Fragments
by Bill T. Taylor - a.k.a. Gemini5181
Above the blue planet Earth DarkStar soared like a great black vulture. Close behind, missiles and bolts of plasma hounded her. Ironwood pursued her in his flying rocket form, driving her further and further on. On her hull, she still bore the scars of her last battle with the green guardian, laser burns and carbon scoring tainting her broad wings.
"Ironwood is pursuing us, just as you predicted, Galvatron." DarkStar reported to Galvatron.
Inside of DarkStar herself the Decepticon grinned as he watched the image of Ironwood firing his weapons. "Excellent. My plan is working just as I hoped…despite Megatron’s absence," he noted, glancing at the empty command chair his Predacon ally would usually occupy, "But onto more important matters. DarkStar, open a secured channel to SkyScourge immediately!"
The sound of radio static filled the chamber as DarkStar activated her long-range com-system. "Channel open," she said to Galvatron.
His voice resounding across the static-filled ionosphere enveloping the planet, Galvatron spoke to SkyScourge, "SkyScourge…the guardian is at bay for the time! Have you located the crystal fragment in low Earth orbit?"
Beyond the visible horizon on the dark side of the planet, SkyScourge responded as he zipped along at hypersonic speeds. "Negative," he scowled a bit, zooming over the glittering cities of night-time Europe, "I am at the coordinates we downloaded from the Maximal science station…but there is still no sign of the…wait a moment…."
SkyScourge focused his scanners on the approaching limb of the planet. Just above the lurid red barrier backlit by the rising sun, something small, dark, and jagged was hovering almost perfectly in place. As the sun rose higher, illuminating the oceans and clouds below, a shimmer of green light was refracted from the object.
"Confirmed! I have spotted the fragment! Moving to retrieve now!" SkyScourge exclaimed.
The rockets on the Decepticon space plane fired, blasting it over the horizon. Nearing the green crystal, a small and ancient satellite whizzed by, beeping on and off as it spun with four spokes like a metal badminton. Carelessly, SkyScourge grazed it with his wing, rudely knocking the satellite off course and plunging to a fiery doom in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The crystal fragment glowed like an eerie lamp in the light of the sun as it waited there. SkyScourge slowed down, approaching it with extreme caution. Within a few meters of it, his nosecone opened like a large beak, swallowing the crystal into his black gullet. His target achieved, SkyScourge took off in an entirely new direction.
"Objective attained!" he reported back to Galvatron, "I have the crystal!"
"Excellent," Galvatron smugly replied, "Keep it safe until the rendezvous behind the Earth’s moon. Galvatron out!" As he switched off the com-link, another boom shook the interior. "Now, to address more pressing matters," he muttered to himself, "DarkStar! Engage the cloak immediately! Leave orbit!"
Grunting as he received another blow, DarkStar muttered, "Finally…" Less than a cycle later, she faded from view, leaving Ironwood behind and drifting without a target. In secret, Galvatron and DarkStar escaped in the opposite direction…towards the cold and gray moon above Earth.
On Cybertron, Optimus Primal watched the video feed from Ironwood as Nightscream leaned over his shoulder. DarkStar all too quickly faded away, leaving the guardian robot without a target to pursue. Primal balled up his fists, letting out an angry roar as he smashed them into the console violently.
"SLAG!" he hollered, his voice practically shaking the whole command tower.
Nightscream approached cautiously, putting a hand on Primal’s shoulder to calm him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy Optimus!" the bat tried to say, "We drove them off at least…."
Primal lowered his head over the sparking monitor, sighing very heavily. "I can’t stand this. With that cloaking device, those Decepticons hold an advantage over us. They could just keep leading us on wild goose chases and we’d never find out what they’re planning!"
"Well now we’ll be leading the goose chases!" RedStreak’s voice boasted confidently.
At the rear of the chamber, a pair of security doors opened, letting Botanica, Coyotek, and RedStreak all inside. Walking in her beast mode, Botanica held in her multi-limbed arms a blocky device with three squat lenses poking up from one side. Smiling at Primal and Nightscream, Botanica said to them, "I just cobbled together something that should even the odds."
The two bat-bots stared at the device, perplexed by its appearance. "What is it exactly?" Nightscream asked.
"A trans-spectral imager." Botanica explained, pointing the device toward them, "It’s an advanced set of optics that is capable of tracking the movement of cloaked ships and the trans-ion trails they leave behind."
Grasping the imager in his own hands, Primal muttered almost delightedly, "You’re saying this thing could track down Megatron and the Decepticons?" He let out a laugh, and then patted Botanica on the back. "Good work, Botanica! Finally a way to find out what’s really going on…."
Nightscream huffed at the device, turning away from it. "Of course we wouldn’t of had to go to all this trouble if Megs didn’t get that cloaking device in the first place," Nightscream frankly stated, eyeing the now slightly-taller RedStreak by his side, "Which if I’m not mistaken you helped him to steal from a secured facility!"
"Hey!" RedStreak replied, turning and looking down at the bitter Maximal, "We needed that thing to save Optimus and Botanica from Scavix! If it we didn’t take it…."
Nightscream shoved RedStreak, pushing a long finger into his chest as he glared at him. Interrupting him, he bluntly said, "Megatron and his new Decepticon buddies wouldn’t be roaming about at our expense!"
