Chapter Text
A couple of weeks after the whole Decepticon home invasion fiasco, the Silver parents had cancelled their children’s punishment and permitted them to continue helping the Autobots. Currently, the siblings were at the Autobot base, each hanging out with their respective partner except Leslie: Drew and Sideswipe were playing on the arcade machines; Jazz was jamming it out with Mickey and his band (after Mickey explained the Autobots’ secret to Sonja, Randy, Scott, and Chuckie, who agreed to keep quiet); Sammy and Arcee were playing street hockey outside in the back; Billy was teaching Bumblebee how to play video games on the Autobot-sized TV, using a homemade video game controller repurposed from recycling materials; and Ella and Ironhide were watching cartoons on the human-sized TV, but the latter just couldn’t find any enjoyment out of it, since the other TV was occupied.
In the computer room, Wheeljack, Leslie, and Ratchet were discussing with Optimus Prime of a potential Decepticon gunship crash somewhere in Central Africa.
“What’s up, guys?” Optimus asked.
“Optimus, you’re not going to believe this,” Ratchet told his leader. “We just pinpointed the location of a crashed Decepticon gunship.”
“How did you slip past their cloaking technology?” Optimus inquired.
“We didn’t,” Leslie replied. “Ratchet, Wheeljack, and I have been experimenting with different frequency wavelengths, trying to find other Autobots or Decepticons on Earth…”
“…And that’s how we found it,” Wheeljack finished. “The signal is faint, but at least we still have an energy signature that we can follow.”
Optimus, however, was suspicious, as he thought that although the gunship could contain some Energon, it could also be a trap. “Keep monitoring that gunship, and then the four of us will look into it some more,” He ordered.
“You don’t mean…” Ratchet trailed off, not looking forward to this.
“Yes,” Optimus answered. “You, me, Wheeljack, and Leslie will investigate ourselves.”
“What about my siblings?” Leslie asked. “Shouldn’t they come too?”
“I’m sorry, Leslie, but we can’t take any chances if the Decepticons are still out there,” Optimus explained. “Sending just one human on this mission with us will deflect suspicion off of us.”
“Oh, okay,” Leslie sighed. “So when do we leave?”
“Right now,” Optimus gave his order. “Ratchet, get your medical kit and prepare the GroundBridge. Wheeljack, bring your toolkit. Leslie, activate your Battle Suit. We’re going to Africa.”
Ratchet and Wheeljack ran to the medical bay and the lab, respectively, to grab the materials they needed for their mission, and then Leslie activated her Bio-Watch as her Battle Suit came on over here, but she still felt a little uneasy about not telling her siblings where she was going.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the GroundBridge opened, and then Optimus, Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Leslie stepped out of it. They walked through the jungle for a while until they arrived at the location of the gunship, seeing it torn in half from its entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
“A crash landing,” Optimus noted.
“And a pretty rough one too,” Wheeljack added jokingly.
“Look at the structure of that gunship,” Ratchet said, pointing at it. “It must’ve crash-landed on Earth the same way we did 40 years ago.”
“Do you really think there’s Energon in there, Optimus?” Leslie asked.
“We’re gonna find out,” Optimus said determined as they approached the ship. “Leslie, you and Wheeljack take the far half. Ratchet and I will take this one.”
“Got it, Prime,” Wheeljack saluted.
“Affirmative,” Leslie acknowledged.
A few minutes later, Leslie and Wheeljack had begun their search on the front half of the gunship, but all they could find was a bunch of corpses of deceased Cybertronians laying around.
“All clear, Wheeljack,” Leslie reported. “No Energon here.”
“Y-yeah, sure. G-got it, Leslie,” Wheeljack shivered, uneasy at seeing the bodies of the dead Cybertronians. “L-let’s just k-keep searching then.”
“You’re not afraid, are you, Wheeljack?” Leslie asked. “If you are, you don’t have to be ashamed to admit it.”
“Someone like me? Afraid?” Wheeljack scoffed. “The chief scientist of the Autobots? I don’t think so!”
The two went back to searching, although Leslie could tell that Wheeljack was lying.
Meanwhile, on the tail end of the ship, Ratchet and Optimus were conducting their own search, but much like Wheeljack and Leslie, they had found nothing, just dead bodies.
