Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Harmonic Disruptor

As the sun peaked its wondrous orb over the edge of the horizon, Raptor stretched in its warming rays. Looking around, she smiled as her soft gaze touched upon the Mechs around her. Seekers and Autobots lounging together in total peace, completely comfortable in each other's company, as it should be.

Unfortunately, it was just a temporary illusion, for the Seekers could not stay with the Autobots, or they would be drawn into the pointless war.

Nodding to her daughters she turned to lie on her belly, basking her solar cells in the strengthening rays. As a unit, the daughters all did the same, knowing that today would be a busy day, and they would need every bit of reserve power they could store.

Raptor looked up as two large Mechs sat down in front of her. Seeing the chassis of Scavenger and Optimus, she figured they were curious as to her ideas of getting rid of the Harmonic Disrupter. Resting her chin on her hands, she looked up at them.

"I assume that you've been considering the problem we are faced with." Scavenger stated, suspecting the femme had already come up with a plan.

She grinned. "Since it's a problem of my original making, yes I have." she rubbed her optics as if just waking up. "It seems to be a problem most suited for aerial recon, and depending on how they've got things set up, sabotage may be the way to go."

Tigress and Jaguar chuckled as they heard her, both enjoying the thought of a little recon and sabotage fun.

Optimus looked at her long and hard. Sneaking around and blowing things up, was not the way Autobots normally did things. They faced things head-on. "You might want to look at other options, Raptor." he advised.

She chuckled. "Prime, you are so terribly predictable, so reactive. Many missions are best accomplished through Stealth, not face-to-face confrontation."

Both Scavenger and Optimus were taken aback by her straightforwardness in saying that Prime's tactics weren't the right tactics for this mission. No one had ever dared to question the red Mech much, much less do it with a chuckle.

Raptor looked from Mech-to-Mech, amusement in her optics. "If you plan things just right, then one single human special ops can do more damage than a whole squadron of Autobots. It's all in the planning and training – looking at all the angles, instead of just the obvious one. This has always been the problem with you Cybertronians; you seem to only think of things in black-and-white. Fortunately, I've never had that problem." she winked at them, reminding them that her spark was human.

Optimus nodded to her. "So what is your plan of action?"

She yawned, stretching lazily in her feline manner. "A wise Commander always starts with good recon, and then decides the course of action once they truly know what they face. So my two recon wings will be heading out shortly."

The red Mech didn't like the thought of all of his daughters going out on this dangerous recon mission without backup. "Let me send Jetfire with you."

Tigress snorted. "He'd blow our cover faster than the Hornets would!" she looked at Raptor, as her mother gave her 'the look'. "Oops – with much respect COMMANDERS, Jetfire is in no way suited for this mission."

Jaguar, Jacket and Wasp were rocking in silent laughter; for although the femmes obeyed Raptor to the tee, they weren't used to the rather stupid Sir-this and Sir-that, which the Autobots seemed to always be doing.

"They do have a point, sir;" Blurr agreed, as he walked up with IceOwl.

Raptor sat up, looking at Prime optic-to-optic. "This is precisely what I and our daughters are designed for – stealth, recon, first strike, sabotage, and swift aerial combat. Our tactics are as hard for a tough ground Mech to really understand – as the tactics of face-to-face, beat each other silly until you can't fight anymore – are for us to understand."

Yellow Jacket snickered. "Ya, um Sir – we specialize in the 'ol hit 'em hard and run like hell tactics."

"Works pretty good." Jaguar chimed in. "um, Sir.." grinning at her sire, as she made it obvious that 'sir' wasn't really in her vocabulary.

Blurr truly felt like rolling his optics, although these femmes were obviously very disciplined during their missions, they were a rather unruly bunch in their 'off time'. Extremely opinionated, and didn't care who they were debating with. With the exception of the rather quiet IceOwl, with whom he was beginning to get acquainted with.

"Obviously, you are going to do it your way, with little regard as to if we agree with it;" Blurr noted dryly.

