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We used extreme caution when we arrived at the destination of the signal, unsure of what was in store. This was a good place for an ambush. Ratchet and I surveyed the surroundings carefully, thickets of trees and Rocky outcrops dotted the landscape.
A loud splash drew our attention towards a large lake further into the trees. We went to investigate weapons drawn, but once we got to there both ratchet and I could only stare.
megatron, knockout and breakdown were in the steaming lake, not mining or doing anything malicious, but swimming and splashing about. Breakdown had sent the decepticon doctor flying towards the middle of the lake. it must have been deep because he disappeared for a moment.
"They're playing?" Ratchet's voice was laced with confusion and disbelief.
As Megatron used breakdowns interlock servos to be willingly launched into the water, I found ratchets words to be no more truer. I narrowef my optics in thought. Was this sort of a trick? Or a diversion? It seems unlikely. However, the war Lord had surprised me before.
Only one way to find out. I waded out to my knee joints, ratchet still at shore with the same look of disturbed confusion. The wrecker lifted knockout completely out of the water, hoisting him above his helm as if he was preparing to throw him once more.
"Megatron,"
"Prime." The word sounded strange, the venom gone. "How nice for you to drop in. "
"What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" knockout snarked. As if to solidify his peers statement, breakdown tossed him, laughing all the while.
The doctor came up sputtering. With a snarl he tried to tackle the larger mech and failed quite spectacularly.
"You could have given me a heads up!"
Megatron had an easier time shoving them both back into the water. He looked back at me.
"It doesn't concern you."
I took a closer look at the decepticon leader then. the way his optics dimmer irregularly, the tone of his voice, how he held himself. It was reminiscent of when we were friends. But what was it? Then it hit me-did they have the ability to purify energon into high grain?
"Megatron...are you energized?"
The warlord chuckled to himself and waved a dismissive servo,"hardly! Unlike you I am able to hold my high grade."
"That explains a lot." Ratchet muttered from beside me. " completely slagged"
"Your slagged!" Knockout shouted, face a mask of irritation.
"I do not believe their intentions are malicious." I looked to ratchet before turning from the spectacle, "enjoy yourselves."
"Don't tell me how to live my life, prime!"
Definitely slagged. Once we returned to base I contacted fowler. He was skeptical, and rightfully so; all interaction he had with the decepticons was the destruction they caused.
"They pose no threat." I tried to reassure the human.
"Then what are they doing?!" He snapped.
I thought back to the scene of the three decepticons playing in the water, unsure of how to explain that to the federal agent. I decided on a very basic answer.
"Nothing of consequence."
"You sure?"
"Yes. They pose no threat."
Once agent folwer cut off communication I turned to my medic.
"Ratchet, do we have that on record?"
"Optimus, I started filming from the moment we got there."
Ratchet laughed and I shared a smile. I wasn't one to use blackmail, however, I wasn't above sending the footage directly to megaton. Something for later.