“We can’t give up hope yet, Optimus,” Ratchet reasoned. “If the ship crashed when the Cybertronians were in stasis, then there must still be some survivors.”
Suddenly, the ship began to lurch, causing Ratchet and Optimus to hold on to the wall in case it toppled over. Eventually, the creaking stopped, allowing Ratchet and Optimus to stand upright and continue on their way. Seeing a door ahead, Optimus pried it open, and then he and Ratchet stepped inside, finding a stasis room full of more corpses.
“No survivors again,” Optimus sighed as Ratchet bent down to check one of them. “I was really hoping to get some information out of them.”
“Optimus, these survivors aren’t Decepticons,” Ratchet realized as he stood back up. “They’re Autobots. This is actually an Autobot gunship.”
“But why would the Decepticons send an Autobot gunship to Earth if the crew is already dead?” Optimus wondered.
He tried to bend down and touch one of the corpses, but Ratchet lifted up an arm to keep him back.
“Don’t touch anything!” Ratchet said firmly. “For all we know, they could be carrying…”
The ship started lurching again, throwing Optimus and Ratchet against the wall. A corpse then dropped down from the ceiling and its Energon contents dripped all over Optimus.
“No,” Ratchet let out quietly. “Optimus, are you okay?”
He ran over to Optimus and helped him up.
“I-I’m fine, Ratchet,” Optimus assured.
“No, you’re not,” Ratchet argued. “We should take you back to the base and have you checked out. I’ll contact Wheeljack and Leslie from the other end.”
(Front end of gunship)
Leslie and Wheeljack were still searching the front end of the gunship for any survivors, to no avail, when Wheeljack heard his commlink beep, making him answer it.
“Wheeljack? Come in!” Ratchet said into it urgently.
“Ratchet, we’re here,” Wheeljack answered. “Is everything okay?”
(Tail end of gunship)
“No, everything’s not okay!” Ratchet explained as Optimus leaned on him. “Optimus was infected by one of the deceased soldiers!”
“What? I… How?!” Wheeljack shouted. “I thought this was a Decepticon gunship!”
“Well, we were wrong,” Ratchet sighed. “This is obviously an Autobot gunship, and from Optimus’ current state, it looks like it’s carrying a virus!”
(Front end of gunship)
“But who would cause an Autobot gunship carrying a virus deliberately crash down on Earth?” Wheeljack wondered.
“Does it matter?!” Ratchet yelled. “What matters now is that we get Optimus back to base and have him checked out immediately!”
“Right,” Wheeljack nodded. “Leslie and I are on our way.”
“Wheeljack?” Leslie asked as Wheeljack turned off his commlink. “What’s going on?”
“Leslie, Optimus has been infected by some kind of virus,” Wheeljack explained. “I don’t know how serious it is, but Ratchet says it is imperative that we take Optimus back to base to be examined and treated now.”
“Okay,” Leslie nodded as they exited the front half of the gunship to join Optimus and Ratchet.
Meanwhile, on the Moon, Megatron was still brooding over his humiliating defeat at the hands of Optimus Prime and the Silvers. He sat on a rock outside The Nemesis as he stared out on the Earth, when Starscream flew up to him and transformed.
“Oh, my poor master!” He said with faux sympathy. “How it pains me to see you so demoralized…”
“Spare me, you gaseous sycophant!” Megatron snapped, interrupting him. “You will do what you are told, which is nothing!”
Soundwave then came walking up to Megatron with Laserbeak perched on his arm. “Soundwave reporting, Lord Megatron,” He said.
“And what news from your little excursion to Africa?” Megatron asked.
“Autobots have taken the bait,” Soundwave explained. “They discovered the gunship filled with the virus, and Optimus Prime was infected.”
“You did me great honor tracking that ship to the Congo,” Megatron complimented Soundwave as he stood up. “This plan was a stroke of genius, wouldn’t you say, Starscream?”
“Pure genius, almighty Megatron,” Starscream agreed. “But you know what was more genius? My idea to raid the Autobots’ Earth base!”
“You’re an idiot, Starscream,” Megatron shot him down. “My plan is even more genius, you know why? Because once that plague infects the rest of the Autobots, the remainder of them, plus their human friends, will be crawling to The Nemesis to get the cure! But there’s a catch.”
