So, finally, inspired by Kickback's comeback with his RiD fic, I've managed to overcome my own writer's block, and finish the next chapter. This one probably isn't up to my normal standards, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things.
Chapter 3
At about thirty feet tall, Optimus Prime was exceeded in height only by Inferno, Firestar, and the giant Autobots, such as Omega Supreme. He exuded a regal aura that all who met him immediately noticed. He was slender with an athletic build, broad shoulders and powerful arms and legs, the very appearance of a leader. On either side of him stood his immediate subordinates in the chain of command: Jazz and Elita One. The three stood on a balcony high above the training hangar, which was twice the size of a football field in either dimension. Seventy feet below, several Autobots worked through a maze full of dummy Decepticons, obliterating each with minimal damage to their surroundings to proceed. Ratchet and Ironhide stood outside the entrance to the maze, ready to respond to any accidents.
Suddenly, Prime heard a voice over his communication link. “Blaster to Optimus Prime. Blaster to Optimus Prime, do you read me, O-P?”
“I hear you loud and clear, Blaster. Proceed,” Prime said. Blaster was somewhere outside of the Earth's atmosphere in the Metroplex, along with Perceptor.
“Incoming urgent transmission from Cybertron. I'm tossing it down to the hologram room now,” Blaster replied.
“I'll be there momentarily, Blaster. Thank you.”
“Anytime. Blaster out.”
Prime turned, nodding to Jazz. Elita One smiled serenely at him as he walked through the arched doorway behind them.
Optimus walked down the empty hallway, which echoed with the muffled sounds of battle in the hangar. He could think of only one thing that could be urgent enough for Ultra Magnus or Alpha Trion to contact him.
He continued down the hall for a few moments, before coming to the sealed holo-com room. He tapped in the access code, and the airlock door slid up, he stepped in, and the door slid back down, hissing like a hidden cobra waiting to strike.
A hologram buzzed, filled with static and noise as the transmission locked, and slowly, the image stabilized, revealing the grim form of Alpha Trion.
Prime knelt on one knee. “Alpha Trion, my friend. What brings you to contact me?” Prime inquired, afraid of the answer he knew was coming.
“Unfortunately, the War,” Trion answered.
Prime let his head hang for a moment, before he pulled himself together and stood. “I see.”
“Perceptor's laboratory has been broken into recently, and all of his notes on the Space Bridge project were stolen. The Decepticons left Cybertron soon after in a massive warship,” Alpha Trion explained.
“So they've equipped the ship with transwarp technology. I was afraid of this,” Prime said.
“But the situation's worse than I feared originally. They also took the spark detector Starscream used to locate Megatron on Earth. Everything that has happened recently was written in the Covenant of Primus. Next...” Alpha Trion froze, seemingly out of fear.
“Alpha Trion, what happens next?” Prime asked sternly.
“The return of the demon,” Trion stated grimly.
Prime stood silent for a moment. Finally, he said, “Then we will change the future. This demon will not be unleashed on this planet.”
Trion nodded. “All the pieces are in place. Armageddon may very well be on its way.”
“And we will prevent it,” Prime insisted.
“Fare ye well, Optimus Prime. But first, Emirate Xaaron wishes to speak to you.”
Prime nodded, and Alpha Trion disappeared from the hologram, and was quickly replaced with the quivering vision of Emirate Xaaron.
“Op- Optimusssss...” Xaaron hissed weakly.
“What is it, Xaaron?”
“Prime...”
Prime waited patiently for Xaaron to continue, before asking, “What do you need to say?”
“Your time is ending, Optimus Prime,” Xaaron stated.
Prime blinked, somewhat shocked. “Ending?”
Xaaron nodded, and then began to rock back and forth, gazing out into space. “He is coming, eating away at the dimensions. Eating...”
“Who? Who is coming, Xaaron?”
Xaaron's reply was simple and grave: “The dark.”
“What is the dark?”
“He is coming. Your time is ending, Optimus Prime.” It was clear to Optimus that Xaaron had been deeply shaken by whatever vision he had experienced.
“But what is the dark, Emirate Xaaron?” Prime pushed. It seemed that Xaaron had seen the demon Alpha Trion had spoken of. But what, exactly, was the demon?
“Evil.”
*****
Men raced, shouting and panting, slamming against steel railings and each other, scrambling out of the way of a missile, which exploded against the underside of a catwalk, spilling several men into the ocean below. Their horrified screams as they broke the surface of the water dug into Thundercracker's spark like burrowing ants, but this was his mission; he would not give Starscream reason to call him “traitor”.
Thundercracker watched as Starscream transformed in the air and landed on the oil-drilling platform like a skilled bird of prey, sending two more missiles smashing into the rig.
Skywarp bore down on the rig from the other side, inciting more, louder screams from the workers, and disappeared, only to reappear in his true form beneath a catwalk they had concentrated on and swipe at it, tearing it away from the main platform and sending it, along with the men, into the churning water.
Dirge dove beneath the surface, and burst out, carrying a man in one hand. “Starscream! Look! Can I keep it?” he cackled, shaking the man in his hand. The man's screams quickly died, and his limbs flailed wildly.
“Aw, it's dead!” Dirge whined, stopping the shaking. He shrugged, and casually tossed the body aside, before alighting gently on the rig.
Ramjet shot forward and rammed into the platform, throwing off the remaining workers, and Thrust dove out of the sky, dropping a bomb into the flailing men. The resulting explosion silenced their screams.
Thundercracker alighted on the roof of the rig's main office, and gazed silently down at the churning ocean. It struck him as wrong somehow, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. But he wouldn't let Starscream see it. If he did, he'd make sure Megatron had Thundercracker's head on a titanium platter.
“Something wrong, Thundercracker?” Starscream said aloud, as the other seekers landed.
Thundercracker thought to himself for a moment. “Nothing,” he said, finally. “This planet's oceanic currents are interesting. Nothing more.”
“Well, then, let's get to work,” Starscream said. He turned, activating his communicator.
“Soundwave, we are ready for Energon conversion,” Starscream said.
“Request: acknowledged. Estimated time to arrival: four hours,” Soundwave replied.
“Good. Megatron will be pleased.”
“Megatron this, Megatron that! Don't you ever shut up about the guy, Starscream? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a crush on him!” Skywarp taunted, hovering just out of Starscream's reach. Starscream ripped a large chunk of machinery from the platform and hurled it at Skywarp in reply. It bounced off Skywarp's head and plunged into the ocean with a crash. “Hey, that hurt!”
“I'll show you hurt!” Starscream said, raising his fist.
Thundercracker sighed. “You had both better desist before you tear the entire platform apart. Megatron won't be pleased when he hears that you bungled a simple mission to capture a single oil platform. By now, I'm betting Bludgeon, Mindwipe, and Bugbite have already captured their nuclear power plant in the north-eastern sector of this planet.”
“Aw, c'mon, Thundercracker. We were just havin' a little fun,” Skywarp whined.
“No, he's right,” Starscream said, venomously.
Thundercracker turned from his usual comrades, and watched the ocean roll by, undulating gently in spite of the slaughter that had just ended. This planet was nothing like Cybertron, but at the same time, it was exactly like Cybertron. At least, it was exactly like what Cybertron used to be. He remembered it well, serving under Orion Pax in the archeological division.
He'd been young then. Naïve, too. But, of course, maybe he still was naïve.
They were camped for many days in the Valley of the Primes, legendary launching point of Prima and the other Original Thirteen who had survived the first war. He remembered a lot of sand. Every now and then, he felt like it was still stuck inside his every joint.
“Exciting, isn't it, Thundercracker?” Perceptor said, flashing a rare grin.
“Oh, definitely,” Thundercracker replied, as Perceptor continued to brush away at the sand the obscured a mysterious tablet.
“Ariel,” Perceptor called, excitement penetrating his voice, “come here, I think I've found something!”
A slender, curvy magenta Cybertronian with a young, pink and white infant on her hip appeared from one of the many tents that had been set up nearby.
“What is it, Perceptor?” she asked.
“A slab! There appears to be writing on it, as well!”
Thundercracker watched as Ariel approached, followed by the blue intern, Glyph, with the young Arcee in her arms. She looked the slab over as Perceptor finished removing the sand, thrust Arcee into Glyph's arms, and hurried back to one of the tents. Moments later, she returned, followed by Orion Pax, the leader of the expedition.
“Well, Perceptor?” he said.
“It appears to be ancient Cybertronix. If I'm correct, it gives the exact coordinates of the launching point, the exact trajectory, and the exact date!”
“Wonderful!” Pax said, taking Arcee into his arms. “With this find, we might be able to finance new expeditions, even into the Great Rift!”
“Lord Megatron will be overjoyed to hear this!” Thundercracker burst out. “I'm sure you all know how interested he is in this time period.”
These words seemed to strike a chord with the others. Even little Arcee seemed to gape at him in shock.
“Thundercracker,” Pax began, awkwardly, “I know that Megatron is a great leader. He's doing well with the war effort against the Quintessons. I'm sure... you admire him for that. But the truth is, Megatron can not be alerted to this find. He's a very rational being, but I'm afraid his hobby might turn to obsession.”