Suddenly, a pair of fingers nabbed Nightscream by the neck, hoisting him into the air. Coyotek loomed over the other Maximals in his enhanced armor as he stared at Nightscream face to face. He simply commented to Nightscream, "Hey! Cool it wings!" Next he stepped to a large waste disposal unit, shaped appropriately like a garbage can. With his free hand Coyotek opened the lid, then dropped Nightscream right in.
As Nightscream groaned with his legs dangling out, RedStreak glanced at Coyotek, who winked at him. Smiling, the ruby-coated fox-bot said, "Thanks, brother in arms!"
"Enough of this!" Primal said, walking over and helping Nightscream out of the trash. Turning to Coyotek and RedStreak, the commanding Maximal quoted, "This is exactly what our enemies want: bickering and fighting. We need to work together if we hope to stop the next Great War from coming, and I need everyone at their best!"
Coyotek lowered his eyes as he stood high over Primal. "Sorry Optimus…we were just…."
"Coyotek," Optimus Primal said, his eyes narrow and stern, "You and RedStreak get to the main hanger and get to maintenance…"
RedStreak moaned a bit, his arms hanging downward disappointedly. "Awe man…a drone’s job!"
Optimus Primal stared at the two canines for a minute, implying for them to leave. As Coyotek and RedStreak transformed into a coyote and fox respectively, Primal turned to Botanica, handing her imaging device back. "Botanica, call Ironwood in. When he’s back, you get to installing that thing in him. You have my full authorization to use whatever materials necessary."
"Consider it done, Optimus Primal." Botanica said, eagerly departing to start her assignment.
After Botanica left, Primal sighed and looked to Nightscream, still picking paper wads and the occasional banana peel off himself. "We need to get in gears quick if he hope to stop Galvatron. For some reason…I keep getting a bad premonition from him."
Deep beneath Cybertropolis, even deeper than the Plasma Energy Chamber, something stirred in the nearly perfect twilight. The light reddish tint of Megatron’s eyes flickered on and off until he fully awakened. The Predacon groaned loudly as he got up, feeling drained and weary.
He looked around, but could hardly see a thing. "What?" he muttered in confusion, not knowing where he was or how he got here. It was dark and oddly warm, a light breeze flowing through the caverns around him. It was also very quiet…but not perfectly quiet.
Megatron’s audio receptors detected a faint tremble, one that grew louder and louder. Megatron powered up his arm cannon, the faint yellow glow radiating out from the barrel’s end. "Who goes there?" he shouted out.
The quaking footsteps didn’t stop. They grew louder and louder, closer and closer. Megatron looked one way and then another, trying to pinpoint the source, but was unable to. The caverns around him produced too many echoes, making it impossible to search out anything in the black void.
Still holding his weapon, Megatron called out again, "Who goes there? Maximal or Predacon?"
Just then, the thunderous footsteps halted dead in their tracks, and after the echoes died down, there was utter silence. Megatron became nervous for quite possibly the first time in his life. Then, just behind him and out of sight, a small, yellow eye appeared out of the darkness. Finally, an eerie robotic voice replied to Megatron, his back still turned away, "Neither…."
With a sudden jolt, Megatron turned around, beholding the glowing yellow eye above him. A pair of giant, silver hands rushed at him. He didn’t even have time enough to scream….
Beyond the light of the shining yellow sun of Earth, the far side of the moon lay almost entirely in shadows. Only the faint glow of stars lit the airless sky…that and the rocket flares of SkyScourge’s engines as he soared over the jagged lunar landscape.
Nearing the sharp edge of one large crater, SkyScourge transformed and descended rapidly towards the ground. With a heavy thud, his feet kicked up some of the dark gray moon dusk. Reaching down, he opened a compartment built into his chest, retrieving the crystal shard, glowing luminously in his hands.
Looking skywards, the Decepticon muttered with a groan, "Now…if only that female giant were here…."
Right on cue, the ground beneath SkyScourge’s feet began to shutter, the dust forming small dunes around him. Hardly a minute later, the image of DarkStar reappeared directly before the Decepticon, her engines blasting blue flames as she hovered in place. Three landing struts deployed from her underside, two in the rear and a third beneath her bow. Slowly, she landed, constantly kicking up moon dust in SkyScourge’s face.
Not even a nano-click after landing, DarkStar’s ramp deployed with Galvatron rushing down it. Running up to dust-coated SkyScourge, Galvatron excitedly asked, "Did you retrieve the crystal on schedule? I want to see it!"
Coughing a bit, SkyScourge raised up the green crystal fragment, its magnificent glow only slightly diminished by the moon dust encasing it. Taking the crystal, Galvatron wiped the dust off, letting the green light shine through. "Yes…yes…" Galvatron grinned evilly, "Yes…after so many centuries…."
"Yeah…now what do we do with it?" SkyScourge blatantly asked. Wiping the dust from his shins and knees, he said to Galvatron casually, "We stole Vector Delta…we stole the key to Vector Delta…we even stole this…chipped piece of glass, but what good are they in our quest to reconquer Cybertron?"
Galvatron scowled at SkyScourge, his insane anger boiling. Just as the Decepticon started to stand up, he grabbed him by the throat and squeezed tightly. The cannon mounted to the same arm began to charge up, the glow of purple plasma shining in SkyScourge’s eyes.