“And what’s that?” Starscream asked.
“They’d have to surrender all their Energon to me to do it!” Megatron laughed, before he started walking off. “Shockwave! I hope you have that cure ready!”
Back at the Autobot base, Ratchet and Wheeljack took Optimus to the medical bay, while the other Silvers were notified of the situation and made the rest of Mickey’s band leave, since it was both serious and a personal matter. The siblings and their Autobot partners nervously watched as both the Autobots’ medic and chief scientist tended to their leader.
“Is he going to be okay?” Leslie asked worriedly.
“We don’t know that yet, Leslie,” Wheeljack replied. “We still need to determine what this virus is, and where it came from.”
“So if you could just leave the room and give us some space, that would be greatly appreciated,” Ratchet told them.
Knowing there was nothing could do on their end, the siblings obliged and left the medical bay.
“Ratchet, you’re gonna wanna see this,” Wheeljack said, walking over with some papers. “I think I know what disease Optimus might have.”
Ratchet took the papers from Wheeljack and looked over them as his eyes widened in shock.
“No,” Was all he could say.
Outside the medical bay, the siblings were talking to Leslie about what happened on the gunship.
“So, tell us, Leslie,” Drew began sternly. “That Decepticon gunship you found in the Congo was actually an Autobot gunship?”
“Y-yes,” Leslie answered nervously.
“And it contained a virus that could be contagious to Optimus?!” Mickey shouted. “Why didn’t you tell us?!”
“Yeah!” Sammy agreed. “We could’ve helped you.”
Leslie opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Billy and Ella.
“Do you know what might happen if Ratchet and Wheeljack can’t find a cure?” Billy demanded. “Optimus might d-d…”
“Die?” Ella asked worriedly.
“Yes, die, of course!” Billy continued his rant towards Leslie. “What’ll happen to the Autobots then, huh?”
“Guys, please listen!” Leslie pleaded. “My Battle Suit kept me from getting infected, and I’m certain that whatever disease Optimus has, Ratchet and Wheeljack can cure him.”
Just then, Ratchet and Wheeljack stepped out with the news. The Silver Siblings ran up to them and immediately began asking questions about Optimus’ condition.
“Guys, one at a time, please!” Ratchet requested, making the siblings stop and go silent. “Look, I understand you’re all anxious about Prime’s condition.”
“How bad is it?” Drew asked nervously. “Like, on a scale of 1 to 10?”
“You really wanna know?” Wheeljack asked. At the siblings’ nods, Wheeljack took a deep breath and prepared to drop a bombshell. “Optimus… he has the Cybonic plague.”
The Silver Siblings were confused. “What’s that?” Mickey asked.
“A deadly disease that originates on Cybertron,” Ratchet explained.
The siblings were still confused, as they heard about Cybertron before, but not the disease Optimus had.
“Uh, Ratchet?” Wheeljack asked. “I think they need to know more about the Cybonic plague, because they don’t know what it is.”
“Yes, Wheeljack, I can see that,” Ratchet said. “Come with me, I’ll show you.”
The Silver Siblings followed Ratchet to the media room.
Once in the media room, the siblings sat on the human-sized couch, as Ratchet and Wheeljack started up a projector. They turned off the lights as the film started, which showed the origins of the Cybonic plague on Cybertron.
Origin of the Cybonic Plague
“Nearly 300 millennia ago, a single shard of Dark Energon was left in Iacon following a Decepticon raid,” The narrator explained as the screen showed the Dark Energon shard lying on the ground.
The siblings watched the film as it showed an Autobot stepping on the shard, crushing it, not noticing the spikes that were lodged in his foot.
“At first, the shard seemed harmless, but it wasn’t long before Autobot Scientists Wheeljack and Perceptor and Autobot medics Ratchet and First Aid discovered a deadly disease inside the shards,” The narrator continued.
The siblings then saw several Autobots succumbing to the disease, before it started quickly spreading throughout Cybertron.
“Oh, my goodness,” Leslie let out in shock, turning to Wheeljack and Ratchet. “A plague spread across Cybertron that quickly?”
“We were at war for a couple billion years,” Wheeljack reminded her.
“Now hush up and listen,” Ratchet chided. “The next part could be important.”
Leslie obliged and faced back to the screen.