Looking back now, Thundercracker thought that Pax- Prime was right. Maybe Megatron wasn't the great leader he'd known of in his younger days. The careless slaughter of the sentient beings on this planet seemed to say so.
But still, Megatron had an ability to move others into action with his words like no other. He had charisma, that much was unquestionable. After all, he'd managed to maintain support for the Quintesson War back then, and he'd managed to convince much of Cybertron's population that Sentinel Prime and Alpha Trion were secretly working to undermine the government. That had been with this new War started. Thundercracker remembered the passion burning in his spark during those days. He'd felt so betrayed by Orion, who, not long after, had been chosen by the Matrix of Leadership as the next Prime.
But even so, these were living, breathing, sentient creatures they were ruthlessly killing- no, murdering. They didn't seem to have any idea about Cybertron or the War, or even the Cybertronians themselves. So how were they supposed to be trying to frustrate the Decepticons' efforts?
A vision of Optimus Prime appeared to Thundercracker. He found it impossible to meet his eyes.
*****
Spike panted breathlessly. “It's so hot,” he said, waving a sheet of paper in front of himself to bat away the heat.
“I bet you wouldn't say that on Cybertron! I've been learning Earth's temperature measurements, and the average temperature back home is negative twenty degrees farenheight,” Bumblebee said, giving a chuckle.
“Well, we're on earth, and we have an atmosphere to keep in the heat, motorbrain,” Spike replied.
“Hey, my engine goes inside my chest when I transform, thank you.”
“Well, could you at least crank up the a/c?”
There was a low whisper, and cool air began to issue from the many vents in Bumblebee's dashboard.
“Thank you.”
There was a moment of silence before both car and driver burst into laughter, which subsided quickly when Carly came strolling from her front door in a T-shirt and jeans.
“Hey, gorgeous!” Spike called out the window.
Carly smiled as she stepped to the passenger door, and got in. “It is so hot today,” she said, positioning the vents so that the cold air blew across her skin.
Bumblebee and Spike burst into laughter again.
“What?” Carly asked.
“Nothing,” Spike said, as Bumblebee rumbled to life and lurched forward.
*****
“My Lord,” came a voice from somewhere in the room.
Megatron grumbled, irritated, as he awoke from his slumber. “What is it, Shockwave?”
“A plan, if you will,” Shockwave replied, staring blankly back at his commander.
Megatron was silent for a moment, considering. “Go ahead.”
The bulky violet Decepticon seemed to smirk despite his lack of facial structure. “As you wish. Lord Megatron, we are here to obtain the Creation Matrix, are we not?”
Megatron said nothing in reply.
“And the one called Jetfire was aware of its location, correct?”
“Supposedly, yes.”
“Then why aren't we searching for him? We are we wasting time gathering energy to open the portal? The Creation Matrix possesses the energy to do that all on its own. We can search his memory banks; I do have the technology.”
Megatron gave a verbal pause.
“It's obvious where he's gone, isn't it? If you're mentioned in the Covenant, he must have gone to look for Optimus Prime. The Matrix of Leadership and the Covenant are both inherently linked to Primus, are they not? And if Jetfire has gone to seek help from the Autobots, we need only to find them. And Jetfire will be ours.”
Megatron nodded, smirking. “Yes, you are quite right, Shockwave.” He tapped a button on this arm, bringing up a hologram of Soundwave.
“Lord Megatron, how may I be of assistance?” Soundwave asked.
“Tell me, Soundwave, have you managed to locate the Autobots' base yet? And have you made contact with our agent?”
“Negative. Scans indicate jamming present over a confined area of a region known locally as California,” Soundwave answered.
Megatron frowned. “And how is the progress with the Energon collection?”
“Current status: 74%.”
“Excellent. Continue.” With that, Megatron severed the link.
He turned his attention back to Shockwave. “How do you propose we find the Autobots?”
“We don't. They will come to us. We still possess the coordinates of the Autobots' human allies' dwellings, do we not?”
Megatron smiled. “You're proposing we flush them out?”
“Precisely.”
“Excellent work, Shockwave. It's time to end this war.”
*****
Optimus Prime stood tall, in front of the rest of his Autobots. Arcee and Elita One stood to one side, Jazz to the other. Next to Bumblebee, in the front row, stood Spike, Carly, and Chip. Raoul Lopez was standing nearby, next to Tracks. A platoon of Neo-Knights stood in grid formation beside the Autobots, with .
“Autobots,” Prime began, “as your commander, I am placing us on high alert. I have intelligence from both Cybertron and the Neo-Knight command in Washington, D.C., that the Decepticons have returned to Earth. Starscream and his troops have taken over several oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and a small group of Decepticons has occupied the nuclear power plant at Tokai, Japan.”
The crowd murmured for a few moments. “Already?” Spike said aloud. Bumblebee's face turned grim.
Optimus held up a hand, and the crowd immediately quieted. “I have placed Omega Supreme on stand-by. Perceptor and the crew of the Metroplex have been alerted. I am, however, not anticipating a full-scale invasion.”
“We'll train twice as hard!” called out one of the Autobots, to which the rest cried out enthusiastically, the the crowd erupted into applause.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm,” Optimus said, and crowd once again immediately fell silent, “but this is very serious. If the War comes to this planet, as I fear, it is my duty to protect its inhabitants.”
“Our duty!” Ironhide cried out, inciting more applause.
“Thank you, old friend,” Optimus said, smiling gravely. “But any humans who wish to withdraw now may do so. Those who wish to fight may stay. It is almost time to reveal ourselves to the Earth anyway.”
After another quarter of an hour, the crowd dissipated, leaving Bumblebee, Spike, and Carly, who waved at Chip as he went off with Ratchet to work on preparing defenses.
Bumblebee approached Optimus tentatively. “Optimus...”
“Yes, Bumblebee?”
“Are they really coming back?”
Optimus paused for a moment, his gaze traveling up and down the small yellow and black Autobot, and the two humans at his side. He shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose, before finally answering: “Yes. Alpha Trion contacted me and informed me that Megatron had departed Cybertron in a transwarp cruiser with the bulk of the Decepticon forces. I may have to call in the rest of the Wreckers.”
Bumblebee frowned. “Then I can't let Prowl's sacrifice be in vain. I will fight to the very end.”
“I admire your courage, Bumblebee,” Prime replied.
“Thank you, sir,” Bumblebee said, saluting, before turning and leaving with Spike and Carly in tow.
Optimus's face turned grim. Bumblebee and the others could not bear the strain of everything Alpha Trion had said. Even as Prime, he had not had access to the Covenant of Primus. He'd been chosen at the dawn of the war, after all, but this demon sounded ominous.
“Something wrong, Optimus?” Elita asked, placing her hand on Optimus's shoulder.
Optimus sighed. “No.”
*****
The President of the United States sat in his office, reading over reports of the recent Decepticon activity.
“Agent Korosky,” he said darkly, “how long do you think we have?”
The agent, sitting across the room, with a briefcase on his lap, looked up. His eyes seemed to flash red as he opened his mouth to answer. “Not long.”
Transformers: Legion
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PrimeDirective
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PrimeDirective
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PrimeDirective
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And here is the next chapter.
Chapter 4
“What do you think, Chromia?”
“I don't know,” Chromia whispered. She lowered herself closer to the grassy ground.
“I don't like it. Not one bit,” Ironhide grunted, staring, as of yet undetected, at the Decepticon moving far below, at the bottom of the valley. “It's awfully bold.”
They were not far from Archer, much too close in Ironhide's opinion. Apparently, Optimus agreed, as he'd sent out a small reconnaissance team to monitor the Decepticon, who had been detected by Roller and Teletraan-1.
“Ironhide to Jazz. Ironhide to Jazz. Do you copy?”
“Jazz here,” came the reply over the communications frequency.
“Any I.D. Yet?”
“Sorry to say it, but no. Net yet.” Jazz sounded unusually cool.
The mass of white and red below seemed to be scanning its surroundings, but apparently not for spark signatures.
“Twins, what about you?”
“Uh, no sir,” Sideswipe said.
“Nada,” Sunstreaker added.
“Well, he didn't respond to any Autobot frequencies. There shouldn't be any neutrals on this dirt pile.”
Chromia shifted closer. “He doesn't seem hostile.”
“How can we tell from here?” Ironhide said.
“Look, he's taking care not to hurt anything.”
Ironhide squinted, zooming in on the being. Sure enough, it seemed to be stepping around trees and over stumps. Every few seconds, it looked down at its feet as if making sure it wasn't squishing anything.
“Weird. You'd think a 'con wouldn't give so much as a thought to the environment,” Jazz said. Ironhide glanced up, across the valley, at the hills on the other side, and was just able to make out Jazz's location because of the sun reflecting on his armor.
“Hey, Ironhide?” Sunstreaker asked.
“What?”
“I don't think he's a Decepticon.”
“What?!” Ironhide's eyes narrowed.
