Tracking Ultra Magnus Mission

"All Autobots, attention. I am Optimus Prime, your last leader. After hearing this recording, I hope you will follow the coordinates I have provided to find a new home for the Autobots. Our first target is the M96 System in the Andromeda Nebula. The second target is the T78 Planet made by Junior Brother Quan... Finally, we have a backup location: a planet in the Milky Way with the code C53. The life on that planet has begun to enter the age of enlightenment. They call their planet Starvation..."

Well then! Even in such a rush, these Autobots had managed to prepare more than twenty destinations. Starscream thought the first few were fairly reliable. After all, the civilizations there had already entered the space age, so they would surely welcome the Transformers' arrival. And even if the Decepticons tracked them there, they would not dare start a war between civilizations so easily. Those people were no pushovers either.

However, the further down the list he went, the worse the choices seemed to become. For example, the Milky Way planet transliterated as "Starvation" was an exception. The civilization on it was still stuck in the age of cold weapons. Even if the Autobots went there and enlightened those pitiful primitive lifeforms, their civilization still would not withstand a Decepticon attack.

Forget it. At the very moment Optimus Prime departed, the progress on Starscream's system mission seemed to jump to 90%. That counted as completing the mission rather well, didn't it?

"Great System, how did I do on this mission? I know there's no way I can reach 100%. Saving these Autobots was already the limit of what I could do. Please don't be too demanding. Hurry up and give me my system reward!"

As he silently destroyed the message Optimus Prime had just left behind, Starscream submitted a request to the Ever-Changing Steel System to conclude the mission.

"Ding-dong. Esteemed Host, although your current progress is sufficient to choose mission completion, if you continue with a new mission, you can raise the completion rate to 100%. The rewards for 90% and 100% completion are entirely different. I hope you will carefully consider my suggestion!"

Well then! It seemed the Ever-Changing Steel System possessed quite formidable intelligence. It was even remarkably adept at bargaining!

"What's going on? I've already sent the Autobots away. What new mission could you possibly give me?"

Vaguely, Starscream suddenly felt that something was wrong. When Optimus Prime left, hadn't he said that some Autobots had been captured? Could it be that the Great System wanted Starscream to...

"Esteemed Host, Commander Optimus Prime just explained that the Decepticons captured many brave Autobot warriors in the previous battle. I need you to rescue them to complete the final 10% of progress. As long as you successfully rescue even one, you will pass. Don't you think this mission is quite simple?"

Well then, although Starscream had rescued Optimus Prime's girlfriend before, he had gotten through that by bluffing his way past, and he had done it without Megatron knowing anything about it.

But now, asking Starscream to rescue Autobot warriors from a Decepticon prison was practically asking him to court death! Did they really think the Decepticons were all idiots?

However, just as Starscream was about to refuse the mission, his communicator transmitted another burst of chaotic clamor.

"Alert! Alert! The Autobot prisoners have launched a resistance operation. Three of our centralized detention sites have been attacked. We absolutely cannot let these Autobots escape! By Lord Megatron's order, every nearby Decepticon warrior must participate in the pursuit, regardless of rank!"

Well then, this was truly the case of getting exactly what he feared. Just as Starscream was preparing to reject the system mission, an alert about an Autobot uprising came from the other side. It seemed that even after being captured by the Decepticons, these brave Autobot warriors still retained their blazing fighting spirit!

"This is Starscream. I'm currently returning from the edge of the battlefield. Are there any escaped Autobots near me?"

As the commander of the air force, Starscream immediately connected to the channel upon receiving the message. He also had his own considerations. After all, he had made no major achievements in the previous attack, aside from the Fortress Maximus that had practically delivered itself to him.

Given Megatron's suspicious nature, if Starscream returned empty-handed, he would surely be scorned—perhaps even suspected. So why not take this opportunity to get far away from Cybertron?

"Commander Starscream, on a prison planet not far from your position, a group of Autobot rebels is currently fighting as they retreat. Our Decepticon defense forces can no longer stop them! Their leader is called Ultra Magnus, a close partner of Optimus Prime. We hope you can assist us in tracking him down. I will truthfully report your travel log to Lord Megatron!"

Well then, this really was a good opportunity to avoid Megatron. That foolish Decepticon leader had once again let Optimus Prime slip through his fingers. He was surely in a terrible mood right now and looking for someone to vent on. The farther Starscream stayed from him, the safer he would be—and he could also demonstrate his loyalty!

"No problem. Send me the coordinates of those hateful Autobots. Watch me shoot them all down. You don't need them alive, do you?"

Having made up his mind, Starscream immediately accepted the mission. After some reconnaissance, he discovered that he seemed to be the only Decepticon warrior in the area. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to complete the mission!

"Understood, Commander Starscream! We have received your mission request. By Lord Megatron's order, you are authorized to shoot down those who refuse to surrender if they continue to resist!"

Well then, this was a perfect mission, just what Starscream needed to solve his immediate problem. Moreover, Ultra Magnus had once been a very famous Autobot warrior. It was not because his combat strength was particularly formidable, but because his computer chip had been designed in scientist mode. The central defensive missile weapons on Cybertron had once been designed and manufactured by Ultra Magnus. It was said that several Headmaster combination projects had also been among the programs led by this clever Autobot.

"Heh heh, Ultra Magnus? Your Uncle Starscream is coming. Wash your circuit board clean and wait for me!"

In order to show off his unruly personality, Starscream deliberately raised his voice as loud as possible. This made the Decepticon warriors monitoring him from behind feel quite satisfied.