Almost growling as he spoke, Galvatron muttered in a sickening tone, "Never…ever question my motives again! They are mine and mine alone to comprehend…and if you even dare to defy me…" The cannon grew brighter and brighter, on the very verge of firing.
Gasping, SkyScourge quickly spoke up, "I won’t! I won’t again Galvatron!"
His weapon depowering, Galvatron tossed SkyScourge to the ground. "Good…my lieutenant." Suddenly, Galvatron’s com-link started to beep on and off repeatedly. "What is this?" he said aloud, clicking on it. Inside of his optics, a black and red map was displayed with a green blip approaching them from high orbit.
"DarkStar to Galvatron," DarkStar called Galvatron via her com-link, "The Maximals and the guardian are approaching on vector one, two, eight at high velocity!"
Clenching his jaw, Galvatron started marching up the ramp, ignoring SkyScourge for the time being as he carried the crystal with him. "Activate the cloak and switch all systems to stealth mode," Galvatron ordered DarkStar.
Just as Galvatron went inside, SkyScourge awoke with a groan. Looking to his left, he saw DarkStar begin to close her ramp. Jumping to his feet, the Decepticon ran like a frightened toddler, leaping into the shrinking space before the ramp sealed itself up. The cloak swept over DarkStar, rendering her invisible to the outside world as she sat in the darkened crater.
Inside the relatively small and cramp confines of the communications room, Galvatron watched on a small monitor as Ironwood flew over the western limb of the crater. "Good," he said with a pleased voice, "He doesn’t suspect a thing. DarkStar…prepare to power up your weapon systems. Target the flying guardian and…."
A whining, mocking voice cackled from near-by. Galvatron turned to look down one of the corridors where dozens of detention cells lined both walls. Inside the closest one, Starscream laughed at Galvatron as he stood behind the energy barrier.
"Ha! Shooting at a witless and unsuspecting target, Galvatron? Ha! Where’s the honor in that?" Starscream mocked his captor.
Galvatron frowned at Starscream, then glanced at SkyScourge. Immediately SkyScourge went to Starscream’s cell, grabbing an electro-prod from a concealed storage closet just outside it. Thrusting the prod through the barrier, SkyScourge said to the notorious Decepticon, "Since when has honor become of importance to you, Starscream?"
The electro-prod struck Starscream in the shoulder, causing him to scream and holler as energon surges went through his arm. Glancing up at SkyScourge, Starscream swore, "You’ll pay for that Scourge! I promise!"
"Oh yeah?" SkyScourge said, chuckling as he shoved the electro-prod back through the cell, "Promise this!" SkyScourge grinned proudly at the screams he forced out of Starscream, stabbing and poking persistently with the prod.
Galvatron didn’t smile at Starscream’s pain, although it was more than
amusing deep down within his twisted spark. "Back to more important
matters," he mumbled, turning back to the monitor with Ironwood, "DarkStar…ready
your weapons. Target the guardian…."
A targeting cross appeared on the screen, nearing Ironwood as he continued to fly in his rocket mode. The cross turned from red to yellow as it locked onto him, cybertronian text flashing on the screen to confirm the weapons’ aim and readiness. "Weapons charged and locked on, Galvatron." DarkStar reported.
"Now," Galvatron said, staring more closely at the screen, "When he’s directly over us…fire!"
Unknowingly, the guardian flew higher and higher, closer and closer. DarkStar’s weapons arced further up, clicking in place. "Firing in five, four, three, two, one…fire!" From the dark lunar surface, DarkStar shot out a dozen laser blasts and fireballs at the guardian, her blasts zeroing in on the unknowing flyer.
In a swift move, Ironwood spun to his left, all the blasts missing him entirely. With his deep voice, he shouted, "Ironwood…transform!" In mid-air, the guardian transformed, becoming a massive warrior robot. He deployed his chest cannon at the crater directly below him, firing a massive blast.
"WHAT?!" Galvatron hollered, unable to believe what just happened.
Ironwood’s blast hit the ground right next to DarkStar, stirring up a cloud of dust that settled over the cloaked Decepticon ship. Inside of Ironwood himself, Botanica shouted to him, "That’s it! They’re hiding just where I calculated!"
Sitting beside Botanica, RazorLeaf stated proudly, "Looks like that tracking gizmo you installed really paid off, Botanica! Now let’s get ‘em!"
Now able to see DarkStar with ease, Ironwood fired a barrage of energy blasts at her. The Decepticon was shaken, as were all her passengers. In the heat of the battle, DarkStar herself transformed and decloaked, unable to stand being a sitting duck. Beside Starscream’s cell, SkyScourge groaned as he was tossed back as DarkStar’s body shifted positions. His electro-prod broke in half as it hit the floor, the front and pointed half of it skipping inside of the cell.
Amid the shaking and clattering, Starscream saw the prod and beamed. Quickly he stole the broken half, hiding it inside his chest cockpit. Sealing it in and tapping his glass chest, Starscream chuckled to himself, "Now we’ll see just how long Galvatron holds me prisoner…."
Standing with clenched fists and red eyes, DarkStar yelled to Ironwood, "You won’t stop me this time, guardian!" Raising up her arms, several blasters emerged from beneath her wings, all blasting at Ironwood.
Ironwood, still hovering in the black sky, held his huge arms up in front of his face and torso to shield himself from DarkStar’s blasts. "Jeopardy…extreme! Danger…great! Advise…escape while I battle DarkStar!" he muttered to the passengers within him.