“It was only the discovery of the Light Energon shards, the good Energon shards and the lifeforce of all Transformers, that could act as a cure for the plague,” The narrator finished.
The Silver Siblings watched as the Light Energon shards cured the infected Cybertronians as the film ended. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, until Billy finally spoke up.
“Heh. Is that all?” He scoffed. “All we have to do is find the Light Energon shards, then Optimus will be cured. Easy-peasy.”
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, Billy,” Ratchet shook his head. “Light Energon shards may seem less complex to convert from Energon than Dark Energon shards, but they’re extremely rare and hard to find.”
“And even if we did find it, it would take months to…” Wheeljack added, but he was interrupted when the alarm sounded throughout the base.
“Alert! Alert!” Teletraan I’s voice said. “Emergency transmission.”
“I’m gonna guess it’s not good news,” Sammy guessed, before quickly adding. “Or bad news.”
“No,” Ratchet shook his head. “It’s terrible news.”
They ran to the computer room, and then Wheeljack and Leslie started working on it. The screen showed Megatron’s face as the siblings glared at him.
“Megatron!” They exclaimed.
“Hello, Earth children,” He greeted sarcastically. “I assume you found the gunship with the Cybonic plague in it?”
“Why would you deliberately let a gunship carrying dead infected Autobots crash on Earth?!” Leslie demanded. “And in the Congo, of all places?!”
“Because compared to the rest of Africa, the Congo was the most secluded location I could think of,” Megatron replied. “As for deliberately crashing the gunship, well…”
The Autobots and siblings gained a shocked look on their faces as they saw Megatron procure the only thing that could save Optimus: a couple of Light Energon shards in a canister.
“The cure!” The siblings exclaimed.
“All right, what’s the catch, Megatron?” Drew asked, folding his arms.
“Aw, you’re no fun,” Megatron said playfully. “Very well. I’ll give you this cure to the virus, but only if you give me one thing.”
“All the Energon we currently have in our vault,” Sammy finished. “We know.”
“Will you just let me finish the sentence?!” Megatron snapped, his head appearing out of the screen like a hologram, causing Sammy to fall back. “Give me the Energon, and I will offer you these Light Energon shards in exchange to save your leader. You have 12 Earth hours to respond.”
The transmission ended as the Autobots and the siblings tried to process Megatron’s offer.
“Man, Megatron’s gone way too far this time,” Mickey shook his head.
“What? Like he hasn’t gone far enough?” Billy asked rhetorically.
“This isn’t a joke, Billy!” Drew snapped. “Megatron purposely sent that gunship with the virus so he could infect Optimus, and then have the plague spread to the rest of the Autobots! It’s a conspiracy, I tell you!”
Sammy and Ella couldn’t help but notice Leslie, who hadn’t said a word since Megatron sent the transmission, looking down in shame.
“You okay, Les?” Sammy asked.
“Yes, I’ll be fine, Sammy,” Leslie lied.
“Are you sure?” Ella asked in concern.
Leslie sighed. “No,” She admitted. “I can’t help but feel this is all my fault.”
“What makes you say that?” Drew asked.
“Because I was the one who was on that ship!” Leslie cried, looking up at her eldest brother with tears in her eyes. “It should’ve been me who was infected!”
“Les, you know that the Cybonic plague can only affect Transformers, right?” Sammy reminded her. “Those new upgrades you installed into our Battle Suits render us immune to that virus’ infection.”
Leslie smiled a little at Sammy’s praise, but she still felt a little guilty.
“Okay, guys, let’s give Leslie some space,” Drew told his siblings. “You know, to gather her thoughts and all that stuff.”
Almost immediately, the alarm sounded throughout the base again.
“The alarm!” Ratchet and Wheeljack exclaimed in unison.
“Not again!” Billy groaned.
“Yeah, I swear that alarm is gonna give me a headache,” Sammy mumbled as she rubbed her forehead.
“Hey, it could be something good,” Drew reasoned. “Right, guys?”
“Like Optimus getting better, I hope?” Ella asked hopefully.
“I’m not sure, Ella,” Drew answered, patting his littlest sister’s head.
The six of them then ran to the medical bay. When they got there, however, they were in for a shock. In addition to Optimus, Sideswipe, Jazz, and Ironhide were now laying in the beds.
