowed herself to breathe she decided she should plan ahead for the possibility of her 'removal'.

Myra looked back at the screen, she knew she had no chance of going to any of them due to the importance of each, however she knew she could aid in the first set of coordinates. She turned to Soundwave and pointed to the first set.

“Due to the transit system the passageways serve for their systems will need to be hacked.” she explained.

Soundwave looked and she watched as diagrams and plans along with programming and plots appeared onscreen. She directed him to the subway systems, there he hacked them and searched for what he needed.

“Luckily the tunnels required will be shut down for maintenance. A team can be sent in without rousing suspicion.” she nodded, glad to be able to seem of use before jumping off the console.

“I'll check the other locations for any surrounding issues, if I find any I will report them to Megatron.” Myra said as she headed for the med-bay.

The moment she was out she felt her shoulders sag, she no longer saw this experience as a game, the stakes were real and the dangers she was seeing were all too real. Yes, though she enjoyed her experiences something about it was sucking the fun out of it.

She knew the chances of humans being harmed were growing with each experience but she lived for the challenges. So what was it that was making her feel so low? Falling into thought she tried to find the source, was it the children? Yes their presence made her antsy but she was sure she could protect them, after all she aided in their most recent excursion.

Speaking of that she knew how to explain that one, her excuse would be she knew she would be detected before they were. After tapping into the ships communications she had caught onto their conversation and had decided to manipulate the 'others' into completing the task needed due to her chances being lower than theirs. If Megatron asked or went through the recordings her explanation would ring true, and would aid in moving her chances of being expelled from the ship down to a minimum.

Yes, with that planned out she looked up to the med-bay doors before going in, once inside she climbed a berth and began to study the terrain of each coordinate.

Thank her lucky stars for most of them, the third set was in a remote wilderness, no data concerning any human dwellings or inhabitants told her it was safe. The fourth set was a developing island, so no humans would be there. However, the first set and second sets made her feel quite anxious. Even with the maintenance in the subways of the first set the chances of being noticed were pretty high. Hopefully the sounds of a nearby construction crew would help disguise the sounds of their drilling. As for the second set she growled when she realized there was a nearby military base, hopefully they would not be able to detect them. Hacking into the data she was able to determine though they are well connected and could direct information quickly they did not have the necessary tools to scan for any nearby Cybertronians.

Myra felt lucky and wondered if there was any way to safe guard all of them. Looking up she assumed Knockout had left for his mission and would return within the hour. And chances were he would need a repair once he returned, most likely due to the humidity or the minor scratches he would earn from his little tussles with the Autobots.

Standing she turned to the tool station and began to pull out what she would need to fix him. Being meticulous she decided to pull out each tool and check them over to make sure they worked properly. After a little test for each she lined them up for ready use when the door opened.

Turning she smiled at Knockout only to freeze at the scene she beheld.

Knockout was angry and obviously in pain, she could tell by his hunched position. But what caught her the most was his optics, the anguish and humiliation he bore stirred something in her, and before he had a chance to even step in her direction she had her sander ready for action.

“Sit.” she ordered.

He hesitated but on her insistence he did as he was told, his sudden submission was unlike him and it angered Myra to see him act so defeated. However, underneath his defeated exterior she could sense  the anger that simmered beneath the surface. She had an idea of what it was directed towards and was careful as she sanded him, making sure not to irritate him as she began her long work.

After a few minutes Knockout moved and grabbed his own sander before he began working on his more evident damage while Myra worked on his harder to reach scratches.

Hours later she had him completely stripped of his damaged coating and was finishing sanding out his damaging scratches before he finally began to speak.

“I'll do the rest...you look like you could have a rest of your own.” he muttered, moving away from her as he continued to work.

Myra hesitated, she did feel tired but she wanted to finish what she could, and she had the urge to repair all she could. What for she didn't know, all she knew was that she didn't intend to leave Knockout's side if she could help it.

“I'm fine, let me-”

“You've done enough, right now I just need a moment to myself if you'll be so kind.” he snapped, turning away from her as he continued to work on himself.

Myra felt angry, she was just trying to help, and there was something else to this that she wasn't seeing, he was hiding something from her.

“What is it?” she growled.

He ignored her, continuing his work.

Myra felt her brow twitch before she stamped her foot, leaving a miniscule dent in the effort she put into it. The noise, however, was loud enough to startle Knockout, he turned to face her and she snapped.

“I've been working to help you and you repay me by turning your back and ignoring me!!” she roared, angry at his treatment towards her.

“And ever since the attack you've been distant, why are you being so curt with me?!” she snarled.

Knockout paused, he looked away, hesitant to speak but another stomp made him turn to look at her.

“...I have nothing to say.” he growled, turning away then back again, glaring at her.

“Now if you don't mind I've had my fill of humans for today.” he snapped before turning away and continuing to sand himself.

Myra glared at him, she had the urge to push him, to get the information she desired, but something else was holding her back. She knew if he broke he could rat her out to Megatron...but it wasn't that, something else, maybe it was the look in his optics, or maybe just the way he had reacted. Something about it had...hurt...and she lost her desire to help, yet she still had the urge.

“Fine...but if you need any help...you know how to find me.” she growled, forcing the alien pain she felt to remain hidden before she opened a bridge and jumped through.

She landed in the middle of the Nevada desert, she stood there, unmoving from the position she landed in for several minutes. Something about her recent turn of events puzzled her...but she just couldn't put her finger on what it was. It felt obvious but something about it just wasn't allowing her to identify it.

Frustrated she kicked the ground, what was it that was making her feel so emotionally disoriented? First it was the human child, then Orion, then it was the humans, now it was Knockout. What was it that was making her feel so unstable?