Still inside Ironwood’s cabin, Botanica, RazorLeaf, and Gold Blade were strapped in their seats. Despite the sounds of blast fire and all the shaking, they were unwavered. "No way!" Gold Blade said to Ironwood, "When we plants get rooted in a situation, we always stand our ground!"
Grunting as Ironwood was hit again, Botanica added, "We’ll be fine! Just take that Decepticon offline!"
As battle rage on the dark side of the moon, there were other mysterious goings-on within Cybertron. For a second time, Megatron awoke, this time on a huge operating table. Oddly enough, he was stuck in beast mode, seeing through organic eyes. Glancing around, he saw nothing, although a vile, oily odor filled the air.
Determined to escape before being recaptured, Megatron softly spoke to his internal computer, "Megatron…transform…flight mode." Just servos froze up, Megatron grunting in pain as his body found itself in transformation lock. Moaning a bit, he shook his head. "Well that option won’t work. I’ll just have to escape with this accursed form!"
The wolf-bot leaped off the table, but made a horrible discovery. With a sudden snag, Megatron was held back. He fell face-first into the floor, his long canine nose getting squashed as his wolf tail limply fell over his face. "Ugh…" he groaned wearily. Behind him, a clamp was tied to his leg and linked to the base of the table by an energy bond.
The thudding of heavy and familiar footsteps returned. Megatron looked up, seeing the yellow eye looking down upon him once again. With a heavy electronic voice, the as-yet unseen being spoke to Megatron, "I wouldn’t suggest trying to escape…Megatron. All efforts would be…futile."
The hackles on his snout rising up to expose sharpened metallic teeth; Megatron growled in a deep voice, "Who…are…you?!"
In the shadows, a large hand reached for a lever. Upon pulling it down, the dark chamber around both the stranger and Megatron lit up, revealing an enigmatic lab adorned in shiny blue metal and multi-colored lights. All around were scientific stations and instruments of an enigmatic nature. And there…in the corner beside an open exit, was a tall, dark, and disturbing transformer.
Megatron arched his head up as the huge transformer approached, beholding him with terrified wonder. He was as big as Galvatron, but twice as broad, the dinged-up and cracked purple armor covering him aged but still formidable. One arm ended with a silver-plated blaster, the other and large, silver hand. The head was relatively small, with two stubby antennas on the sides and the single, yellow cycloptic eye at its center. Then, looking at his left shoulder, Megatron also noticed the Decepticon symbol deeply engraved within.
"You’re…a Decepticon?" Megatron dared to ask.
The large transformer stood over the Predacon, staring with its yellow eye. "Indeed," it spoke, "But I am far more than that…Predacon. Centuries before your kind existed, I was the original Megatron’s second-in-command…the supreme ruler of Cybertron in his absence. In addition to that…I…am your creator."
Megatron stared with ever-widening eyes. "Impossible! I was forged at a protoform factory! And I certainly don’t remember you bringing my spark into existence…agh!" His mind ripped apart for an instant, flashes of the same Decepticon standing before him looming over and putting pieces together, images of a large Predacon with black wings that he had seen before.
As Megatron held his head with robotic paws, the Decepticon stepped closer. "Your memories are returning, aren’t they?"
Desperately trying to suppress the pain, Megatron grunted, "What…memories?"
"The ones…of your original self. The memories the Autobots tried to erase from your very spark. I brought you here…to my lab…to restore those same memories…to fulfill your destiny," said the Decepticon.
More images filled Megatron’s head, ones centered on the Decepticon assembling a body. Other flashes occurred, of Autobots rushing at the Decepticon, stopping him from finishing something. More images, more pieces of this puzzle came together. Then…at least for a moment…it became very clear to Megatron.
Rising back to his four feet, Megatron stared up at the purple giant with new understanding. "Yes, I remember now. You…are Shockwave…my creator! On Cy-Mos…you created me, and the first Predacons. The Autobots tried to interferer…but we stopped them together."
"Yes…they tried, and in the end…failed." Shockwave said coldly, "They couldn’t prevent your birth…and the birth of a new race of transformer."
Moaning a bit, Megatron held his head. "I know this…but I don’t understand entirely. Why did you create me? Why couldn’t I recall these things before?"
Lowering himself to one knee, Shockwave spoke to Megatron with what seemed like parental concern. "It will take much time before your memories return…but I shall explain, so that the process may be hurried."
Shockwave began to tell his tale, not noticing a small saw-like device emerging from Megatron’s back to cut at the binds. He spoke of the battle of Unicron and Cybertron, remembering that day in great detail. "When Unicron attacked us, we tried to fight back…but even under my guidance our forces were no match. During the battle, as Unicron strived to tear apart out world, a great chasm was ripped open beneath my very feet. I fell, plummeting into the core of Cybertron. There…I remained offline for many, many cycles…until I awakened in a new place…a new time."
Waving a hand out to his creations, Shockwave further elaborated, "I created this place after I awakened and discovered the Autobots and Maximals ruling over Cybertron. I would have destroyed them myself…but then I was one Decepticon against millions of transformers…so I started creating others…the first Predacons, in hopes of aiding me. But that war…that effort…was all for naught."
Looking down at Megatron again, putting his hand beneath Megatron’s chin and looking directly at him, Shockwave passionately said, "But you…now that I have found you once again…we shall take over Cybertron! That is…once the final modifications have been implemented upon your crude, organic hide."