“Ratchet, what happened?!” Leslie exclaimed, shocked to see the state Drew, Mickey, and Ella’s partners were in.
“I don’t know!” Ratchet shouted. “Wheeljack and I weren’t even in the room when it happened! We were with you, remember?”
“Even though Optimus didn’t infect them, it appears that Sideswipe, Jazz, and Ironhide started exhibiting systems of the Cybonic plague as well,” Wheeljack deduced.
“Seeing how it’s spreading to the rest of the Autobots, I’m making the decision to quarantine those who aren’t exhibiting systems until further notice,” Ratchet declared. “So come on, everybody clear out of here!”
“No, wait!” Ella pleaded. “I can’t leave Ironhide! He’s my partner!”
“Ella, do as they say!” Drew ordered his sister as they and the uninfected Autobots ran out of the medical bay, then Ratchet and Wheeljack locked the door as soon as they were out.
“This is madness!” Leslie exclaimed. “It’s like Megatron’s trying to destroy us from the outside in!”
“I think you mean inside out, don’t you, Leslie?” Billy asked.
“I meant what I said, Billy!” Leslie snapped. “But this time, I really think it’s the other way around!”
“What’s up with her all of a sudden?” Wheeljack whispered to Ratchet.
“You got me,” Ratchet shrugged.
“Ratchet, Wheeljack, you know that cure Megatron spoke of?” Drew asked.
“Yeah,” Ratchet and Wheeljack both answered.
“What about it?” Wheeljack asked.
“What if a few of us go to the Moon to retrieve the cure from the Nemesis?” Drew suggested.
“No, absolutely not!” Ratchet immediately refused. “It’s too dangerous! When we went to save your parents, understandable. But to retrieve a rare cure that would take months to find…”
“It would be suicide?” Wheeljack finished.
“Exactly,” Ratchet confirmed.
“Ratchet, I implore you to reconsider your decision,” Leslie begged. “Megatron himself said he’d give us 12 hours to surrender all the Energon in our safe, or he wouldn’t give us the cure for Optimus and our friends. Therefore, our only way of getting it is the element of surprise.”
“Oh, yeah, she’s cracked,” Wheeljack said sarcastically. “She’s definitely gone nuts.” He then added. “But she does have a point.”
Ratchet sighed. “Okay,” He relented. “But are you positive you and Wheeljack can handle a solo mission by yourselves?”
“Oh, I won’t be alone,” Leslie assured. “I’ll have Sammy, Billy, and their respective Autobot partners to accompany me.”
“Say what now?” Billy asked as Bumblebee beeped in confusion.
“Ratchet…” Optimus let out weakly from the medical bay.
Ratchet unlocked the door and cautiously stepped back inside after hearing Optimus call out for him.
“Save your strength, Optimus,” Ratchet told his leader, walking up to the bed.
“Ratchet, you-you need to…” Optimus tried again.
“I know,” Ratchet understood what his leader was going to say. “Prepare the GroundBridge, send Leslie, Wheeljack, Sammy, Arcee, Billy, and Bumblebee to retrieve the cure.”
He then stepped out of the medical bay and locked the door again.
In the GroundBridge room, Ratchet was preparing to set the coordinates that would transport Arcee, Sammy, Bumblebee, Billy, Wheeljack, and Leslie to the Moon to retrieve the cure from The Nemesis. The three siblings had already activated their battle suits.
“I’m about to transport you to the Moon,” Ratchet informed the six.
“Leslie, are you sure about this?” Drew asked in concern. “Are you sure you don’t want me or Mickey to come with you?”
“Stop worrying about me, big brother!” Leslie told Drew snappishly. “I’ve made up my mind, and I’m not changing it.”
“Yeah!” Sammy added. “If any of those Decepti-creeps so much as try to lay a finger on our brainiac of a sister, I’ll teach them a lesson they’ll never forget!”
Sammy then proceeded to do some air punches to illustrate her threat to the Decepticons/promise to protect her siblings.
“Great. Thanks for the encouragement, Sammy,” Leslie deadpanned.
“They’ll be safe, Drew,” Wheeljack assured.
“They’ll all be safe. We’ll make sure of it,” Arcee promised.
Bumblebee beeped in agreement with Wheeljack and Arcee.
