Book VI
     "Dark Times, Part III"

     Chapter XXVIII
     "The First Circle, Part II"


     Percepter and his team had split
up to get the necessary supplies and
equipment.  First Aid, Octane,
Swindle, Frenzy, and Rumble walked
through the jungle toward their
destination, a military installation
where they could find the supplies
they needed.
     "I can't believe we are taking
orders from Optimus Prime", said
Swindle.  "And besides, shouldn't we
attack Megatron now.  What's the use
of a repair bay, either we win, or we
get blown to little bits, and the
repair bay won't help us then."
     "I don't know", said Frenzy. 
"Sometimes I almost get tired of the
fighting."
     First Aid stopped.  "Did I hear
you correctly?"
     "Is it so hard to believe that a
Decepticon might not want to fight",
asked Octane.
     "Well, frankly, yes", said First
Aid.  "I've never met a Decepticon
who didn't want to blow up an Autobot
on sight."
     "I used to be like that", said
Rumble with a smile.  "That was the
good old days."  Rumble paused.  "But
lately, it seems the Decepticon cause
is no longer what we fight for.  We
seem to be fighting for Megatron's
cause.  That's not what I signed up
for."
     "Do a lot of Decepticons feel
that way", asked First Aid.
     "More than you might think",
said Octane.  "Many even cling to
some of the same ideals as you
Autobots do.  Honor, loyalty, peace,
etc, but most would never defy
Megatron.  They would prefer to be
his lackey, than to be destroyed.  I
can't say I blame them.  Sometimes I
think that if Megatron were
destroyed, or if someone would just
speak out against him, that the
Decepticon army would no longer
support his war."
     Frenzy shot Octane a cold look,
as if he was saying too much, thought
First Aid.
     "Isn't that what Skyquake has
done on many occasions", said First
Aid.
     "No.  Skyquake wants to take
over the army, and crush the
Autobots.  I'd take a competent
Megatron over an incompetent Skyquake
any day", said Octane.
     "Then why did you join him",
asked First Aid.
     "Call it a means to an end",
said Octane.
     "What end would that be", asked
First Aid.
     "Like I said, there ARE
Decepticons who believe in peace",
said Octane.
     They continued on in silence,
but one of them was not thinking
about what had been said, so much as
he was thinking of his own continued
existence.
     When they reached the base,
Swindle went off by himself, and
found the outpost's communications
building.  It was time to hedge his
bets.


     "You want me to do what", said
Hoist.  Not believing what he had
heard.  Rodimus and Hoist were in
Hoist's office, and Daniel was
waiting out in the repair bay.
     "I want you to give Daniel some
weapons.  Nothing fancy.  A blaster
or two."
     "Are you serious", asked Hoist.
     "Yes, I am", said Rodimus.
     Hoist thought about it a moment. 
"Well, let me see what I can do."
     The two of them went out into
the repair bay.  "Hello Daniel", said
Hoist.
     "Hi Hoist", said Daniel.
     "So, Rodimus tells me you want
some weapons", said Hoist.  "I'll
need to take a look at your arm."
     Daniel nodded, and removed his
shirt.  Rodimus didn't realize how
well constructed Daniel's prosthetics
were.  If he didn't know they weren't
real, he would never guess it.
     Hoist held Daniel's arm in one
hand, and placed the other on his
shoulder.  He pulled and turned the
arm slightly.  The skin along his
shoulder seemed to melt away, and the
arm came loose, leaving the exposed
circuitry protruding from his
shoulder.
     Hoist placed the arm in a device
on a table in his workshop, and
fiddled with the controls.  The skin
seemed to melt away, and exposed the
robotic arm underneath.
     "So that's what it looks like",
said Daniel.
     "You mean you haven't seen it",
asked Rodimus.
     "No.  Mom and Dad thought it
would be easier if I didn't see it. 
They still treat me like I'm just a
kid", said Daniel.
     "They do that because they
care", said Rodimus.
     "I know but...", Daniel stopped,
and changed the subject.  "So, Hoist,
can you give me some weapons, or
not?"
     "Give me a few minutes Daniel, I
should be able to come up with
something."
     Hoist fiddled with his equipment
for a few minutes.
     Hoist removed Daniel's arm from
the machine, and put it back on
Daniel's shoulder.  The skin
instantly grew back around it, hiding
the robotics beneath.
     "It doesn't feel any different",
said Daniel.
     "It's not.  I haven't done
anything yet.
     Daniel are you sure about this",
asked Hoist.
     "I am", said Daniel.
     "Alright, I'll need a few
minutes to design something, then
we'll get started."


     Deep under the Earth, Grimlock,
the Thing, Long Haul, and Scrapper
were busy building the tunnel that
was to be the base's escape route.
     "Thing, load Long Haul up with
some more of this rubble.  We're
almost done", said Scrapper.
     "Where is this going to come
out", asked the Thing.
     "It is going to come out under
the Pacific Ocean", said Longhaul.
     "Under the ocean", said the
Thing.  Why in the name of my sweet
Aunt Petunia do you want this tunnel
to come out under water."
     "Simple", began Scrapper.  "If
we come out under water then we can
go anywhere without leaving any trace
of our direction for Megatron to
find."
     "I guess that makes sense", said
the Thing.  "I'd best get me an air
tank.  I doubt the water bothers you
robots, but I can't breathe
underwater."
     "No sweat", said Scrapper.  "We
can rig something up for you."
     "For enemies, you Constructicons
seem awfully nice lately", said
Grimlock.
     "Yeah, I was wondering about
that myself", said the Thing.
     "Well, it's a long story", said
Scrapper.  "You see, we were once
Autobots."
     "What", said Grimlock.  "Me not
know that."
     "Not many do anymore", said
Scrapper.  "It is also not known that
we were responsible for the creation
of Megatron's body."
     "You built his body", said the
Thing.
     "Not his present body, but we
built his old one", said Scrapper.
     "If you Autobots, then why you
build his body", asked Grimlock.
     "It's a long story.  One that I
will not go into, so don't ask.  It
was some time later, that Megatron
turned us into Decepticons.  After
that, Omega Supreme pursued us across
space.  By the time our ship crashed
on Earth, he'd pretty much destroyed
us.  Megatron built us new bodies."
     "Seemed fair", said Long Haul. 
"We built his body, he built us
bodies."
     "I must admit that sometimes my
old Autobot programming threatens to
overcome my Decepticon programming",
said Scrapper.
     "Maybe that wouldn't be such a
bad thing", said the Thing.
     "Perhaps", said Scrapper. 
"Perhaps."  The group went back to
work on the tunnel without another
word.