Chapter 18: The Cunning Shockwave
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Da-da-da!"
No one knew whether Shockwave hadn't had time to dodge, or if he simply didn't bother. He stood there like a statue, letting a dozen ordinary Autobots each about three meters tall rain fire upon him endlessly. Yet, Shockwave didn't seem injured in the slightest. Every bullet was deflected harmlessly by his outer armor.
"Hahaha! Are you Boy Scouts? What are those legendary toy guns you're holding? They don't even tickle!"
As the Autobots continued their desperate assault, Shockwave's arrogant laughter echoed through the smoke.
He was equipped with Type-3 Heavy Armor the latest-generation tank-grade equipment of the Decepticons. Only the weapons of Elite Autobots could even begin to pierce such plating; ordinary firepower barely scratched the surface.
"How's that possible?! We've hit this guy over and over why isn't he even ?!"
One Autobot, who transformed into a pickup truck, stammered in disbelief. As a civilian soldier, he had never imagined that the armor of a Decepticon warrior like Shockwave would be so vastly superior to his own. Shockwave's plating was made from the legendary Fifth-Generation Alloy, the ultimate defensive material on the Cybertronian frontier.
Most Autobots, by contrast, still wore Second- or Third-Generation armor flimsy aluminum scraps compared to Shockwave's.
But the poor Autobot would never learn the truth.
The instant Shockwave emerged from the cloud of smoke, he raised his arm and fired a single plasma round blasting straight through the Autobot's chest. The shot shattered his clutch core, his neural chip, and most importantly, his Spark.
His glowing optics dimmed, a single broken tire spun off and traced a pitiful arc across the ground before collapsing into stillness.
"Foolish Autobots! You dare face us Decepticons without at least Fourth-Generation armor? This world belongs to the strong! Look at the junk you're wearing even our gatekeepers are better equipped than you! Other than Optimus Prime and Ironhide, none of you are even worth my time!"
Shockwave's superiority his unmatched weapons and armor thrilled him.
He felt like a towering giant trampling a group of helpless children, crushing them one by one with cold amusement.
And yet, for some reason, every time he saw the terrified eyes of an Autobot, a strange pulse surged through his circuits a sensation that the Decepticon interpreted as excitement.
But deep down, buried beneath that thrill, was something else: a strange, hollow sadness born from the suffering of others.
"Damn it, Shockwave! He's slaughtering our civilian Autobots! If we don't stop him now, more will die!"
Ironhide couldn't take it anymore.
Just as he was about to rush forward, a violent gust of air exploded behind him followed by a thunderous BOOM!
Optimus Prime yanked his old comrade aside just in time. A tank shell screamed past the spot where Ironhide had been standing, detonating a crater in the earth.
That blast had come from Megatron's tank battalions, lying in wait for any Autobot foolish enough to break cover. The moment one appeared, they'd be obliterated.
This was a common tactic among the Tyrants a cruel strategy known as "fishing."
They exploited the Autobots' compassion, baiting them with suffering allies and luring them into a deadly trap.
Shockwave was a master of this strategy.
He deliberately provoked chaos among the civilian Autobots, knowing Optimus Prime and his forces would rush to their aid giving Megatron's troops the perfect chance to strike from the perimeter.
If a truly strong opponent came for him, though, Shockwave would instantly burrow underground a classic coward who bullied the weak but feared the strong.
"Those cursed Decepticons! Shockwave, you sly scrap heap! One day, I'll crush your head with my iron fists I'll tear out your integrated circuits and grind them into dust!"
Ironhide growled, staring at the smoking craters around him.
If Optimus Prime had been even a second slower, Ironhide would've been torn in half.
Even with his Fifth-Generation armor, he wouldn't have survived a bombardment like that.
"Ironhide," said Optimus calmly, "you need to conserve your energy. This is only a test a probe. The Decepticons haven't launched their full assault yet. When they do, we must hold this position, or countless civilians will perish."
Optimus Prime truly lived up to his title as Supreme Commander.
In that moment, he was the only one capable of restoring calm to his troops.
Still, watching Shockwave mercilessly slaughter innocent Autobots in the distance made Ironhide's circuits burn with rage.
"But we can't just leave those poor souls out there! I can't stand it, Prime! Damn those Decepticons!"
"Don't worry," Optimus replied. "I'll send Bumblebee to distract him. That little guy might not be able to defeat Shockwave, but he'll make sure the Decepticon regrets picking this fight. You know how quick he is."
At Optimus's signal, a small, yellow beetle-shaped Autobot darted from cover and charged straight toward Shockwave.
It was Bumblebee, Optimus Prime's loyal friend.
Though his armor was only Fourth-Generation, his agility surpassed even Megatron's he was, without question, the fastest Autobot alive.
Given enough room to maneuver, Bumblebee could outplay anyone and he carried a laser pistol that, in his skilled hands, was deadlier than most heavy cannons.
Shockwave, clearly underestimating him, didn't even look twice at the tiny Autobot rushing his way probably assuming he was just another panicked civilian.
"Bumblebee! Transform!"
"Kachak!"
It was a flawless transformation.
Unlike the others, Bumblebee's style was always dramatic even showy. He flipped through the air mid-transformation, landing gracefully before raising his laser cannon and firing straight at Shockwave's head.
(End of Chapter)