“Leslie, Wheeljack, it’s time,” Ratchet notified them. “Are you ready?”
Leslie took a deep breath as she looked at Wheeljack, then they both looked at Ratchet, thinking the same thing.
“We’re ready,” Leslie answered.
“Let her rip, Ratchet!” Wheeljack ordered.
Ratchet activated the GroundBridge, and then Leslie, Wheeljack, Billy, and Bumblebee stepped through the portal.
“Wish us luck!” Sammy called before she and Arcee stepped through the portal.
“We’re gonna need it,” Arcee added as she followed Sammy.
The portal closed as the remaining siblings stood there.
“So what do we do now?” Mickey asked.
“Find temporary Autobot partners in the meantime, I guess,” Drew shrugged.
He, Mickey, and Ella looked at the remaining Autobots, trying to decide who their stand-in guardians would be until Sideswipe, Jazz, and Ironhide recovered.
“Hey, Windcharger,” Drew spoke up. “Wanna hang with me?”
“Sure, Drew,” Windcharger said in confusion, walking over to him. “But what’s the occasion?”
“Nothing. I just think it’d be fun to own a Firebird,” Drew joked. “I’ve always wanted one.”
Drew then laughed as Windcharger looked at him in confusion.
“I don’t get it,” He said.
“It’s supposed to be a joke!” Drew told him. “You’re supposed to laugh with me!”
“Oh, okay,” Windcharger said.
He let out a weak chuckle, and then Drew chuckled with him.
Seeing how Drew got one of the more serious Autobots to be his partner, Mickey knew he had to be very careful in deciding before making his choice.
“Let’s see here…” He said to himself, before he set his eyes on Jackpot and pointed to him. “Jackpot.”
“Who, me?” Jackpot asked, pointing to himself.
“Yes, you,” Mickey replied. “I like you, Jackpot. Your name reminds me of the casinos I wanna blow my money away in when I’m old enough.”
“Which you won’t be, since I’ll be there to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life,” Drew cut in.
“That’s if I make the biggest mistake of my life!” Mickey countered.
Unlike her brothers, it didn’t take Ella too long to make her decision for her temporary stand-in partner.
“Sunstreaker,” She immediately said.
“Huh?” Drew and Mickey let out in unison.
“Ella, you sure you want Sunstreaker?” Smokescreen asked as Sunstreaker confidently stepped forward. “‘Cause if you are, you must be tripping.”
“What kind of tripping?” Ella asked.
Drew and Mickey looked at each other.
“You’ll find out when you’re older, sis,” Mickey told her. “Believe us.”
“Why’d you choose Sunstreaker, Ella?” Drew asked.
“I don’t know,” Ella answered with a shrug. “It’s just he reminds me so much of, well, me.”
“How so, Ella?” Sunstreaker asked.
“Well, for one thing, you’re obsessed with your beauty, like me…” Ella began, listing her first reason for choosing Sunstreaker.
“Ah-thank you, Ella,” Sunstreaker said proudly.
“Second, he’s very conceited, like me when I’m at my worst…” Ella continued, listing her second reason.
“At least you know when to fold your ego in, unlike Lola,” Drew muttered.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Mickey agreed as they fist-bumped.
“And lastly, he’s a diva like me,” Ella finished, listing her last reason. “But hopefully, with my help, I can turn him into a proper princess.”
“A princess?!” Sunstreaker spluttered. “Oh, no way, little girl! You’ll never catch me wearing a dress!”
He transformed into his vehicle mode and raced out of the base.
“Uh, Drew, Mickey?” Ella asked. “Maybe you should…”
“Chase after him?” Drew finished.
“We’re all over it, sis,” Mickey said.
Windcharger and Jackpot transformed into their vehicle modes, and then Drew and Mickey got in them as they raced off after Sunstreaker.
“Oh, yeah, I think we’re gonna get along just fine,” Ella said.
“I hope Leslie, Wheeljack, and the others return with that cure soon,” Ratchet hoped. “Because I honestly think you’d be better off being paired with Ironhide.”
And so all they could do was wait. For Ella, Drew, Windcharger, Mickey, and Jackpot getting back with Sunstreaker; for Ratchet, Leslie, Wheeljack, Billy, Bumblebee, Sammy, and Arcee returning with the cure for the Cybonic plague.