Megatron narrowed his eye, then smiled. "Such an interesting plan, one that you surely must have concocted for stellar cycles…" Behind Megatron, the saw cut through the bonds, the clamp falling off in two halves that rattled on the floor. The saw blade retracted back into Megatron’s hindquarters just as his muscles tensed.
In one giant bound, Megatron jumped on Shockwave’s head, and then leaped again to the exit several meters away. As the Decepticon fell to the ground, Megatron turned back with snarling jaws and the fur on his back rising up. "But you won’t be using me for your sick and twisted plans anytime soon…Shockwave!"
As Megatron ran off, Shockwave got to his feet and roared angrily. He stretched out his arms and fired his blaster, obliterating his own lab with one massive blast. Megatron saw a massive wave of fire spewing out of Shockwave’s lab, rushing toward him as fast as sound. Quickly he ducked behind a large boulder, curling into a ball as burning embers blew through the caverns. Once the flames died down, he carefully peaked over the boulder.
Out of the smoke and flames still spewing from his lab, Shockwave’ silhouette emerged as he stomped his feet heavily. His yellow eye turned a deep shade of red-orange, his anger rising rapidly. "MEGATRON!" he shouted, blasting away the small rocks and bits of debris in his path, "YOU WILL RETURN TO ME…FOR I AM YOUR CREATOR!"
Shockwave jumped into the air and transformed. He became a huge, massive cannon that floated with a soft hum. Slowly, he moved forward, his broad barrel leading the way. "Come on out, Megatron!" he called to his creation, "Hiding from me is pointless!" A small, second cannon mounted atop the larger one sent out a light blue beam, lighting the path ahead. The rocks and debris became transparent before it, polarized by intense x-rays. The beam soon came upon the boulder Megatron hid behind…only to find nothing.
As the Decepticon continued to cruise the tunnel, Megatron clung to the ceiling above with his bare claws. When Shockwave passed beneath him, Megatron let out a soft growl. Shockwave paused, just barely noticing the sound. As he began to turn to his left, Megatron howled and pounced upon him.
"AGGH! GET OFF OF ME!" Shockwave demanded as Megatron’s wolf claws scrapped at his metal plating, leaving foot-long gashes behind. In desperation Shockwave tried to shake Megatron off, but pointed his barrel upwards. As Megatron slipped down, Shockwave accidentally fired, sending a blast directly upwards.
Several hundred meters above, RedStreak and Coyotek grumbled to one another as they polished the base of a crane in a hanger. "This is some deep slag," Coyotek told RedStreak, wiping away with a soapy brush, "How come Optimus always gives us the slaggenest assignments?"
"Yeah," RedStreak agreed, desperately trying to scrub off a stubborn spot with a toothbrush, "Botanica and the plant-bots are off right now fighting the Decepticons, and here we are trying to clean the dirt in this dreary hanger…."
Without warning, a huge beam of energy blasted a hole in the floor near Coyotek and RedStreak. Moments later, the surrounding area started to collapse as well. The floor beneath the two Maximals broke apart, sending them plummeting down, RedStreak screaming, "OFF!" as his toothbrush fell with him.
A few minutes later, Shockwave successfully threw Megatron off of him. The Decepticon quickly transformed, aiming his arm blaster directly at Megatron. "I fear it has come to this…my creation, but have no fear! Once I have blasted you apart, I promise to put you back together better than ever!"
From above, the yells of two Maximals echoed loudly. Shockwave looked up and uttered, "What the?"
Barely a cycle later, RedStreak and Coyotek fell directly on top of Shockwave, creating a pileup of transformers. As all three moaned with distinct discomfort, Megatron said to himself, "Well…this is rather convenient…but I must find a way out of here!" Just then, Megatron looked down one corridor and saw a large, silver structure in a ring shape. "Yes! If that’s what I think it is…."
Without further hesitation, Megatron took off, leaving Shockwave to the Maximals.
Coyotek got up and looked about, mumbling, "What the heck happened here?" Megatron then swept past him, still running in beast mode. "HEY! IT’S MEGATRON!" he shouted.
As RedStreak also began to get up, the Decepticon they were laying on top of started to growl angrily. "Uh-oh. ‘Tek…I think we have bigger problems at the moment!"
In one burst of strength, Shockwave roared and knocked both Maximals off of him. He loomed over both, his shadow large and black. RedStreak’s eyes widened, recognizing the twisted Decepticon. "SHOCKWAVE!" he exclaimed.
Coyotek glanced at RedStreak, then at the Decepticon. "What? You actually know him?" Coyotek asked.
Shockwave pointed his weapon and fired, blowing a large hole between RedStreak and Coyotek. The two Maximals turned to one another, and realized this was bad. "This is bad…very bad!" Coyotek muttered nervously.
"Quick! We gotta double our efforts here!" RedStreak quickly suggested.
"We can’t!" Coyotek stated, "My trailer is up there…I can’t use my Autobot armor without it!"
Shockwave fired again, nearly blasting Coyotek this time. RedStreak pushed Coyotek aside and looked to Shockwave. "Then I’ll handle him! You just call your trailer down here and help when the time comes!" With that, RedStreak stretched out his arms and flatly said, "Rodimus Armor: engage!"