“Look. There's no Decepticon symbol on his body,” Sunstreaker said.
“Yeah. He's just white and red. No purple anywhere,” Sideswipe said.
Chromia nodded where she laid sprawled against the ground. “The twins are right, Ironhide. Megatron would never let a Decepticon go without the brand.”
“There's no sign of an Autobot brand on 'im, either,” Jazz said. “And just like you said, he ain't respondin' on any of the Autobot frequencies.”
“Hmm... maybe he is a neutral, after all,” Ironhide wondered aloud.
“We're about to find out,” Chromia said, vaulting into the air, transforming, and dropping into the valley. She stopped just short of the Cybertronian, and transformed back into her true form.
“Chromia, wait!” Ironhide called, following after Chromia. Jazz, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker did the same, and all five Autobots came to rest in a semi-circle around the Cybertronian's front.
Ironhide, and indeed the others, had to look up into his face. He was very bulky, and it seemed like he could easily take all five of them in a fist fight, but he seemed to lack any sort of long-ranged weaponry, and made no aggressive advances. In fact, he seemed to shrink slightly in front of them all.
“A- are you the Autobots?” he asked.
Ironhide took a firm step forward. “Yes. Who are you, and what are you doing on this planet? Optimus Prime has declared this planet off-limits to unauthorized personnel.”
“I beg your forgiveness, but my name is Jetfire, and I was lost on this planet a long time ago. Megatron tells me-” At the name, all five Autobots recoiled slightly- “that I've been missing for thousands of years.” Jetfire's voice was quite grim.
“What were you doing with Megatron, huh!?” Sideswipe and Sunstreaker shouted in unison, brandishing their swords threateningly.
“Hey, hey, simmer down, simmer down!” Jazz said, gesturing for the twins to lower their weapons, to which they complied.
“I apologize. It was Megatron, or rather the Decepticons, that recovered my body and reactivated me. I don't remember much at all, but I do know that I must speak with Optimus Prime.”
“I dunno,” Ironhide grumbled, eyeing Jetfire suspiciously. “It's an awful tall tale...”
“I must be allowed to speak with Optimus Prime, because Megatron is here searching for the Creation Matrix-”
“We know,” Chromia said.
“-And he may know where it is.”
Looks of shock and horror spread across the Autobots' faces. Ironhide nodded gravely. “We'll take you to Optimus.”
*****
Megatron stared at a live view-screen of the stars outside from in his quarters. He stood completely still, hands locked behind his back. His optics reflected on the window, two red glares in the void.
The War would be ending soon; was it all worth it? He could see clearly, as if it had happened only yesterday, the darkened interior of the entrance hall to the Palace of Primes, saw the red, black, and gold figure of Sentinel Prime himself enter, before turning gray as the doors shut behind him. Megatron concealed himself in the darkness just inside a doorway, and pounced the moment Sentinel was within range, extending his claws and shredding Prime's armor.
“Megatron!” Sentinel gasped, trying to push Megatron away, but Megatron's resolve was too great.
“Give me the Matrix of Leadership, Sentinel Prime!” Megatron screamed.
Oil poured from Sentinel Prime's body like blood, and electricity crackled between torn wiring. But Sentinel Prime smiled, almost laughed, and coughed. “It's not here.”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?” Megatron bellowed, punching a hole through Sentinel's weakened armor.
Sentinel coughed violently, and oil landed on Megatron's face. “I don't have it anymore.” Sentinel smiled, and, with that, the light in his optics faded along with the sparks, and Sentinel Prime died.
Megatron hesitated before tearing open Sentinel's chest. Just as he'd said, the Matrix of Leadership was absent. The words seemed to well up in his throat but were trapped there. “No...” he finally managed.
“No...” he repeated. And Megatron clamped his mouth shut tight as remorse poured from his spark. “No... DAMN YOU, WHERE IS IT!?”
Megatron sat back and placed his face in his hands. “You wouldn't've had to die if you weren't hiding it from me,” he whispered. “Cybertron must be restored to its former glory.”
Suddenly, Megatron was pulled back to the present by a knock at his door. He turned, commanding, “Enter!”
The airlock door hissed open and Soundwave appeared there, bowing low, before rising and proceeding into the chamber, the door shutting behind him.
“Ah, Soundwave. Have the energy preparations been completed?” Megatron asked.
“Status: 95%,” Soundwave replied coldly.
“And the virus?”
“76% of human artificial satellites infected. Proposal: acquire more Energon for invasion plans.”
“But of course. When the time comes. But for now, Soundwave, you've done a good job. Now prepare the Seekers, the Stunticons, and the Combaticons. I want them battle-ready in fifteen minutes. You and Shockwave are to stay on-board. And tell the pilots to set course for Archer, California,” Megatron commanded.
“As you command, Lord Megatron.” Soundwave turned and exited.
Megatron turned to stare again at the cosmos beyond the confines of the Nemesis. “Cybertron must be restored to its former glory, no matter the cost.”
*****
Optimus stared at the screen of Teletraan-1, as Roller tapped in a series of coordinates. “The echo came from here,” he explained, “the sky above Antarctica. I believe that this is where the Decepticon ship is. Or, at least, was.”
“Very good, Roller. See if you can keep an eye on them while we make our preparations,” Optimus said.
“Yes, sir,” Roller replied.
Optimus stepped from the platform that was his disguise's trailer, to see the hangar door open and Ironhide's team hurry through with another Cybertronian with them.
“Ironhide? Your patrol isn't over yet. What brings you here?” Optimus said.
“Forgive me, Optimus, but this- uh, Jetfire, has an urgent message for-” Ironhide began.
“I'm in a bad spot, here, Optimus!” G. B. Blackrock interrupted as he came through the door to the Neo-Knights' quarters. “Between funding this whole operation and the attacks on my assets, I'm going to go broke within the month!” He looked up from a sheet of paper and abruptly stopped.
“Uh, hello...” he said.
Jetfire smiled and nodded in return. “Greetings. You are the first modern native inhabitant of this planet I have encountered in person. It is a pleasure, despite the circumstances.”
“Circ- circumstances?” Blackrock stuttered.
“Yes.” Jetfire's manner turned grim again: he straightened himself to his impressive full height and looked Optimus straight in the eyes. “Are you Optimus Prime?”
“What's wrong with him?” Sunstreaker whispered to Sideswipe, who shrugged.
“He's just got the jitters. Not many giants around base, after all,” Jazz replied.
Optimus nodded, looking up at Jetfire's face. “I am.”
“My name is Jetfire, and I was lost on a scientific expedition thousands of year ago,” Jetfire explained, for what Optimus could tell was not the first time.
Optimus couldn't hide the fact that this news surprised him. “Jetfire? Our searches were called off millenia ago. We thought you lost.”
“I was, Optimus Prime, I was,” and Jetfire began to explain the entire situation to the Autobot leader.
A few minutes later, when Jetfire had finished, Optimus nodded. “I see. The situation is even graver than I thought, then. Ironhide, Jazz, contact the Metroplex and the shipyard in Africa. Tell the Technobots that we'll need to be leaving as soon as possible. I want Metroplex off the West Coast in twenty-four hours. There's no doubt Megatron will be bringing Trypticon along for the ride.”
“Yes, sir!” Jazz and Ironhide called out, before heading deeper into the base, toward the communications rooms.
*****
“Man, can you believe all this? Decepticons coming here?!” Raoul Lopez cried, clutching the straps of his backpack.
“Dude, shut up,” Spike warned him. “Top-secret, remember?” he added through gritted teeth.
Carly let out an irritated sigh. Chip looked away uncomfortably.
But it didn't seem that anybody had paid any attention to what Raoul had said. Everybody was too busy shuffling out of the hallways and out of the school. The bell had rung only moments earlier, and Raoul had come hurrying up to the three of them, attaching himself to them.
“Sorry, sorry,” Raoul said. “You know, this could be the end of the world, Carly-”
“Don't even think about it,” Carly said.
“Don't even think about it!” came a mocking voice.
Spike could hear Carly growl as she looked up. Astoria Carlton-Ritz stood there, her hands on her hips, tapping her foot, a smirk on her face.
“Like you'd even think first!” Astoria hissed.
“Get your oversized snout out of other peoples' business, Astoria!” Carly shot back.
“Snout?” Astoria said, taken aback. “My nose isn't that big!”
“Move along, kids,” a teacher warned, standing in her doorway.
“Yes, ma'am,” the all replied. Astoria cast a vicious glare at them before storming away.
A few minutes later, Spike, Chip, Carly, and Raoul had left the building to find Jazz parked in the space Bumblebee usually occupied.
“Jazz? What's going on?” Spike said, lowering himself to the open driver's-side window.
“Bumblebee and Tracks are out on patrol. Optimus told me to get all of you guys home,” Jazz answered. “Hop in.”
Jazz popped his trunk open, and Spike helped Chip into the back seat before folding his wheelchair up and storing it in the trunk and climbing into the driver's seat. Carly climbed in next to him, and Raoul next to Chip.
The windows all rolled up, and Jazz backed out of his parking spot.