She paced the ground for several minutes before she sighed, rubbing her temples, no closer to finding the answer than she had been before. Deciding to let the matter rest she put in her coordinates for one of her resting places before getting comfortable and lying on the ground. Maybe the answer would come to her in her dreams.

_@_@_@_@_@

Myra shuddered as Hardshell passed her in the corridors of the ship, of all the Insecticons she was most wary of him, after all, he nearly extinguished Bulkhead. He clunked by her, his only exchange being a low rumbling growl as he passed, sending shivers down Myra's spine, clearly he was in a bad mood. Normally she would have avoided him or any of the other Insecticons by hiding out in the med-bay, but with Knockout holding a grudge against humanity she was forced to venture elsewhere. She might have actually enjoyed it but the Insecticons were nothing like the troopers, they were aggressive, pushy, and very short tempered. Myra feared by the rising tension between the ranks that there would be an all out feud that would just one day break out, dividing the ship, and weakening the Decepticons.

Personally she didn't care about a division, she was beginning to dislike the Decepticons, too boring and one note minded. She now actually understood why Megatron always had such devious second in commands. It probably helped him from going insane from the sheer boredom of running the ship, and kept him sharp by keeping an apposing mind so close.

A rumbling behind her turned her attention, three Insecticons were walking in her direction, clearly they did not intend to let her pass peacefully by the pattern of their movements. Either that or they completely ignored her presence.

To avoid being stepped on Myra moved to the side, but she refused to cower in front of them, she knew they had animalistic tendencies, and to behave weakly would only make her a target. Then again she didn't want to behave like a challenger, so remaining to the side without cowering was her best option.

She walked, keeping an arms length from the wall as she passed, remaining wary without seeming to be. She walked past them, and from the corner of her vision she spotted them glance in her direction, a predatory one, and she heard them growl deeply before they had passed completely.

She remained stiff through the entire encounter, and once they had passed she allowed herself to relax only minutely. She may have passed by the worst but these beasts tended to have very fickle moods, and she did not intend to expose herself just because an Insecticon wanted to stir up some trouble.

“Weak.” one suddenly snorted, low enough to seem like a mutter, loud enough to where he knew a human would hear.

Myra did not stop, she simply kept walking, but she made a reply in kind by flipping them the bird, Myra one Insecticons zero. Why? Because it was enough to make them pause in puzzlement, she could only tell by their lack of footsteps and she just continued to walk. She walked in that manner all the way to lab where Dreadwing was conducting one of his own little experiments. She did not doubt he was attempting to improve on his explosions, and by his manner there was something happening she had not yet been alerted to. She had an idea it had to do with Bulkhead but she had to make sure before she could make any assumptions.

She climbed up to his work table, glancing about at his inventory she made a guess he was attempting to pack more power into the bullets his cannon fired. She knew she had to be careful how she tread around Dreadwing, unlike most Decepticons Dreadwing had a bright future due to his intelligence and other qualities he possessed. She respected him for that but due to it she had to be much more careful, he was sure to report anything she did, even if he did not intend to, it was just his nature.

“I see you're working on your latest improvement?” she asked, starting casually as he set down his chemicals and began to tend to the pieces of his weapon.

He seemed to ignore her for a moment but she waited patiently, he was too polite to ignore her that blatantly.

“A better advantage against the Autobots.” he said bluntly, ever since the Breakdown incident he had become much more tolerant of her presence, acknowledging her more and more as time passed.

“Any one in particular?” she asked, inspecting the rounds.

“Perhaps their Wrecker?” she asked.

He paused, she was in a dangerous position.

“Knowing your feud with him and the amount plus the compound ratio you're aiming for the more...resistant Autobots.” she explained.

He turned to look at her, his face remained as unreadable as a  dealer in a casino poker game, she waited, politely awaiting his response.

“How could you guess this?” he asked.

Myra sat back and took a thoughtful pose, she already had an answer in mind but she intended to make him think her ruse was a legitimate expression of curiosity.

“Optimus is Megatron's to take down, no question, the scout and the two wheeler are much too small for such heavy artillery. The medic is no care of yours and the green wrecker is out of commission, but I've heard utterings of him being alive just heavily damaged.” she listed, watching him out of the corner of her eye and noticed a hitch in his cleaning when mentioning Bulkhead.

“You have no issues with any others, Starscream wears an indestructible suit so it wouldn't matter, you bear no grudges on the Insecticons, so it must be the white Wrecker.”

There, he had stopped completely at the mention of the Wrecker, it definitely had something to do with him. But to continue with her charade she had to pretend to be ignorant, but how would she get him to at least hint her to what had happened when he began to speak.

“I know of you as well, you're manipulative and you clearly wish for information from me.” he said suddenly.

“If you want information you will not hesitate to obtain it by any means and I highly question your value aboard this vessel.

Myra just smiled, switching the crossed position of her legs as she waited, he did not know it but his actions, his gestures, they told Myra everything she needed, she just needed just a little bit more.

“Now I insist you leave, I do not intend to make Lord Megatron doubt my worth.” Dreadwing said coolly, turning his back to her.

Bingo.

Myra complied by jumping down, landing in a crouch before heading for the exit, pausing at the door before looking back, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“I see you don't intend to disappoint Megatron as Hardshell or your predecessors have, but don't worry, I doubt he'll be around for much longer, not if that wrecker has anything to do with it. I would suggest sending a little back up for the Insecticon though, wreckers are called such for a reason.”

Dreadwing looked at her in surprise, she only responded with a wink before leaving the room. She knew she would not get in trouble, she did no harm in her little investigation, if anything she helped. Besides, he said it himself, she was manipulative and wanted information, however she did disprove him on one thing, she did have worth, after all wasn't she the reason he was second in command?