Raptor looked slyly at the soldier. "Yes, you sum it up so nicely Blurr."

"And we are stuck here, waiting for your return." Scavenger bluntly added. Knowing that without the warp drive back at the base, only Jetfire could get them off this island, and that would be a very slow trip back.

She smiled warmly. "Until we destroy the Harmonic Disrupter, it's the safest place for you boys. Would hate to see you end up in the same condition we found you."

The Autobots grudgingly knew she was right, but none of them would openly admit it. Raptor spoke quietly with her 'third line' wing, making sure they knew to keep an eye on Jetfire, and not to let him leave the island until Raptor called for aerial backup. Then the two stealth wings lifted off, circling the island in a formation flyby. Winking out of sight as they teleported across the ocean.

"Damn femme can make you feel like a useless newbie!" Hotshot snorted, as he looked out over the confining water surrounding them.

The other Autobots nodded their agreement.

Recon

In full cloak mode, the two wings split up; with Raptor and IceOwl checking out the Autobots base, Jaguar and Tigress checking out the lunar base.

Sure enough, the Decepticon location near the Autobot base was soon discovered. Thrust, Cyclonus and Demolisher guarded the Harmonic Disrupter; while the other Decepticons had finally decided to enter the Autobots base.

IceOwl radioed the other wing, changing their orders to come and prowl a 50 mile radius around their location. Just in case she and Raptor needed emergency backup. In full cloak, she and Raptor set down and listened in on the Decepticons.

"Megatron says the Autobots are all gone!" Demolisher stammered, listening to the ranting and raving of his leader over the radio. "Where'd they go? I thought you said they couldn't move when you hit 'em with this thing?"

Thrust glared at him. "Obviously, someone else is involved. Probably Starscream's old play toy."

Cyclonus snickered. "He, he. I hope that freagin' femme does show up.. he, he. Give her a taste of a real Mech!"

The two Seekers silently chuckled at his empty boasts. Jaguar sent Raptor ground radar images of the inside of the Autobot base. Three Mechs were in the control center, most likely Megatron, Starscream and Wheeljack – trying to use the Autobots own computer to find them. Which is precisely why the femmes had teleported the bots – not used the warp drive!

Coming up with a quick plan, which would make both Autobots and femmes relatively happy, she sent new orders to her third line wing, to forward to the Autobots. Contacting Jaguar and Tigress she ordered a missile strike, putting a laser lock on the Harmonic Disrupter.

Swiftly, she and IceOwl teleported into the Autobot base, keeping their cloaking engaged. IceOwl went directly to the warp drive, plugging in the coordinates for the Autobots location, while Raptor snuck up to where the three cons were.

Suddenly, Demolisher was calling Megatron as the missiles hit his location. The Harmonic Disruptor being destroyed as four missiles hit it simultaneously. Megatron whirled around in anger, beginning to cuss about insubordinate subordinates! Just then, a femme appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against it and chuckling at them.

"Raptor?" Starscream stammered, surprised at her sudden appearance.

Megatron looked at her curiously, an arrogant smile crossing his façade. "Ah, so I finally meet the mysterious 'Raptor', whom has given me so much trouble as of late. It's a pity that you are so foolish as to come here alone."

The gray/green Seeker cocked her head in amusement. "Do you really think such a small number of cons would make me shake in my thrusters?"

He laughed. "You are as boastful as your little boyfriend here; I do hope you can back up your boasts better than he."

Starscream glared silently at Megatron, but didn't dare face him again.

Her optics gleamed. "Oh, I can always back up what I say. Although I must say, it's a pity that Starscream has made the mistake of rejoining your ranks." She could see regret in Starscream's stance, but he hid it from the powerful ground Mech.

Megatron glared at the femme. His large frame towering over her, but she still seemed totally unconcerned about his threats. "Perhaps you'd care to join us? To rejoin with your little boyfriend here?" he mentioned. "I can forgive a loyal soldier for their previous actions."