“Optimus wanted me to tell you that we're leaving. All of us,” Jazz said.
“WHAT!?” all four cried out at once.
“See, we met up with this old-school dude that knows where the Creation Matrix is. The Neo-Knights are gearing up to go with us to get it, and then we're goin' to the launch port in Africa. Old Blackrock said he's happy that he doesn't have to keep up with that park of his now. You know how much money he spent on animatronics so he could keep the Ark secret?”
“But what about the Decepticons? Surely they won't just give up when you leave the planet!” Chip said.
“That's right. But Boss-bot doesn't want to risk any more human lives, dig? Too many people died in Los Angeles.”
“Oh, man, you're all leaving? Even Tracks!?” Raoul said, his voice cracking.
“Yeah. All of us.”
*****
Starscream stood in the hangar of the Nemesis, pacing back and forth. Thundercracker watched with mild interest. What was Starscream planning now?
Soundwave appeared from a corridor and strode toward Starscream, and apparently said something that Thundercracker couldn't overhear.
Then: “WHAT!? We're headed to Archer now!?” Starscream seemed like he'd nearly just exploded.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Starscream shouted, rushing over to the airlock hangar door controls. Before anyone could stop him, the massive doors were sliding open, and wind was whipping through the hangar, startling many of the Decepticons inside.
Starscream leapt into the air, transformed, and shot through the doors into the night.
“Starscream!” Thundercracker shouted. What was he thinking?
But before Thundercracker could take off in pursuit, the doors were shut again.
*****
“He WHAT!?” Megatron screamed.
Thundercracker flinched a little, but neither Soundwave nor Shockwave seemed to have the slightest fear in them.
“That fool is going to ruin everything!” Megatron said. He paced back and forth, hands behind his back. “He must really have a deathwish tonight!”
“Lord Megatron, might I suggest we send the Seekers after him? It's only logical to assume that Starscream is on a direct heading for Archer, California. After all, he's spoken of usurping you since the beginning of the movement, and what better way to do that than by retrieving the Creation Matrix himself?” Shockwave said.
“Yes, Shockwave, you're right,” Megatron said, stopping and turning to look at the three Decepticons standing before him.
“Thundercracker,” Megatron said.
“Yes, my Lord?” Thundercracker said.
“I want you to lead the Seekers to Starscream. Just keep an eye on him. If he tries to make any trouble, I want him back here alive,” Megatron instructed.
“Yes, sir,” Thundercracker answered.
“Now, return to your posts!” Megatron ordered.
The three Decepticons turned to leave Megatron's quarters. Something in Shockwave's single eye looked wrong to Thundercracker, but he simply shrugged it off. He had orders to carry out, after all.
Chapter 4
“What do you think, Chromia?”
“I don't know,” Chromia whispered. She lowered herself closer to the grassy ground.
“I don't like it. Not one bit,” Ironhide grunted, staring, as of yet undetected, at the Decepticon moving far below, at the bottom of the valley. “It's awfully bold.”
They were not far from Archer, much too close in Ironhide's opinion. Apparently, Optimus agreed, as he'd sent out a small reconnaissance team to monitor the Decepticon, who had been detected by Roller and Teletraan-1.
“Ironhide to Jazz. Ironhide to Jazz. Do you copy?”
“Jazz here,” came the reply over the communications frequency.
“Any I.D. Yet?”
“Sorry to say it, but no. Net yet.” Jazz sounded unusually cool.
The mass of white and red below seemed to be scanning its surroundings, but apparently not for spark signatures.
“Twins, what about you?”
“Uh, no sir,” Sideswipe said.
“Nada,” Sunstreaker added.
“Well, he didn't respond to any Autobot frequencies. There shouldn't be any neutrals on this dirt pile.”
Chromia shifted closer. “He doesn't seem hostile.”
“How can we tell from here?” Ironhide said.
“Look, he's taking care not to hurt anything.”
Ironhide squinted, zooming in on the being. Sure enough, it seemed to be stepping around trees and over stumps. Every few seconds, it looked down at its feet as if making sure it wasn't squishing anything.
“Weird. You'd think a 'con wouldn't give so much as a thought to the environment,” Jazz said. Ironhide glanced up, across the valley, at the hills on the other side, and was just able to make out Jazz's location because of the sun reflecting on his armor.
“Hey, Ironhide?” Sunstreaker asked.
“What?”
“I don't think he's a Decepticon.”
“What?!” Ironhide's eyes narrowed.
“Look. There's no Decepticon symbol on his body,” Sunstreaker said.
“Yeah. He's just white and red. No purple anywhere,” Sideswipe said.
Chromia nodded where she laid sprawled against the ground. “The twins are right, Ironhide. Megatron would never let a Decepticon go without the brand.”
“There's no sign of an Autobot brand on 'im, either,” Jazz said. “And just like you said, he ain't respondin' on any of the Autobot frequencies.”
“Hmm... maybe he is a neutral, after all,” Ironhide wondered aloud.
“We're about to find out,” Chromia said, vaulting into the air, transforming, and dropping into the valley. She stopped just short of the Cybertronian, and transformed back into her true form.
“Chromia, wait!” Ironhide called, following after Chromia. Jazz, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker did the same, and all five Autobots came to rest in a semi-circle around the Cybertronian's front.
Ironhide, and indeed the others, had to look up into his face. He was very bulky, and it seemed like he could easily take all five of them in a fist fight, but he seemed to lack any sort of long-ranged weaponry, and made no aggressive advances. In fact, he seemed to shrink slightly in front of them all.
“A- are you the Autobots?” he asked.
Ironhide took a firm step forward. “Yes. Who are you, and what are you doing on this planet? Optimus Prime has declared this planet off-limits to unauthorized personnel.”
“I beg your forgiveness, but my name is Jetfire, and I was lost on this planet a long time ago. Megatron tells me-” At the name, all five Autobots recoiled slightly- “that I've been missing for thousands of years.” Jetfire's voice was quite grim.
“What were you doing with Megatron, huh!?” Sideswipe and Sunstreaker shouted in unison, brandishing their swords threateningly.
“Hey, hey, simmer down, simmer down!” Jazz said, gesturing for the twins to lower their weapons, to which they complied.
“I apologize. It was Megatron, or rather the Decepticons, that recovered my body and reactivated me. I don't remember much at all, but I do know that I must speak with Optimus Prime.”
“I dunno,” Ironhide grumbled, eyeing Jetfire suspiciously. “It's an awful tall tale...”
“I must be allowed to speak with Optimus Prime, because Megatron is here searching for the Creation Matrix-”
“We know,” Chromia said.
“-And he may know where it is.”
Looks of shock and horror spread across the Autobots' faces. Ironhide nodded gravely. “We'll take you to Optimus.”
*****
Megatron stared at a live view-screen of the stars outside from in his quarters. He stood completely still, hands locked behind his back. His optics reflected on the window, two red glares in the void.
The War would be ending soon; was it all worth it? He could see clearly, as if it had happened only yesterday, the darkened interior of the entrance hall to the Palace of Primes, saw the red, black, and gold figure of Sentinel Prime himself enter, before turning gray as the doors shut behind him. Megatron concealed himself in the darkness just inside a doorway, and pounced the moment Sentinel was within range, extending his claws and shredding Prime's armor.
“Megatron!” Sentinel gasped, trying to push Megatron away, but Megatron's resolve was too great.
“Give me the Matrix of Leadership, Sentinel Prime!” Megatron screamed.
Oil poured from Sentinel Prime's body like blood, and electricity crackled between torn wiring. But Sentinel Prime smiled, almost laughed, and coughed. “It's not here.”
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN!?” Megatron bellowed, punching a hole through Sentinel's weakened armor.
Sentinel coughed violently, and oil landed on Megatron's face. “I don't have it anymore.” Sentinel smiled, and, with that, the light in his optics faded along with the sparks, and Sentinel Prime died.
Megatron hesitated before tearing open Sentinel's chest. Just as he'd said, the Matrix of Leadership was absent. The words seemed to well up in his throat but were trapped there. “No...” he finally managed.
“No...” he repeated. And Megatron clamped his mouth shut tight as remorse poured from his spark. “No... DAMN YOU, WHERE IS IT!?”
Megatron sat back and placed his face in his hands. “You wouldn't've had to die if you weren't hiding it from me,” he whispered. “Cybertron must be restored to its former glory.”
Suddenly, Megatron was pulled back to the present by a knock at his door. He turned, commanding, “Enter!”
The airlock door hissed open and Soundwave appeared there, bowing low, before rising and proceeding into the chamber, the door shutting behind him.
“Ah, Soundwave. Have the energy preparations been completed?” Megatron asked.
“Status: 95%,” Soundwave replied coldly.
“And the virus?”
“76% of human artificial satellites infected. Proposal: acquire more Energon for invasion plans.”
“But of course. When the time comes. But for now, Soundwave, you've done a good job. Now prepare the Seekers, the Stunticons, and the Combaticons. I want them battle-ready in fifteen minutes. You and Shockwave are to stay on-board. And tell the pilots to set course for Archer, California,” Megatron commanded.
