Transformers Prime: Infection

by JupiterJones aka J.A. Franks

Disclaimer: All things Transformers belong to Hasbro and Takara-Tomy. I own nothing but the plot and OCs.

Setting: TF Prime, with G1 bits mixed in, except where it isn't. AU, post final episode, ignoring the Movie that isn't out yet.

Chapter 1: Zero Hour

Starscream grumbled as he paced around the chamber. He and Shockwave had been hiding out in Shockwave's lab for weeks now, with only a bare handful of vehicons and a recently liberated Soundwave and Knockout for company. As Autobots swarmed in to respond to Prime's call, they were out numbered and out gunned. Not to mention leaderless. Even though they had managed to recall the other Decepticons scattered amongst the stars, it would take some time before they arrived. And even then, would they even remain true to the cause?

The problem grated at his processor. To make matters worse Shockwave had locked him out of his main lab, so he had no bot to talk to aside from Knockout. And both of them were getting tired of hearing each other. "This is.. infuriating!" Starscream exclaimed. "We barely have a squad let alone a squadron, and the Autobot's continue to increase in number with every solar cycle! And I tire of all this skulking about like a bunch of rodents!"

"So you keep telling me.. over and over and over." Knockout groused as her polished his armor. "It isn't like we can do anything about it. Sure we got the materials and the power, but we don't have the manufacturing capability or the equipment to build new soldiers. But seriously Starscream, it's hardly the worst situation we've been in."

"Hardly the worst you say? How can this be any way worse!? I can't even go out and fly without Autobot squadrons hunting me down! You.. you however, keep sneaking off to Earth to go participate in your silly little races.. with organics no less!" He screeched. "And I can only guess what Soundwave is up to!"

Knockout frowned. "Soundwave is likely searching for what remains of Megatron's corpse... or what is left of it. But it goes without saying, we can't do anything now until our forces return to Cybertron. So you'll just have to put up with lazing about doing nothing for a while. In the meantime, can you lend me a hand here? There's a spot on my spinal strut I just can't reach."

Starscream was about to yell at knockout when Shockwave's voice crackled over the intercom. "Starscream, Knockout. Report to my lab, I believe I have a solution to our.. predicament."

Knockout looked up at Starscream and shrugged as they exchanged looks. "I guess ol' one optic has been thinking the same thing."

"Shut up Knockout." Starscream groused as they entered the lab.. only to be surprised to see a somewhat unfamiliar Decepticon on the display screen. Well, unfamiliar to him at least.

"Why.. Oil Slick you old Cad! I'm surprised to see you're still up and functioning!" Knockout cheerfully greeted the green and black mech.

The mech wheezed through his vents. "Same to you, Knockout."

"Enough of the chit chat. Shockwave, you claim you have a possible solution? Have you found some miraculous way to summon up a bunch of troops.. or are you just wasting our time with theroretical non-sense?" Starscream sneered.

"In a way, I suppose you an say I have." Shockwave announced his dim red optic not giving any hint of emotion. "I hit upon an idea some time ago when I stumbled across a report I had previously buried in my files. Regarding the experiments of a colleague who once sought to turn an organic race into readily useable cyber-matter for troops during conquest.

"That was me, I'm an expert in disease vectors and am personally responsible for Cybonic Plague." Oil Slick grinned. "I was genuinely surprised when Shockwave contacted me, despite my.. exile. But to get straight to the point, the attempt was only partially successful. I was able to engineer an organism that converted organic DNA into CNA without immediately killing the host, however I lacked the means to initialize any sort of conversion to cyber-matter within a reasonable timescale."

"That was before I provided him with the data from our Omega Lock and Synthetic Energon." Shockwave added. "Using that data, we were able to simulate what would happen if the subjects were to be suffused with the Synthetic Energon."

"The Simulations were promising, but nothing replaces the cold hard data from an actual experiment." Oil Slick grinned.

"That is when I sent Soundwave to retrieve some organic test samples." Shockwave gestured to a screen where he showed a large Jaguar prior to the experiment. He tapped the console and the video file began to play.. showing the strange rapid conversion into large cybercat. "We gifted the resultant organism to Soundwave, where he is putting 'Ravage' through his paces on Earth. The results have been extremely favorable."

Starscream frowned. "Are you suggesting we make more beasts? Was the last one not enough for you?"

"Not at all. We wish to release this on the human population on Earth." Shockwave added.

Oil Slick chuckled before coughing roughly. "Additional information from the hybrid known as Cylas was useful for further refining the data. It is my suggestion you release the trans-organic virus out into the public, then release a secondary infusing agent to make the conversion seem random. Meanwhile you can hand pick those who you believe are.. pliable enough.. to join our cause, and give them a direct infusion in secret."

"This will also serve to mask our activities on Earth so we can move more freely. Part of Soundwave and Ravage's mission is also to identify likely candidates for recruitment." Shockwave noted.

"Actually.. I might know of a few candidates who I have easy access to already." Knockout announced, grinning. "If there's one things about human that we all can understand, is that there is always someone who wants more power."

"Your statement is.. logical. However I would like more detailed information on these candidates. In the meantime, I have set up a number of dispersal devices that you and Starscream will employ at these specific coordinates." Shockwave spoke as he hefted a large container of some sort.

Starscream bristled at the presumed order but he had to admit, Shockwave was giving him the soldiers they desperately needed. "How long will this.. conversion take?"

Oil Slick looked upward thoughtfully. "The ones you recruit? A matter of breems. The others will take much longer in most cases, depending on how heavy a dose of the infusing agent they receive. Organics tend to be remarkable resilient to disease vectors. For total planetary conversion, we're looking at something closer to around a vorn or two. Now, your first targets will be the airports..."

Nurse Darby was concerned. A little over a week ago a strange illness swooped through her town. It made children, teenagers, and adults dangerously sick for several days before suddenly getting better. The CDC was reporting similar cases all over the world, though the strangest bit of news that a lot of the people that were sick with something beforehand.. were suddenly cured! It was like the disease that affected them beforehand could no longer survive.

The pained cough of the young man she was currently looking after broke her from her thoughts. Maxwell Maher was an unfortunate regular to the hospital. Barely even 18 and he was still getting beaten half to death by bullies.. though he was kind of runty.. and easily mistaken for someone far younger.. which was probably part of the problem. At least this time he wasn't here because of that. The sickness gave him some minor respite from whatever horrors those other people had in store for him. "At least you're handling the sickness better than Jack and Miko did." She smiled, hoping the encouraging words would make Max smile back. He smiled far too infrequently she thought.

Max wheezed a bit and forced a chuckle. "Your son.. and his friend right? You always talk about them..." Max would of said more but right now it just hurt to much to say anything else.

"Yes, I always worry about him and his friends, but he's a good boy. I'm proud of him." June chuckled softly before heading toward the door. "You get some rest, with luck you'll be out of here by tomorrow.. when the bug runs its course."

Max sighed. He almost didn't want to get better. "Yeah, with luck."

Somewhere above the clouds, Soundwave circled, waiting for the signal to act.

::It is time for stage two.:: Shockwave's voice crackled over the comms.

Wordlessly, Soundwave acknowledged the command and released the seals on the dispersal canisters.. seeding the clouds with the nano infusing agents. It would be a few days before it rained on Jasper, Nevada but he needn't wait around for it to happen.

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