Her musical laughter filled the room. "That's an interesting offer, Megatron. But there are two problems: one, I take orders from no one – and –" she shifted her gaze, her optics boring into Starscream's, then continued. " - two, I could never forgive you for your previous actions against my daughters." Shifting her gaze back to Megatron,she met him optic-to-optic, an unspoken challenge.

Out of the corner of her optics, she could see Starscream shifting uncomfortably. Maybe he'll eventually figure it out. She thought to herself.

Swiftly, Megatron lunged at her; only to find her as insubstantial as the wind. "A slaggin' hologram!" he roared. "Obviously, you are too cowardly to face me!"

Her laughter again filled the room. "No, I'm in this room; you are just too blind to see me." Suddenly, she was in his face again, but shifted her gaze briefly to Starscream again. "I give you one warning only, never touch another one of my children!" kicking at the powerful con leader, she again disappeared in teleport before the strong ground Mech could grab her.

Spinning around as he cursed her, Megatron didn't notice that the door had opened. Until Starscream whipped out his sword and yelled "Autobots!". The room suddenly filling with the six of the Autobots they had tried to put out of commission.

Outside of the mountain, Yellow Jacket, Wasp, Falcon and Jetfire were having a blast chasing the three cons out of the area. They joked with each other as they tortured Demolisher's backside with laser fire, as he made his rather hasty, retreat. Cyclonus was a little more fun, as he was a bonified nut case, willing trying to take them all on. Finally, Jetfire knocked him out of the sky with a well-aimed shot at his rotors. Thrust tried to take the easy way out, mumbling in frustration as he realized that all three of the Seekers could also teleport.

When the other two Seekers banked around and joined the fun, the cons all disappeared as they were warped away.

Parting Ways

After the Autobots had cleared the Decepticons out of their base, they began to wonder where Raptor was. All the other Seekers were accounted for, and IceOwl had informed them that her mother had gone to the control room at the start of the mission.

They searched and searched, but still couldn't find her.

"Sir, do you think Megatron somehow got his hands on her?" Side Swipe asked.

Tigress and Jaguar looked at each other. "If he did, you'd better start prayin' for the Mech!" Jaguar began.

Her twin snorted. "Because if Mom doesn't destroy their base – we surely will!"

Laughter filled the air. "I'm glad to see my daughters have faith in me." Raptor's voice chimed. Then she disengaged her cloaking and appeared above them, standing upside down on the ceiling, the electromagnets engaged in her thrusters.

As she leaped down, she flipped – agile as a cat – and landed lightly on her thrusters. Jaguar, Falcon and Tigress tackled her; threatening to whoop her if she ever scared them like that again. In the pile of her daughters, Raptor looked happily up at the amused Mechs. A peaceful expression glimmering in her optics, she took Red Alert's offered hand and got up. Several Mechs slapped her on her back.

"Well, I've got to hand it to you. The mission went very smoothly." Scavenger said, shaking her hand.

Optimus came up to her, but before he could say anything, she put a finger lightly across his mask. "Don't keep asking me the same thing, Prime. I'm getting tired of saying no all the time."

Calmly, he removed her hand, no one seeing the smile behind his mask. "I was just going to ask if you were now 'expecting' again." his voice was serious.

She shrugged. "Won't know until I get the urge to build again."

Grabbing her arm, the red Mech pulled her close, locking her optics with his. "I just have one request; build a few semis this time."

Everyone laughed, realizing he was half-way serious, and half-way joking. But as the femmes departed, most of the Mechs found themselves looking at each other and wondering – if indeed – the femmes were now all 'expecting'.

Footnote: This story now ends. The next saga in the timeline of these Seekers - begins in my 'Bringing the Fallen Home' story. Were all the daughters 'expecting'? Was Raptor again carrying more of Prime's hybrid-sparks? Will the Autobots ever see these Seekers again? - the answers can be found in the next saga.

--

Please review..