Book VI
     "Dark Times, Part III"

     Chapter XXVI
     "The First Circle, Part I"


     Back on Earth, the combined
Autobot and Decepticon teams were at
work on their assigned tasks. 
Bumblebee and Ravage were sent to
infiltrate Decepticon headquarters in
the White House, and get any
information they could from the
computers.  Laserbeak, Ratbat, and
Buzzsaw had been sent to spy on
Megatron, Nightbird, and Soundwave. 
The others were scanning the area so
they could create a schematic of the
Washington D.C. area on which to plan
the attack.
     Bumblebee and Ravage walked
slowly through the dim tunnel. 
Bumblebee was walking behind Ravage. 
He didn't trust him, and was not
about to turn his back on him. 
Bumblebee and Ravage were getting
into the White House through an old
emergency exit.  It was meant to be a
way out for the President, and the
tunnel began miles from the White
House.  It was doubtful that the
Decepticons even knew it was their. 
Finally, they arrived at the end of
the tunnel.
     "Well Ravage, we're here", said
Bumblebee.  Bumblebee pulled on the
door, but it was locked.
     Bumblebee pulled out his weapon
and aimed it at the door, but Ravage
jumped up and pulled down his arm.
     "Hey, what's the big idea", said
Bumblebee.
     Ravage sniffed at the bottom of
the door.  "The door is alarmed",
said Ravage.
     "I didn't know you could talk",
said Bumblebee.
     "I only speak when it is
necessary", said Ravage.
     "Well, if the door is alarmed,
then how do you suggest we get in",
asked Bumblebee.
     "If we can't go through the
door, then we'll go under it."
     Ravage started digging
furiously.  In a few moments, he had
dug a tunnel under the door that was
big enough for both of them to fit
through.
     They came up under the door to
find a passage leading left and
right.
     "Which way", said Ravage.
     "I'm open to suggestions", said
Bumblebee.
     "Perhaps we should split up",
said Ravage.
     "If we do that, one of us will
end up in a dead end", said
Bumblebee.
     "What makes you say that", asked
Ravage.
     "Look at the door behind us",
said Bumblebee.
     Ravage turned around, but there
was no door.
     "I see", said Ravage.  "You
wouldn't know it was a door, if you
didn't know it was there.  If the
President was fleeing out, and went
through this door, anyone in pursuit
would continue down the tunnel.  If
we don't split up, neither of us may
make it to the White House."
     Bumblebee did not like the idea
of splitting up.  For all he knew,
Ravage would go right to Megatron,
but he knew he didn't have a choice.
     "Alright, we'll split up, but
which one of us will take the gizmo
Percepter gave us to collect the
data", asked Bumblebee.
     "You take it.  I'm a tape
remember, I was made to store data."
     "I'll go left, you go right.  We
meet back here in four hours, with or
without anything", said Bumblebee.
     "Do you know how far it is to
the White House", asked Ravage.
     "No.  The Autobots were only
told where the tunnel came out, in
case we were ever called to help in
an emergency."
     "Good luck", said Ravage.
     "You too", said Bumblebee. 
Bumblebee headed down the hall to the
left.  As he walked, he had a thought
that he had never had before.  Ravage
wasn't really a bad guy.  Maybe he
could trust him.


     Megatron sat back in his command
chair.  He had chosen the White House
for his base of operations.  The
failure of the Xformers to capture
Optimus Prime and the other Autobots
was of little consequence.  They
would be captured eventually.  Their
was nothing that Optimus Prime could
do anyway.  The planet belonged to
the Decepticons.
     Soundwave walked into the room.
     "Soundwave, I trust you have
good news", said Megatron.
     "Yes Megatron.  Everything is
going according to plan.  The final
design for our defense system is
complete.  The global satellite
communications network will become
the most powerful defense network in
the galaxy.  Nothing will be able to
get through without our
authorization", said Soundwave. 
"That will not only include space
vessels and Autobots, but no
communications will be able to get in
or out without going through our
channels.  All communications will be
cleared, and checked for enemy
messages."
     "Excellent", said Megatron. 
"What is the status of the defense
network?"
     "The communications network is
online.  Nothing in or out without
our knowing.  The defense network
will be ready in two earth weeks",
said Soundwave.
     "Two weeks", exclaimed Megatron. 
"Why so long."
     "Each satellite must be upgraded
by hand.  The loss of the
Constructicons has hit us hard.  Even
two weeks will be pushing it without
their help", said Soundwave.
     "Very well.  I expect it
operational in two weeks, no longer. 
What is the status of our ground
defenses", asked Megatron.
     "Almost anything that was once
military on this planet has been
converted to serve as our land based
defense system.  Even with the
orbital defense net incomplete, and
assault on this planet would be
suicide", said Soundwave.
     At that moment, Nightbird came
into the room.
     "Ahh, Nightbird, Soundwave was
just updating me on the status of the
defense network."
     "I hope his news is better than
mine", said Nightbird.
     "Report", said Megatron.
     "We can't find the Autobots",
said Nightbird.
     "How is that possible.  They
can't have gone far", said Megatron.
     "They are gone.  We have no
leads on their whereabouts.  Each
Autobot City has been checked, and
all known Autobot outposts searched. 
There is no sign of them", said
Nightbird.
     "When the defense net comes on
line, we should be able to get a fix
on them anywhere on the planet", said
Soundwave.
     "That leaves them out there for
two weeks", said Megatron.
     "Not to mention we still don't
know where Starscream and the rest of
the traitors are", said Nightbird.
     "Soundwave, I want round the
clock patrols, world wide", said
Megatron.  "Split up the Xformers to
lead the patrols."
     "Understood", said Soundwave. 
Soundwave paused a moment. 
"Nightbird, could I speak to Megatron
alone please."
     Nightbird was somewhat surprised
at the request, but nodded and left.
     "Soundwave, what is it that you
couldn't discuss in front of
Nightbird", asked Megatron.
     "Megatron, the rumors persist",
said Soundwave.  Even though they
were alone, he spoke almost in a
whisper, as if he feared anyone
overhearing.
     "What rumors would those be",
said Megatron.
     "Rumors of the existence of the
First Circle still persist."
     Megatron stood from his chair. 
"I told you, never to mention them
again.  They don't exist now, and as
far as I am concerned they never
did."
     "But Megatron...", began
Soundwave.
     "No Soundwave.  I refuse to
believe that they still exist.  I
killed all of them but three.  You
still live my friend.  You rescued me
from the existence that they
intended.  For that, I am forever in
your debt."
     "But what of the others", said
Soundwave.  "They may still live."
     "Soundwave, I was never able to
learn the identity of their leader. 
I doubt he still exists anyway.  You
never learned who it was who was
helping you to carry out your plan. 
Besides, it was long ago.  Now, don't
speak of this again."
     "Understood", said Soundwave. 
"Megatron, your address of our forces
is scheduled for one week from
today."
     "Excellent.  With all of our
troops watching, we will proclaim
this planet ours."
     High above them, sitting on a
beam crossing the ceiling, three
familiar robots sat, recording the
entire conversation.  When Soundwave
left the room, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw,
and Ratbat took off, and headed out
the air conditioning ducts the way
they had come in.


     After about an hour, Bumblebee
finally reached the White House.  As
luck would have it, the tunnel
entered under the White House, in the
basement, and like the pot of gold at
the end of a rainbow, the main
computer was located in the basement.
     "All these presents, and it
isn't even Christmas", said Bumblebee
to himself.  Bumblebee went to work
downloading everything he could onto
the gizmo Percepter had constructed.