“As you command, Lord Megatron.” Soundwave turned and exited.
Megatron turned to stare again at the cosmos beyond the confines of the Nemesis. “Cybertron must be restored to its former glory, no matter the cost.”
*****
Optimus stared at the screen of Teletraan-1, as Roller tapped in a series of coordinates. “The echo came from here,” he explained, “the sky above Antarctica. I believe that this is where the Decepticon ship is. Or, at least, was.”
“Very good, Roller. See if you can keep an eye on them while we make our preparations,” Optimus said.
“Yes, sir,” Roller replied.
Optimus stepped from the platform that was his disguise's trailer, to see the hangar door open and Ironhide's team hurry through with another Cybertronian with them.
“Ironhide? Your patrol isn't over yet. What brings you here?” Optimus said.
“Forgive me, Optimus, but this- uh, Jetfire, has an urgent message for-” Ironhide began.
“I'm in a bad spot, here, Optimus!” G. B. Blackrock interrupted as he came through the door to the Neo-Knights' quarters. “Between funding this whole operation and the attacks on my assets, I'm going to go broke within the month!” He looked up from a sheet of paper and abruptly stopped.
“Uh, hello...” he said.
Jetfire smiled and nodded in return. “Greetings. You are the first modern native inhabitant of this planet I have encountered in person. It is a pleasure, despite the circumstances.”
“Circ- circumstances?” Blackrock stuttered.
“Yes.” Jetfire's manner turned grim again: he straightened himself to his impressive full height and looked Optimus straight in the eyes. “Are you Optimus Prime?”
“What's wrong with him?” Sunstreaker whispered to Sideswipe, who shrugged.
“He's just got the jitters. Not many giants around base, after all,” Jazz replied.
Optimus nodded, looking up at Jetfire's face. “I am.”
“My name is Jetfire, and I was lost on a scientific expedition thousands of year ago,” Jetfire explained, for what Optimus could tell was not the first time.
Optimus couldn't hide the fact that this news surprised him. “Jetfire? Our searches were called off millenia ago. We thought you lost.”
“I was, Optimus Prime, I was,” and Jetfire began to explain the entire situation to the Autobot leader.
A few minutes later, when Jetfire had finished, Optimus nodded. “I see. The situation is even graver than I thought, then. Ironhide, Jazz, contact the Metroplex and the shipyard in Africa. Tell the Technobots that we'll need to be leaving as soon as possible. I want Metroplex off the West Coast in twenty-four hours. There's no doubt Megatron will be bringing Trypticon along for the ride.”
“Yes, sir!” Jazz and Ironhide called out, before heading deeper into the base, toward the communications rooms.
*****
“Man, can you believe all this? Decepticons coming here?!” Raoul Lopez cried, clutching the straps of his backpack.
“Dude, shut up,” Spike warned him. “Top-secret, remember?” he added through gritted teeth.
Carly let out an irritated sigh. Chip looked away uncomfortably.
But it didn't seem that anybody had paid any attention to what Raoul had said. Everybody was too busy shuffling out of the hallways and out of the school. The bell had rung only moments earlier, and Raoul had come hurrying up to the three of them, attaching himself to them.
“Sorry, sorry,” Raoul said. “You know, this could be the end of the world, Carly-”
“Don't even think about it,” Carly said.
“Don't even think about it!” came a mocking voice.
Spike could hear Carly growl as she looked up. Astoria Carlton-Ritz stood there, her hands on her hips, tapping her foot, a smirk on her face.
“Like you'd even think first!” Astoria hissed.
“Get your oversized snout out of other peoples' business, Astoria!” Carly shot back.
“Snout?” Astoria said, taken aback. “My nose isn't that big!”
“Move along, kids,” a teacher warned, standing in her doorway.
“Yes, ma'am,” the all replied. Astoria cast a vicious glare at them before storming away.
A few minutes later, Spike, Chip, Carly, and Raoul had left the building to find Jazz parked in the space Bumblebee usually occupied.
“Jazz? What's going on?” Spike said, lowering himself to the open driver's-side window.
“Bumblebee and Tracks are out on patrol. Optimus told me to get all of you guys home,” Jazz answered. “Hop in.”
Jazz popped his trunk open, and Spike helped Chip into the back seat before folding his wheelchair up and storing it in the trunk and climbing into the driver's seat. Carly climbed in next to him, and Raoul next to Chip.
The windows all rolled up, and Jazz backed out of his parking spot.
“Optimus wanted me to tell you that we're leaving. All of us,” Jazz said.
“WHAT!?” all four cried out at once.
“See, we met up with this old-school dude that knows where the Creation Matrix is. The Neo-Knights are gearing up to go with us to get it, and then we're goin' to the launch port in Africa. Old Blackrock said he's happy that he doesn't have to keep up with that park of his now. You know how much money he spent on animatronics so he could keep the Ark secret?”
“But what about the Decepticons? Surely they won't just give up when you leave the planet!” Chip said.
“That's right. But Boss-bot doesn't want to risk any more human lives, dig? Too many people died in Los Angeles.”
“Oh, man, you're all leaving? Even Tracks!?” Raoul said, his voice cracking.
“Yeah. All of us.”
*****
Starscream stood in the hangar of the Nemesis, pacing back and forth. Thundercracker watched with mild interest. What was Starscream planning now?
Soundwave appeared from a corridor and strode toward Starscream, and apparently said something that Thundercracker couldn't overhear.
Then: “WHAT!? We're headed to Archer now!?” Starscream seemed like he'd nearly just exploded.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Starscream shouted, rushing over to the airlock hangar door controls. Before anyone could stop him, the massive doors were sliding open, and wind was whipping through the hangar, startling many of the Decepticons inside.
Starscream leapt into the air, transformed, and shot through the doors into the night.
“Starscream!” Thundercracker shouted. What was he thinking?
But before Thundercracker could take off in pursuit, the doors were shut again.
*****
“He WHAT!?” Megatron screamed.
Thundercracker flinched a little, but neither Soundwave nor Shockwave seemed to have the slightest fear in them.
“That fool is going to ruin everything!” Megatron said. He paced back and forth, hands behind his back. “He must really have a deathwish tonight!”
“Lord Megatron, might I suggest we send the Seekers after him? It's only logical to assume that Starscream is on a direct heading for Archer, California. After all, he's spoken of usurping you since the beginning of the movement, and what better way to do that than by retrieving the Creation Matrix himself?” Shockwave said.
“Yes, Shockwave, you're right,” Megatron said, stopping and turning to look at the three Decepticons standing before him.
“Thundercracker,” Megatron said.
“Yes, my Lord?” Thundercracker said.
“I want you to lead the Seekers to Starscream. Just keep an eye on him. If he tries to make any trouble, I want him back here alive,” Megatron instructed.
“Yes, sir,” Thundercracker answered.
“Now, return to your posts!” Megatron ordered.
The three Decepticons turned to leave Megatron's quarters. Something in Shockwave's single eye looked wrong to Thundercracker, but he simply shrugged it off. He had orders to carry out, after all.
The Dark is Coming
-
PrimeDirective
- Gestalt Warrior
- Posts: 384
- Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:06 pm
- Location: Texas
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The Last Autobot
- City Commander
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:47 pm
- Location: Deep Beneath Cybertron
-
PrimeDirective
- Gestalt Warrior
- Posts: 384
- Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:06 pm
- Location: Texas
Sorry about the long wait, but it's here now. Enjoy. 
Chapter 5
The low rumble of a jet's engines in the distance was the first thing Spike Witwicky heard as his eyes fluttered open. He yawned, stretching and rubbing his eyes, before looking over at the green LED display of his alarm clock. 6:57.
“What the heck,” he muttered to himself, climbing out of bed. He had three minutes left anyway.
He showered, dressed himself, and went down to breakfast.
*****
“Brawn, get that stuff out of the way! If it's still there when Wheeljack tries to bridge in, we'll all be blown halfway to Cybertron!” Ironhide bellowed. Brawn gave him a dirty look and simply knocked down one of the metal walls that made up the Autobots' training maze. “Don't you take that attitude with me! Pick it up and do it right!”
“Ease up, Ironhide. We're all a little anxious,” Jazz said, patting Ironhide on the shoulder. “Brawn's just been yankin' at his chain and lickin' his chops, ready to get at some Decepticreeps, is all.”
“I know, but whatever Wheeljack's bringing is very important, according to Optimus. And a potential planet-busting explosion isn't my idea of a good time,” Ironhide said, shrugging.
“Ironhide,” came Ratchet's voice. Ironhide spun on his heel to see the medic walking toward him from the corridor leading off to the medical bay.
“What do you need?” Ironhide replied.
“I've been conferring with Roller, and he says that Teletraan-1's sensors indicate a Decepticon presence near Archer. Optimus says he needs you to alert Bumblebee and his team. And Jazz, he said you should go into the city and monitor the children again. He has some very important business to attend to, and cannot be disturbed at the moment,” Ratchet explained.
“Right on,” Jazz said, transforming and roaring out the hangar door, which opened and closed automatically.
