Autobot HQ.

“Optimus Prime,” Prowl called. “The Arielbots have just called in. The Bombing equipment is ready for take-off.”

“Very good. Tell them to take off when conditions are right. The slaughtering at Iacon Pass of those innocents will be remembered. Tell Megatron we have a present for him, just before the bomb is dropped.”

“Yes, Sir.” Prowl Shifted into his Cybertronian alt mode. “Very smart idea on Red Alert and Wheeljack’s part," he said to himself. “It is much easier to operate on Earth this way.”

Decepticon HQ

“Megatron. Shockwave has some important news. He needs to see you on Cybertron.”

“Good. Maybe he’s figured out how to regrade us to our Cybertronian modes after the Autobot’s virus. Get me a ship Starscream.”

“He’s sent one.”

”Good.”

Decepticon HQ, Outside

Slowly, a red dragon takes flight from the base.

Decepticon HQ, Shuttle Bays

Starscream, the last one out, slowly closes the door behind him, and the Arc Nemisis takes off.

14 minutes 55 seconds.

A call goes in. The screen flashes. A second one goes through 4 seconds later ...

15 minutes later

The base and all inside of it, explode in a fury of fire, steam, pressure, and scrap metal, all flying straight into the air.

Sky

“Silverbolt to Optimus Prime. We’ve got a problem.”

“WHAT IS IT?” Prime says, expecting the worst.

“Someone’s beat us to it!”

"Beat us to what?"

"The base. It's a pile of scrap."

“Huh? Return to base, and put the bomb away.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Optimus Prime calling Omega Supreme, Sky Lynx, Rescue patrol, Sunstreaker, Sideways, Prowl, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Ultra Magnus, Deep cover and Skyfire. Report to Shuttle bay 1 immediately!”

Decepticon HQ remains, several minutes later.

“Odd,” Wheeljack said, “There are remains of a bomb in this region, but the big blast seems to radiate from the comm. room.”

“Meaning?” Slingshot asked.

“Meaning,” Wheeljack said, “that two bombs went off, or a radio burst.”

“The radio theory is way off,” an Autobot said. “The name’s Deep Cover. Been following you.”

“Hmm,” Came from Ratchet’s direction. “No bodies. But wait, what's this?”

Deep Cover walked over. "Looks like a recorder of some sort. May take some time to fix though."

"Anything else you can gather? O mighty police?" Prowl smirked. "I can't find anything in this junk pile."

"Probably looks better now than before," Fixit joked.

"True," Silverbolt said in reply.

”Prime to Search team. Come back when ready."

”I'd like to stay,” Deep Cover told the Autobots.

"Very well. I'll stay too."

“Yeah Prowl, could learn something."

”SHUSH, REDHOT!”

”Fine.”

”I SAID SHUSH!!!”

Back at base

”You wanted to see me Magnus?”

”Yes, Prime. I think we should send a patrol for Deep Cover and Prowl.”

”My thoughts as well. I've already called Springer. Wreckers will be on patrol.”

”Good.”

Narrator:

The following week was pretty quiet for our favorite Autobots. However, On Cybertron, Things were eating up for Megatron and co.

Cybertron

"Did anyone see me do it?" Starscream asked Thundercracker.

"No. Why couldn't we tell Megatron? Blaming Autobots is fun, but destroying the base? And it’s almost like you wanted Megs to get hurt."

"Megatron?" a voice called from he shadows. "Are you here?"

"Yes, Shockwave. I am."

"Good."

"What's this all about?"

”I wanted to demonstrate the WWI Retouch. Stand on the X." Hesitantly, Megatron did. Then, the lights came on, and he looked around, and realized he was standing in an arena.

"Shockwave! Transform!” Then, a huge purple beam raced towards THE Decepticon leader. Soundwave, and the other Decepticons jumped into action, to be met by SoundBlaster and WWI cassettes.

Earth.

"Well," Prime said, "Nothing new."

”WRONG!” Perceptor snapped. “LOOK!! Inbound shuttle!”

"Never fear. It's my buddy Warrant." Deep Cover said.

”Great, more cops,” Prowl sighed.

As Omega Supreme and Omega Sentinel ( Back on his proper faction ) guided the ship in, they spotted a red Dragon. Supreme picked it up, but a clock pattern appeared, and he vanished. Bumblebee came out to find out what the commotion was, and a small blue bomb plopped at his feet. Perceptor followed, saw it, and immediately through it into the air, where it exploded.

Bumblebee let out a long, impressed whistle.

That settles it, Prowl said to himself. A couple of questions though.

1) We got 3 messeges on that "Black box" 2 were undisclosed. Why? And from who?

2) Who is Deep Cover?

3) And the Dragon we almost captured. Who or what was he?

Answers

To the reader. Hello. My name is Vector Prime. It has been 21 years since that terrible day. The Autobots and the humans puzzled on it. They even rented Poirot and Holmes novels to figure it out. As we know, they Megatron lost control to Shockwave ( see Wreckers timeline ) It is said that this was the beginning of that. Megatron almost managed to be beaten by his 2nd in command. He limped home to see the Autobots picking through the wreckage of his base. Thinking the worst, he challenged them … and got his fender handed to him by a Micromaster.

After intense research they discovered the truth.

1. The 2 calls came from Shockwave.

2. Deep Cover was in fact, perfectly legal. He showed up by accident, but would not admit it. He and Prowl would both learn valuable things from each other.

3. It took a scholar to answer the last one. The red dragon was indeed, Megatron from BW He had used the same time traveling tactics Starscream's ghost had. He was simply trying to target Megatron, and any bases he could have hid in.

And now, the truth.

The bomb by Megatron was not very powerful. It was meant to blow out supports, but it never could do its job. The bomb rigging by Starscream got him demoted to 2 until Megs finally believed him, in G2. It was meant to go off and pull the roof straight down. What indeed happened was that the explosion that actually did it was a bomb set off by signal. Shockwave sent a pulse to the equipment. It overheated, and exploded. (Which is why the damage radiated from the comm. room?) This set off Starscream’s rigs ahead of schedule. Shockwave was tried for treason, destruction of Base, and attempted assassination of a leader. And was sentenced until Energon.