Alan Dean Foster - Transformers - Ghosts of Yesterday

"No," came the response, more assured this time. "Optimus wants you to take care of your mission down there. We'll handle any difficulties up here. I'm no more pleased at the current separation than you are, but if that small ship is some kind of new or unique Decepticon, despite its primitive appearance and the presence of an internal organic population, it is imperative that we determine its capabilities and intent."

Bumblebee mulled over his friend's response before conceding that the logic made sense, though he hated not being available to assist his friends in the possible forthcoming battle. He had no idea as to the Decepticons' strength, and Jazz had not filled him in. All he could do was carry out his own assignment as quickly and as efficiently as possible while hoping that Optimus and the others came through unharmed.

"All right," he replied, although the digital nature of his response could not convey his reluctance. "Let me know as soon as you can if you need me up there. Otherwise I'll be in touch again as soon as I have concluded my task and am headed back to the Ark." "Safety and preservation," Jazz responded before terminating the communication.

Isolated among his stark surroundings, Bumblebee headed off in the direction of the alien ship. He did not travel in a straight line or take to the exposed sky. Instead he advanced from one concealing geological formation to the next, forcing himself to utilize caution and tactics despite his impatience to be over and done with the work. He had no reason to suspect that anyone had seen him touch down, but neither was there any need to unnecessarily announce his presence.

Though he concentrated on the task at hand, he could not keep from wondering if they all had been wrong. Decepticons had been sighted by the Ark. What if, despite their preliminary analyses, the beings on the alien ship did prove to know something about Megatron. No matter where he might be, Megatron would always be the same within. Nothing could change that. As an entity he was power mad and pure evil, a being of enormous strength forever teetering on the edge of insanity. He stood for everything that Bumblebee hated.

He found himself hoping that the deceivingly innocuous alien vessel actually was the work of Megatron. It would give him and his companions the opportunity to remove from the civilized galaxy the handiwork of the most malicious Decepticon who had ever existed.

If he didn't remove them first, of course.

"Starscream is gone," Blackout announced. "And if Megatron really is in league with that primitive vessel and Starscream attacks it, chances are our erstwhile leader will not be returning." He eyed his fellow Decepticons. "I say we take this chance to give Megatron a welcome-back gift: the destruction of the Autobots and the Ark." "And I say we wait," Barricade countered.

"Then it is a fortunate thing we are not listening to you." Without hesitation, Blackout seized the oppor-tunity that had been presented to him. "We have all of us been following Starscream around for centuries and it has gotten us nowhere. We have not located the Allspark. We have not found Megatron on our own." He shoved a long metallic finger at Barricade. "This is not the kind of honored existence Decepticons are destined to live. We are conquerors." The finger turned to gesture at the main viewscreen. "Our enemy is right out there, standing its noxious ground. We should strike while we have the chance."

"Starscream said to stay here," Barricade countered once again. "Forget it not: as long as Megatron is not present, Starscream remains in charge and we take our orders from him."