“What about you, Ratchet?” Ironhide asked.
“I'm to stay here and monitor the preparations,” Ratchet answered.
“All right,” Ironhide said, turning and heading toward the communications room.
*****
Cybertron.
The gleaming expanse of the metal planet went on seemingly to infinity below. The rivers of Energon flowed powerfully to the Great Chasm, where they reached the core of the planet and were thrust up to the planet's surface again in a never-ending cycle.
Optimus Prime swooped down to the planet's surface with greater speed than the physical realm would have allowed.
He found himself at the Palace of Primes, which was completely empty. It seemed as if war had not touched this version of Cybertron, but, for whatever reason, all life on the planet had vanished. He entered cautiously.
“Is anyone there?” Optimus called out, hearing nothing in reply but his own echo.
Optimus continued from the entrance hall, into the Hall of the Matrix, where the likenesses of every Cybertronian to be named Prime was recorded upon their deaths.
It was dimly lit, the only light coming from the miniscule overhead lights that illuminated the portraits of the Primes.
And then something spoke.
“Optimus,” it called simply.
Optimus whirled to the source of the sound, finding his own predecessor's portrait speaking to him.
“Sentinel...” Optimus said.
“Why have you come here, Optimus Prime?” Sentinel's likeness asked. Optimus could now hear light murmuring amongst the other Primes.
“I need your guidance, Sentinel,” Optimus replied.
“You require no such thing,” Sentinel responded. “But, if it is my counsel you seek, I will grant it.” Sentinel Prime stepped from his portrait, taking form as if he'd simply been standing behind the wall. “Now tell me, what concerns you?”
“Megatron's war,” Optimus said. “It has moved from Cybertron to another world, populated by small organic beings, and now threatens them just as much as it threatens us.”
“You have said it yourself many times, Optimus. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. It is your duty as Prime to protect them just as much as it is your duty to protect your brothers and the Matrix of Leadership,” Sentinel said.
“But that is not all,” Optimus said. “Emirate Xaaron has had a vision. He told me that, 'the Dark is coming', and that my time, 'is ending'.”
“The Dark...” Sentinel repeated. “I do not know. Unicron is not moving.”
“But if my time is ending...” Optimus said. “I'm not sure I can combat whatever is threatening Earth.”
“Optimus, the time of all Primes ends eventually. You have held the Matrix for over fifty thousand solar cycles, quite the long reign,” Sentinel said. “But I do know this: some day, an Autobot will rise from your ranks and use the power of the Matrix to light Cybertron's darkest hour. That day is much closer now than it ever was when I held the Matrix.”
Optimus considered Sentinel's words. If that were true, what could this darkness be, if not Unicron?
“Thank you, Sentinel. From here, I must investigate further on my own,” Optimus said.
Sentinel nodded, stepping back into his portrait. “You are welcome, friend. And do not forget that we are all here, should you ever need our assistance.”
*****
"Bumblebee, this is Ironhide. Do you copy?" Bumblebee's radio crackled.
"I hear you loud and clear, Ironhide," Bumblebee answered. Ahead of him was nothing but trees, and the road splitting them down the middle.
"Be advised: we have evidence of Decepticon activity near Archer. But whoever it is is cloaking his energy signature, so we can't tell who, or pinpoint his location. Be on the lookout. I've already warned Arcee, Tracks, and the Twins."
"Thanks, Ironhide," Bumblebee said. "I'll keep an eye out. Bumblebee out."
*****
“Starscream...” Thundercracker spat as he raced across the skies with his teammates in tow. What was he thinking, running off like that? Did he really think he could hope to overpower the Autobots alone?
*****
Optimus did not like what he was seeing.
All around him, rust blew through the air, kicked up by the wind. The sky above him was reddened by it, and the sun was nowhere to be found in it.
He felt like he was being watched, but every time he scanned the desert around him, he found nothing. Yet he still felt a very sinister presence.
He could recall that it had been written, “And they will arise from eternal desolation, stirred into life by their treacherous master, the servant of their creator.”
Whatever this place was, eternal desolation described it perfectly in Prime's mind.
There was a crackling behind him. He spun around, finding a creature so horrifying Optimus found himself barely able to look at it directly. The creature rose from the rust, as pieces of some ruddy material cracked away from its joints.
It resembled what the humans called demons. It had sharp claws hanging from long, slender hands, and its legs had inverted knees that bent backwards. Broad wings hung from both shoulders. It was shorter than he was, but it stood with a hunch. The face glared at him with glowing red eyes.
He immediately knew what it was. Or at least, had once been.
Wherever it was the Matrix had brought him after he had left the Palace of Primes, he did not wish to stay any longer. He understood that this monster was a threat, whatever it was now.
He turned suddenly, to find more of the monsters standing behind him. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. More than he could possibly fight off alone.
But they didn't seem to be interested in him. They obviously knew he was there, but they didn't attack.
And then light came pouring down onto the land, and Optimus looked up to see a hole in the sky. The ground beneath his feet began to shake violently, and his audio sensors were overpowered by the excited screeching of the creatures as they took to the air, disappearing through the hole.
And then Optimus Prime was thrust back into his chamber in the Autobots' base. He was on his hands and knees.
The airlock door hissed open, and Elita One entered, visibly concerned. “Optimus? What happened? What's wrong?”
“Elita... We have doomed this planet... And my time is running out,” Optimus said.
*****
The distant rumble of jet engines was all that broke the silence in the classroom. Spike was boredly gazing at the words in his history text book, turning the page every few minutes so it looked like he was actually reading. But he was too tired to give any effort, and had decided he'd do it once he got home that afternoon.
The morning had been fairly uneventful, aside from Jazz once again appearing in Bumblebee's place. Despite the threat of the Decepticons, Optimus had wanted Spike, Carly, Chip, and Raoul to go to school that day. Jazz said that the reason for this was the element of surprise. Optimus wanted the Decepticons to think that the Autobots weren't onto them, because if they knew, the Decepticons would have no reason to not simply destroy the entire city. And then, once they'd arrive, the Autobots would lure them away from the city, and stage an ambush.
It seemed sound in Spike's mind. After all, there was no doubt Megatron would want to recapture Jetfire in order to extract the location of the Creation Matrix.
He noticed one of his classmates staring out the window at something. Several more left their seats to join him. His curiosity getting the better of him, Spike joined them as well.
“Oh no...” he said, his eyes going wide.
Barreling out of the clouds directly toward the school was a light gray Raptor with red and blue markings. Starscream.
Spike had to draw attention to the situation. He had to alert the Autobots, the Neo-Knights, everybody! He turned and dodged around desks, hurrying out of the room. The teacher stood up to protest, but the door shut on her words.
Spike could hear Starscream roar by just overhead, evidently only feet from the school's roof. He looked up and down the hallway for a tiny red box mounted on the wall. Finding one about twenty feet away, he ran to it. It read, in large white letters at the top, “Fire Alarm”, and beneath that, in smaller letters, “Pull to activate.” Next to it, a paper warning of the consequences of pulling the alarm when there was no fire. He ignored it, flipped up the plastic cover, and pulled the tiny lever down as hard as he could.
Immediately, a shrill, buzzing alarm began to sound all over the school. Students and teachers began to leave their classrooms in confusion, meandering painfully slowly along pre-designated escape routes.
Spike's head jerked back and forth as he scanned the crowd for Carly. After what felt like half an hour, he spotted her, one of the last to leave her classroom. He pushed through the crowds to her, grabbed her by the hand, and began to pull her in the opposite direction of everybody else.
“How long has it been since we've had a fire drill?” he shouted over the alarm and the crowd
“What's going on?” Carly asked.
Spike was about to answer, when Chip rolled up beside them. “Spike, it's Starscream!”
“I know!” Spike said. His heart was racing, his earlier tiredness now replaced with adrenaline and a sense of urgency.
Starscream made another pass above, and Spike could hear students screaming as they rushed to get out of the school.
“We have to get to Jazz!” Spike said.
There were stairs at the end of the hall behind them, leading to a set of doors at the end of the hall below, which was where most of the students and teachers on this hall would be heading, but that was out of the question. If Starscream recognized them, he'd surely try to stop them from reaching any Autobot help, and that was too long a stretch to run to the parking lot.
Spike dug his phone from his pocket. No signal. He replaced it and began heading toward the second-floor lobby.
The lobby was completely clear of people. They heard the tell-tale sound of Starscream transforming, and then the crash of him landing somewhere nearby, on top of the school.
“WITWICKY!” Starscream cried. “WITWICKY, COME OUT OF THERE!”
“He knows we're here,” Carly said.
Spike said nothing, only grabbing Chip and lifting him onto his back, and carrying him down the main staircase. Carly dragged his wheelchair behind her.
“I'm sorry I slow you guys down so much,” Chip said. “It really sucks having no working legs.”
“Are you worried about what Astoria said?” Carly said. “Don't listen to her!”
“Come on! We don't have the time, Chip!” Spike said, placing Chip back in his chair at the bottom of the stairs.