Seemingly out of nowhere large armor plates enveloped RedStreak’s arms, legs, and chest, a blue aura in the shape of Hot Rod enveloping his body during the transformation. Now enhanced and at his maximum power, RedStreak stared at Shockwave. "All right Shockwave…time for a blast from the past!" He transformed yet again, becoming a strange, Cybertronian sports car. He revved up his engine and charged at Shockwave.
The Decepticon let out a light laugh, muttering, "Such noble nonsense…" He quickly fired several shots at RedStreak, forming potholes in his path. RedStreak narrowly missed the blasts, swerving repeatedly as he began to circle the Decepticon.
"COYOTEK! REDSTREAK!" someone shouted from up above. Coyotek looked up, spying Optimus Primal and Rattrap up above.
"OPTIMUS! THAT PRIMUS YOU’RE HERE!" Coyotek shouted back to his commander.
Examining the giant hole left behind, Rattrap whined, "What the slag did you two do to the hanger?!"
Coyotek shook his head and moaned. "Never mind! We really, REALLY need your help guys!"
"What? How are we supposed to get all the way down there?!" Rattrap exclaimed, stating down the deep pit below.
Coyotek simply grinned back at Rattrap. "Hang on! The way down is coming!" Coyotek put two of his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. In the hanger, a large and empty transport trailer came to live, its wheel and built-in engine revving up and wobbly moving toward the pit. Rattrap looked and gasped, backing away in surprise.
Primal quickly grabbed onto it, just as the trailer neared the edge. "Get on board Rattrap!" Primal ordered, "And hang on tight!"
Rattrap gulped and regretted what he was about to do. "Oh boy…another wild goose chase coming!" He grabbed on, and screamed as the huge trailer plummeted straight down.
Shockwave blasted another hole into the ground, this time directly in front of RedStreak. In his car form the Maximal swerved and hit a wall, his wheels spinning uselessly. As RedStreak transformed and moaned in robot form, Shockwave approached, ready to tear him apart by hand. "Now Maximal, prepare for the slag pit!"
Coyotek growled, knowing he had to do something. Though without his trailer, Coyotek transformed into the hab of his truck mode, his arms holding in along with his head as his chest became a windshield and radiator grill. Hitting the gas, Coyotek drove straight at Shockwave, plowing right into his legs and knocking him down once again.
RedStreak slowly got up, then patted Coyotek on the side. "Thanks bud!"
A minute later, the trailer came crashing down, Rattrap still screaming. Obediently, the trailer drove by Shockwave and linked up with Coyotek, completing his vehicular form. "Let’s do this!" Coyotek said, "Magnus Armor: engage!" The same blue aura enveloped Coyotek, the image of Ultra Magnus forming. The trailer separated and conformed to Coyotek’s arms, legs, and chest to make him a virtual mirror image of the original Autobot.
Standing tall and in silver, Coyotek grinned at RedStreak, knowing the time was now. "Looks like it’s time to become one, RedStreak…."
RedStreak nodded. "Yeah…time to double our efforts and our strength!"
"Two’s always better than one!" Coyotek laughed.
Rattrap groaned then finally shouted, "ENOUGH WITH THE TWIN JOKES! JUST TRANSFORM AND BEAT THE BOLTS OUT OF THAT GUY!"
The two canine Maximals looked to one another and shrugged shoulders. Like magic, their bodies broke apart, plates shifting and bodies transforming into one, larger warrior. Red ‘Tek now stood before Shockwave with a red sword in one hand and a yellow blaster in the other. "Shockwave…your time is now!" Red ‘Tek declared.
As Red ‘Tek fired with his blaster, Shockwave stepped aside, the explosion missing him entirely. "Pathetic! I’ve built sentinel drones that can do better than you!" Shockwave said, aiming his blaster back at Red ‘Tek. He fired five time, all five of his blasts hitting the Autobot.
With a heavy, "UGH!" Red ‘Tek was slammed into the rock wall hard, bits of rubble flying off in all directions. He groaned, and then saw Shockwave charging with his metal fist flying at him. Reacting quickly, he rolled to his right, Shockwave blasting a huge hole where the Autobot was previously standing. The Decepticon’s fist suddenly became stuck in the rock wall, unable to move. Shockwave grunted and tried to pull back, but it was no use. Then, turning to his left, he saw Red ‘Tek grinning as he slammed his own fist into his palm.
Red ‘Tek punched Shockwave square in the face with a mighty blow, knocking the Decepticon nearly halfway down the corridor. Wearily, Shockwave slowly got back to his feet…but then he noticed something. Glancing behind him, he saw Megatron pawing at some controls, activating the silver ring at the corridor’s end. "No! You fool! Get away from that!" Shockwave yelled.
Suddenly Shockwave found himself hoisted into the air, both his arms pinned behind his back. "Sorry…but the only fool around here is you for picking a fight with an Autobot!" Red ‘Tek said to Shockwave, holding the Decepticon to his chest.
Grunting, Shockwave replied, "Think you’ve defeated me? I think not!" The Decepticon turned his head a full one hundred and eighty degrees, facing Red ‘Tek directly. His yellow eye turned bright yellow, shooting a beam directly into Red ‘Tek’s own eyes.
"AGH!" Red ‘Tek yelled, "I’M BLIND!" He cupped his face, protecting his damaged optics. Shockwave easily broke free, dealing the Autobot one swift punch in the stomach before rushing off towards Megatron.
