Read The Veiled Threat for Free Online Page B

were notable in their own right and more than worthy of admiration, it was the third corner of the chamber that drew the bulk of attention. Like the other two sections, this one was also filling up.
    With Autobots.
    They arrived singly from the far corners of the cosmos, drawn to the tiny blue-white globe by the powerful signal being broadcast by Optimus himself.Scattered by the endless war that had devastated but not destroyed Cybertron, they were each and every one who had thus far found their way to Earth astonished by what they encountered: fellow Autobots not merely living among possibly intelligent organics, but coexisting with them.
    “It’s not quite as open as it seems.” The leader of the Autobots took pains to explain the fragility of the relationship individually to each new arrival. “Here in this place, isolated from nearly all of humankind, we can live and move about in relative freedom. The humans here are specialists, chosen for their adaptive abilities as well as their individual knowledge. They are far more empathetic, more understanding of our situation, than the population at large.”
    “There are so many of them, and this is such a small planet. How do they manage to survive?” The question came from an Autobot who had taken the identifier Salvage along with the appearance of a not entirely reputable pickup truck.
    “With difficulty,” Optimus admitted. “They do not understand how to use their resources wisely and for the benefit of all. We can teach them, but we must progress slowly. They are an overly sensitive species and have a tendency to take offense at any perceived slight, no matter how well meaning the commentary. Some of them are wary of us, some are suspicious, and some are openly fearful.”
    “Fearful!” In the powerful motorcycle shape he had chosen, Knockout revved his oversized engine. “After you saved them from Megatron? After Jazz gave his spark to help protect them?”
    Optimus regarded his colleague patiently. “I toldyou they are overly sensitive. This tendency sometimes borders on the paranoid. Interestingly, in the reverse of what is normal, the young of the species have less fear of us than do their elders. They are more attuned to our electronic nature. I and the others who arrived here with me have personal knowledge of this, as it was a young human who prevented Megatron from taking control of the Allspark.” He held up an admonishing hand to the rumbling cycle.
    “Do not underestimate these organics. They are at once intelligent and foolish, fearful and brave. They have a great capacity for improvement, if only they will cast aside their lingering primitive tribal instincts. I think we can help them with that, too.”
    “Why should we bother?” Salvage asked candidly. “Our war is not theirs.”
    Optimus did not grunt, but he voiced the mechanical equivalent. “Would that it were so, Salvage. But by allying themselves with us against Megatron, they have made themselves the enemies of all Decepticons. Starscream, for one, does not forget such things.”
    “Ah, Starscream!” Revving his engine again, the motorcycle roared circles around the assembled Autobots. “If I could but get that misconceived accretion of ego and anxieties in my sights I would blow out his Spark like a twig!”
    From off to one side Ratchet looked up from where he had been working. “Be careful what you wish for, Knockout. You might get it.”
    At this the motorcycle slowed, came to a halt, and began to unfold itself like a pile of metal origami, until Knockout stood dark and gleaming between the repair specialist and the Autobot leader.
    “I’m not afraid of any Decepticon, least of all a blowhard like Starscream. Give me one good shot at him, that’s all I ask.”
    “We all would welcome that chance.” Optimus Prime’s tone was soothing. “Wherever he has fled to, we must find Starscream before he can do any more harm. Either to Autobots or to humans.”
    “What is this