“Just let me hide! I'll be fine!” Chip said, wheeling off toward the main office.
“Be careful!” Carly called after him.
“Let's go,” Spike said, dashing toward the front doors. Jazz was nowhere to be seen, however, but Spike could now hear the sounds of weaponfire.
And then Starscream crashed to the ground outside the doors, grinning as he looked up and saw them. “There you are!” he said, smashing through the glass doors with his arm, reaching into the building.
Spike and Carly turned and ran deeper into the school. Starscream swiped at them from behind, trying to grab them, to no avail.
They found themselves in the lunchroom. Outside the cafeteria doors, they saw Jazz, who immediately began gesturing at them to run toward him. Just before they reached the glass doors, Starscream swooped down and swatted Jazz away before smashing through the glass and climbing into the cafeteria. He hunched over, his head banging against the twenty-foot ceiling.
He smirked. “Well, at last, we meet again,” Starscream said, taking a step forward.
Spike looked up into Starscream's face, feeling his heart pounding in his throat. Carly was clutching his hand so hard it hurt.
“Now, you're going to come along with me, and I'm going to be trading you to the Autobots,” Starscream said. “And I will rule Cybertron!” Starscream cackled.
Spike didn't see any other possibility, so he turned and began to run again, with Carly right behind him.
“Oh no you don't!” Starscream shouted, tossing a table in front of them, which they both tripped over. Starscream pulled himself further inside.
“No!” Spike yelled.
And then a yellow and black blur raced across the cafeteria, firing off several shots at Starscream, who recoiled in pain.
“Get away from them!” Bumblebee shouted.
“Who's going to make me?” Starscream hissed, batting Bumblebee away with his arm. Bumblebee crashed through the wall and collapsed to the ground out of sight.
“BUMBLEBEE!” Spike screamed.
“Come with me if you want to live!” someone said. Spike looked up, and saw Arcee standing just behind them, reaching down for them.
There was another crash, and Spike looked over to see the Twins shoot into the cafeteria, transform, and wield their blades in perfectly-synchronized combat against Starscream, but he swatted them aside, too.
“Come on!” Arcee demanded, transforming into her vehicular form. Spike and Carly leapt inside, and barely had time to sit down before Arcee gunned her engine and zoomed off, out of the cafeteria and through the smashed glass front doors.
Spike twisted around in the passenger seat to see Sideswipe and Sunstreaker just behind them, followed by Bumblebee. Jazz quickly joined them.
The entire area around the school had erupted into chaos: several cars in the parking lot had been destroyed, and people were rushing for cover everywhere.
“I've contacted headquarters. The big guns oughtta be here soon,” Jazz said over the radio.
Starscream rocketed over the school in his jet form, and transformed, smashing into the ground just in front of Arcee, who skidded to a halt, spilling Spike and Carly from her interior, and transformed.
The five Autobots facing Starscream didn't seem to stand much of a chance, but Spike wanted to believe they could fight him off.
Arcee leapt nimbly over Starscream, firing shots into his armor with her dual pistols. Bumblebee charged, his plasma blaster firing bolts of white-hot matter. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker danced around Starscream's attacks. Jazz sped around him and climbed onto his back, delivering several punches to the back of his head.
But Starscream grabbed Jazz and hurled him into the Twins, and fired a missile directly in front of Bumblebee, sending him flying backwards. Finally, he managed to kick Arcee away as well, sending her crashing into the defeated pile of Autobots.
A fire had apparently sparked inside one of the cars and had quickly spread to several others.
“Now,” Starscream said, turning his attention to Spike and Carly, “how many more Autobots do you have stashed up your sleeves?”
“All of them!” came the answer. Spike turned to see Ironhide burst through the flames, firing a seemingly endless stream of missiles at Starscream from one cannon, and pulses of plasma from the other.
Chapter 5
The low rumble of a jet's engines in the distance was the first thing Spike Witwicky heard as his eyes fluttered open. He yawned, stretching and rubbing his eyes, before looking over at the green LED display of his alarm clock. 6:57.
“What the heck,” he muttered to himself, climbing out of bed. He had three minutes left anyway.
He showered, dressed himself, and went down to breakfast.
*****
“Brawn, get that stuff out of the way! If it's still there when Wheeljack tries to bridge in, we'll all be blown halfway to Cybertron!” Ironhide bellowed. Brawn gave him a dirty look and simply knocked down one of the metal walls that made up the Autobots' training maze. “Don't you take that attitude with me! Pick it up and do it right!”
“Ease up, Ironhide. We're all a little anxious,” Jazz said, patting Ironhide on the shoulder. “Brawn's just been yankin' at his chain and lickin' his chops, ready to get at some Decepticreeps, is all.”
“I know, but whatever Wheeljack's bringing is very important, according to Optimus. And a potential planet-busting explosion isn't my idea of a good time,” Ironhide said, shrugging.
“Ironhide,” came Ratchet's voice. Ironhide spun on his heel to see the medic walking toward him from the corridor leading off to the medical bay.
“What do you need?” Ironhide replied.
“I've been conferring with Roller, and he says that Teletraan-1's sensors indicate a Decepticon presence near Archer. Optimus says he needs you to alert Bumblebee and his team. And Jazz, he said you should go into the city and monitor the children again. He has some very important business to attend to, and cannot be disturbed at the moment,” Ratchet explained.
“Right on,” Jazz said, transforming and roaring out the hangar door, which opened and closed automatically.
“What about you, Ratchet?” Ironhide asked.
“I'm to stay here and monitor the preparations,” Ratchet answered.
“All right,” Ironhide said, turning and heading toward the communications room.
*****
Cybertron.
The gleaming expanse of the metal planet went on seemingly to infinity below. The rivers of Energon flowed powerfully to the Great Chasm, where they reached the core of the planet and were thrust up to the planet's surface again in a never-ending cycle.
Optimus Prime swooped down to the planet's surface with greater speed than the physical realm would have allowed.
He found himself at the Palace of Primes, which was completely empty. It seemed as if war had not touched this version of Cybertron, but, for whatever reason, all life on the planet had vanished. He entered cautiously.
“Is anyone there?” Optimus called out, hearing nothing in reply but his own echo.
Optimus continued from the entrance hall, into the Hall of the Matrix, where the likenesses of every Cybertronian to be named Prime was recorded upon their deaths.
It was dimly lit, the only light coming from the miniscule overhead lights that illuminated the portraits of the Primes.
And then something spoke.
“Optimus,” it called simply.
Optimus whirled to the source of the sound, finding his own predecessor's portrait speaking to him.
“Sentinel...” Optimus said.
“Why have you come here, Optimus Prime?” Sentinel's likeness asked. Optimus could now hear light murmuring amongst the other Primes.
“I need your guidance, Sentinel,” Optimus replied.
“You require no such thing,” Sentinel responded. “But, if it is my counsel you seek, I will grant it.” Sentinel Prime stepped from his portrait, taking form as if he'd simply been standing behind the wall. “Now tell me, what concerns you?”
“Megatron's war,” Optimus said. “It has moved from Cybertron to another world, populated by small organic beings, and now threatens them just as much as it threatens us.”
“You have said it yourself many times, Optimus. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. It is your duty as Prime to protect them just as much as it is your duty to protect your brothers and the Matrix of Leadership,” Sentinel said.
“But that is not all,” Optimus said. “Emirate Xaaron has had a vision. He told me that, 'the Dark is coming', and that my time, 'is ending'.”
“The Dark...” Sentinel repeated. “I do not know. Unicron is not moving.”
“But if my time is ending...” Optimus said. “I'm not sure I can combat whatever is threatening Earth.”
“Optimus, the time of all Primes ends eventually. You have held the Matrix for over fifty thousand solar cycles, quite the long reign,” Sentinel said. “But I do know this: some day, an Autobot will rise from your ranks and use the power of the Matrix to light Cybertron's darkest hour. That day is much closer now than it ever was when I held the Matrix.”
Optimus considered Sentinel's words. If that were true, what could this darkness be, if not Unicron?
“Thank you, Sentinel. From here, I must investigate further on my own,” Optimus said.
Sentinel nodded, stepping back into his portrait. “You are welcome, friend. And do not forget that we are all here, should you ever need our assistance.”
*****
"Bumblebee, this is Ironhide. Do you copy?" Bumblebee's radio crackled.
"I hear you loud and clear, Ironhide," Bumblebee answered. Ahead of him was nothing but trees, and the road splitting them down the middle.
"Be advised: we have evidence of Decepticon activity near Archer. But whoever it is is cloaking his energy signature, so we can't tell who, or pinpoint his location. Be on the lookout. I've already warned Arcee, Tracks, and the Twins."
"Thanks, Ironhide," Bumblebee said. "I'll keep an eye out. Bumblebee out."
*****
“Starscream...” Thundercracker spat as he raced across the skies with his teammates in tow. What was he thinking, running off like that? Did he really think he could hope to overpower the Autobots alone?
*****
Optimus did not like what he was seeing.
All around him, rust blew through the air, kicked up by the wind. The sky above him was reddened by it, and the sun was nowhere to be found in it.