Optimus Primal and Rattrap tried to follow, but Shockwave’s longer legs allowed him to pass them with ease. "Quickly! We’ve got to stop that Decepticon!" Primal yelled to Red ‘Tek and Rattrap. He converted to beast mode and swooped down at Shockwave, blinding the Decepticon just as he entered inside the silver ring.
"Get off me, winged rodent!" Shockwave protested, his arms desperately trying to knock Optimus off.
"Hey! Who you calln’ a rat, one-eye?" Rattrap said, transforming to his own beast mode and latching onto Shockwave’s foot. He opened his jaws as wide as possible, then bit hard into Shockwave’s armor plating.
Amid the confusion, Megatron dialed in several specific coordinates into the controls. "Now…while they’re all distracted…" he mumbled to himself, pressing one final button. The silver ring started to glow and pulsate, energy patterns circling around the top edge of it. Megatron quickly went inside, a panel slowly moving to seal the ring.
Red ‘Tek lifted his hands from his face, spying the glowing ring. In an instant of revelation, he exclaimed, "By the Matrix! It’s a spacebridge! I must stop it!" In a heartbeat, Red ‘Tek transformed into a huge decked-out truck; smoke spewing from his muffler and tailpipes as he drove straight at the ring-shaped structure. A nano-click before the spacebridge sealed itself, Red ‘Tek plowed in, joining not only his fellow Maximals but also Shockwave and Megatron as a giant purple beam of light erupted.
Traveling at the speed of light, the resulting column of energy flew directly from Cybertron towards the Earth’s moon several million miles away. In the middle of the battle between Ironwood and DarkStar, the energy beam arced downward, materializing right between the two giants.
Inside of DarkStar, Galvatron stared at the view screen with wide eyes. "By the great smelter, the Decepticon spacebridge!"
"The what?" DarkStar asked, her concentration largely focused on the outside.
"Hmm," Galvatron thought, putting a finger on his chin, "Someone must have reactivated it after all these centuries…but who?"
Ironwood paused to gaze at the beam in wide wonder. "What…is…pretty light?" he uttered, taking a step back to embrace the entirety of it.
Within Ironwood, Botanica and the other plant-Maximals saw it on their own view screens. Botanica narrowed her eyes slightly. "No…it couldn’t be…."
As both factions stared at the beam, something suddenly emerged from it. A large truck came charging out at over ninety miles an hour, kicking up moon dust in huge clouds. Red ‘Tek saw Ironwood standing directly in his path. "Hey! Look out!" he yelled over his com-link. He struggled to steer, but the dust gave poor traction, causing Red ‘Tek to swerve uncontrollably. In a last-ditch attempt, he applied his brakes, but still he couldn’t slow down. Then, at the last possible second, Ironwood turned to see the Autobot speeding toward him….
CRASH!
Bits and pieces of metal flew into the air as steel and titanium ground against one another. A large set of tracks were left in the powdery dust, leading toward the edge of the crater where Ironwood was propped up with RedStreak, Coyotek, Botanica, RazorLeaf, and Gold Blade all strewn about his lap. A rubber tire was caught around Botanica’s neck and a tailpipe was stuck over RazorLeaf’s head. They all let out a deep, painful moan before entering stasis lock.
Megatron jumped out of the purple beam, still in his canine beast mode. Glancing towards DarkStar, he yelled, "Hurry! The spacebridge will remain open only for a few more nano-clicks!" He then turned and leaped back in, the beam already destabilizing.
DarkStar quickly followed, leaving giant footprints behind as she disappeared inside the great column of light. Just a few seconds later, the spacebridge shot back into the sky one more time, streaking back towards emerald green Cybertron. On the moon, Coyotek glanced up briefly, muttering, "Optimus…."
Mere seconds later, the beam rematerialized within the catacombs of Cybertron, but next to the Plasma Energy Chamber itself. As the beam dissolved, Shockwave stumbled out, Optimus Primal and Rattrap still clinging to him. Megatron and DarkStar followed afterwards, the purple column vanishing completely.
Frustrated to his limits, Shockwave shouted, "Enough of this!" His arm blaster retracted, a second hand deploying in its place. With two hands he grabbed both Rattrap and Optimus, squeezing them tightly. "Now…you parasitic organics…prepare to…."
"Enough! Shockwave…desist!" a voice called out. Shockwave looked up, watching as DarkStar transformed back into a battleship and deployed a ramp. Out stepped the shaded figure of Galvatron.
Still squeezing the Maximals, Shockwave stared at the new Decepticon appearing before him. "By whose command?" he demanded to know.
Galvatron stepped into the light, revealing himself before Shockwave. "My…command." Galvatron simply stated.
Shockwave quivered where he stood, emotion seeping through his otherwise purely logical circuitry. "G-G-Galvatron! You’re back! Is it really you?"
"Yes…it is," Galvatron assured him. He then reached behind his back, extracting a piece of green crystal that dimly glowed in his hands. "Hold those two, Shockwave…for I have a task that needs to be done," Galvatron ordered.
The Decepticon marched right up to the huge chamber with the fragment in his hand. The Autobot forge glowed brightly, still partially open. He stepped close, even as plasma bolts leaped at him. Then, just as he was mere inches from the forge’s open flames, it automatically closed, sealing the regenerative energies within.