He felt like he was being watched, but every time he scanned the desert around him, he found nothing. Yet he still felt a very sinister presence.
He could recall that it had been written, “And they will arise from eternal desolation, stirred into life by their treacherous master, the servant of their creator.”
Whatever this place was, eternal desolation described it perfectly in Prime's mind.
There was a crackling behind him. He spun around, finding a creature so horrifying Optimus found himself barely able to look at it directly. The creature rose from the rust, as pieces of some ruddy material cracked away from its joints.
It resembled what the humans called demons. It had sharp claws hanging from long, slender hands, and its legs had inverted knees that bent backwards. Broad wings hung from both shoulders. It was shorter than he was, but it stood with a hunch. The face glared at him with glowing red eyes.
He immediately knew what it was. Or at least, had once been.
Wherever it was the Matrix had brought him after he had left the Palace of Primes, he did not wish to stay any longer. He understood that this monster was a threat, whatever it was now.
He turned suddenly, to find more of the monsters standing behind him. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. More than he could possibly fight off alone.
But they didn't seem to be interested in him. They obviously knew he was there, but they didn't attack.
And then light came pouring down onto the land, and Optimus looked up to see a hole in the sky. The ground beneath his feet began to shake violently, and his audio sensors were overpowered by the excited screeching of the creatures as they took to the air, disappearing through the hole.
And then Optimus Prime was thrust back into his chamber in the Autobots' base. He was on his hands and knees.
The airlock door hissed open, and Elita One entered, visibly concerned. “Optimus? What happened? What's wrong?”
“Elita... We have doomed this planet... And my time is running out,” Optimus said.
*****
The distant rumble of jet engines was all that broke the silence in the classroom. Spike was boredly gazing at the words in his history text book, turning the page every few minutes so it looked like he was actually reading. But he was too tired to give any effort, and had decided he'd do it once he got home that afternoon.
The morning had been fairly uneventful, aside from Jazz once again appearing in Bumblebee's place. Despite the threat of the Decepticons, Optimus had wanted Spike, Carly, Chip, and Raoul to go to school that day. Jazz said that the reason for this was the element of surprise. Optimus wanted the Decepticons to think that the Autobots weren't onto them, because if they knew, the Decepticons would have no reason to not simply destroy the entire city. And then, once they'd arrive, the Autobots would lure them away from the city, and stage an ambush.
It seemed sound in Spike's mind. After all, there was no doubt Megatron would want to recapture Jetfire in order to extract the location of the Creation Matrix.
He noticed one of his classmates staring out the window at something. Several more left their seats to join him. His curiosity getting the better of him, Spike joined them as well.
“Oh no...” he said, his eyes going wide.
Barreling out of the clouds directly toward the school was a light gray Raptor with red and blue markings. Starscream.
Spike had to draw attention to the situation. He had to alert the Autobots, the Neo-Knights, everybody! He turned and dodged around desks, hurrying out of the room. The teacher stood up to protest, but the door shut on her words.
Spike could hear Starscream roar by just overhead, evidently only feet from the school's roof. He looked up and down the hallway for a tiny red box mounted on the wall. Finding one about twenty feet away, he ran to it. It read, in large white letters at the top, “Fire Alarm”, and beneath that, in smaller letters, “Pull to activate.” Next to it, a paper warning of the consequences of pulling the alarm when there was no fire. He ignored it, flipped up the plastic cover, and pulled the tiny lever down as hard as he could.
Immediately, a shrill, buzzing alarm began to sound all over the school. Students and teachers began to leave their classrooms in confusion, meandering painfully slowly along pre-designated escape routes.
Spike's head jerked back and forth as he scanned the crowd for Carly. After what felt like half an hour, he spotted her, one of the last to leave her classroom. He pushed through the crowds to her, grabbed her by the hand, and began to pull her in the opposite direction of everybody else.
“How long has it been since we've had a fire drill?” he shouted over the alarm and the crowd
“What's going on?” Carly asked.
Spike was about to answer, when Chip rolled up beside them. “Spike, it's Starscream!”
“I know!” Spike said. His heart was racing, his earlier tiredness now replaced with adrenaline and a sense of urgency.
Starscream made another pass above, and Spike could hear students screaming as they rushed to get out of the school.
“We have to get to Jazz!” Spike said.
There were stairs at the end of the hall behind them, leading to a set of doors at the end of the hall below, which was where most of the students and teachers on this hall would be heading, but that was out of the question. If Starscream recognized them, he'd surely try to stop them from reaching any Autobot help, and that was too long a stretch to run to the parking lot.
Spike dug his phone from his pocket. No signal. He replaced it and began heading toward the second-floor lobby.
The lobby was completely clear of people. They heard the tell-tale sound of Starscream transforming, and then the crash of him landing somewhere nearby, on top of the school.
“WITWICKY!” Starscream cried. “WITWICKY, COME OUT OF THERE!”
“He knows we're here,” Carly said.
Spike said nothing, only grabbing Chip and lifting him onto his back, and carrying him down the main staircase. Carly dragged his wheelchair behind her.
“I'm sorry I slow you guys down so much,” Chip said. “It really sucks having no working legs.”
“Are you worried about what Astoria said?” Carly said. “Don't listen to her!”
“Come on! We don't have the time, Chip!” Spike said, placing Chip back in his chair at the bottom of the stairs.
“Just let me hide! I'll be fine!” Chip said, wheeling off toward the main office.
“Be careful!” Carly called after him.
“Let's go,” Spike said, dashing toward the front doors. Jazz was nowhere to be seen, however, but Spike could now hear the sounds of weaponfire.
And then Starscream crashed to the ground outside the doors, grinning as he looked up and saw them. “There you are!” he said, smashing through the glass doors with his arm, reaching into the building.
Spike and Carly turned and ran deeper into the school. Starscream swiped at them from behind, trying to grab them, to no avail.
They found themselves in the lunchroom. Outside the cafeteria doors, they saw Jazz, who immediately began gesturing at them to run toward him. Just before they reached the glass doors, Starscream swooped down and swatted Jazz away before smashing through the glass and climbing into the cafeteria. He hunched over, his head banging against the twenty-foot ceiling.
He smirked. “Well, at last, we meet again,” Starscream said, taking a step forward.
Spike looked up into Starscream's face, feeling his heart pounding in his throat. Carly was clutching his hand so hard it hurt.
“Now, you're going to come along with me, and I'm going to be trading you to the Autobots,” Starscream said. “And I will rule Cybertron!” Starscream cackled.
Spike didn't see any other possibility, so he turned and began to run again, with Carly right behind him.
“Oh no you don't!” Starscream shouted, tossing a table in front of them, which they both tripped over. Starscream pulled himself further inside.
“No!” Spike yelled.
And then a yellow and black blur raced across the cafeteria, firing off several shots at Starscream, who recoiled in pain.
“Get away from them!” Bumblebee shouted.
“Who's going to make me?” Starscream hissed, batting Bumblebee away with his arm. Bumblebee crashed through the wall and collapsed to the ground out of sight.
“BUMBLEBEE!” Spike screamed.
“Come with me if you want to live!” someone said. Spike looked up, and saw Arcee standing just behind them, reaching down for them.
There was another crash, and Spike looked over to see the Twins shoot into the cafeteria, transform, and wield their blades in perfectly-synchronized combat against Starscream, but he swatted them aside, too.
“Come on!” Arcee demanded, transforming into her vehicular form. Spike and Carly leapt inside, and barely had time to sit down before Arcee gunned her engine and zoomed off, out of the cafeteria and through the smashed glass front doors.
Spike twisted around in the passenger seat to see Sideswipe and Sunstreaker just behind them, followed by Bumblebee. Jazz quickly joined them.
The entire area around the school had erupted into chaos: several cars in the parking lot had been destroyed, and people were rushing for cover everywhere.
“I've contacted headquarters. The big guns oughtta be here soon,” Jazz said over the radio.
Starscream rocketed over the school in his jet form, and transformed, smashing into the ground just in front of Arcee, who skidded to a halt, spilling Spike and Carly from her interior, and transformed.
The five Autobots facing Starscream didn't seem to stand much of a chance, but Spike wanted to believe they could fight him off.
Arcee leapt nimbly over Starscream, firing shots into his armor with her dual pistols. Bumblebee charged, his plasma blaster firing bolts of white-hot matter. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker danced around Starscream's attacks. Jazz sped around him and climbed onto his back, delivering several punches to the back of his head.
But Starscream grabbed Jazz and hurled him into the Twins, and fired a missile directly in front of Bumblebee, sending him flying backwards. Finally, he managed to kick Arcee away as well, sending her crashing into the defeated pile of Autobots.
A fire had apparently sparked inside one of the cars and had quickly spread to several others.
“Now,” Starscream said, turning his attention to Spike and Carly, “how many more Autobots do you have stashed up your sleeves?”
“All of them!” came the answer. Spike turned to see Ironhide burst through the flames, firing a seemingly endless stream of missiles at Starscream from one cannon, and pulses of plasma from the other.
The Dark is Coming