"NO!" Galvatron yelled, smashing his fists into the thick metal barrier, "YOU CAN’T DO THIS! THE CRYSTAL NEEDS TO BE REFORGED WITH THE PLASMA ENERGY!" Then, just as he was about to bash his fists against the chamber once more, he stopped. Galvatron slowly turned around, smiling at Shockwave and the two Maximals he held. Eyeing Optimus Primal specifically, Galvatron called to Shockwave, "Shockwave…bring those two here."
"As you command, Galvatron." Shockwave obeyed, marching up to the Plasma Energy Chamber with the Maximal captives. Once at Galvatron’s side, the Decepticon tyrant nodded toward Primal. Shockwave dropped him to the floor, letting him stand before himself and Galvatron.
"So…Optimus…is it?" Galvatron began to say, "Is it true that you can control this powerful chamber?" Optimus Primal just stared blankly, a frown forming on his face. Waving a hand toward the Plasma Energy Chamber, Galvatron politely said, smiling even, "If it is true…then open it."
His heavy brow arcing downward, Primal asked, "And what twisted circuit in your mind tells you that I’d obey the most ruthless of all Decepticons?"
An evil smile shaping on his face, Galvatron elaborated to Optimus Primal, "You shall open this chamber for me…or else your rodent friend will…shall we say…be extinguished?" On cue, Shockwave squeezed his grip tighter around Rattrap, choking the rodent. Speaking more directly, Galvatron said, "Do it…or else."
Coughing and gagging, Rattrap shouted to his commander, "No…O-Optimus! Don’t do it! Don’t do anything those lousy ‘Cons want!"
Shockwave squeezed harder still, Rattrap crying out in pain. He looked down at Primal and said, "This is your last chance, Maximal. Obey Galvatron or your friend will suffer greatly!"
Optimus Primal sighed, then glanced at the chamber, then at Rattrap. Finally, he stared directly at Galvatron. "I know your kind all too well, Galvatron. If you want the Plasma Energy Chamber opened, then so be it!" Primal then turned towards the chamber, his eyes turning bright green.
With a deep mechanical groan, the chamber reopened itself. Plasma energy started blasting out stronger than the winds of a hurricane, sweeping through the entire chamber. Immediately green lightning attacked Galvatron and Shockwave, sending both into painful spasms. But then, Rattrap fell from Shockwave’s hands…and tumbled into the pit below.
"RATTRAP!" Optimus Primal yelled, transforming to beast mode and diving after his falling comrade. He pulled his wings together, allowing him to dive more swiftly, cutting the distance between him and Rattrap.
On the surface, Nightscream was bewildered at the sight of columns of the green plasma energy blasting out of the planet. Like tornadoes they spun and swept over Cybertropolis, irradiating everything in their wake. Even from within the central command tower the damage was evident: consoles and controls flashing with plasma energy.
"What the slag is going on here?" Nightscream muttered, not knowing what to do.
Inside the Plasma Energy Chamber, the Decepticons took a pounding from the energy that was unleashed. SkyScourge, Galvatron, Shockwave, and Megatron were all blown back as their systems short-circuited. Only DarkStar herself was unaffected, her thick armor providing a decent barrier from the plasma energy.
Hanging onto a metal pole, Galvatron yelled to her, "DarkStar! Take the crystal and place it inside the energy chamber! Y-You must!" With that, he threw the green crystal fragment at her.
DarkStar transformed and caught the tiny crystal in her comparatively huge hands. Slowly, she marched toward the chamber holding up an arm to block the wind blasting at her. Near the open grill, she held the fragment between her middle and index fingers and placed it within the green fires. Even as plasma energy wrapped around her hand, DarkStar held the crystal inside of it.
Slowly, the crystal fragment gathered the energies surrounding it and absorbed them. As it began to glow brighter, it grew. Soon smaller, other needle-like fragments formed, the crystal doubling then tripling in size. In the span of a few minutes, the crystal was fully restored.
Unable to stand the strain any longer, DarkStar removed her hand from the Plasma Energy Chamber. Her hand was scarred, some of her fingers missing whole chunks of armor with exposed wires showing through. She stepped away from the chamber, crystal still in hand.
Galvatron stood up and smiled, taking the crystal from DarkStar. "Excellent! The Heart of Cybertron has been restored!" He looked to Shockwave and SkyScourge, both groaning in agony. "Quickly! We must take our leave of this world! DarkStar, transform and get us out of here!"
Moaning slightly, DarkStar replied, "As you command…Galvatron!" Her head and arms retracted, her feet folding to reform the cockpit of her starship mode. She hovered in front of the Decepticons, deploying her ramp as she weathered the storm of plasma energy a while longer. First Galvatron, then Megatron boarded. SkyScourge flew inside, carrying heavy Shockwave with him. DarkStar immediately arced up and flew through the massive hole in the chamber’s ceiling, flying right out of the heart of Cybertropolis and into deep space.
After DarkStar fled, Optimus Primal, with Rattrap in his arms, flew from below and landed on a walkway. Looking at the quaking Plasma Energy Chamber, Rattrap suggested to Optimus, "You better turn down this giant steam kettle; it looks like it’s about to go critical!"
"Right!" Primal agreed, turning his face toward the chamber. Concentrating hard, Optimus regained his link with the Plasma Energy Chamber. Slowly, but noticeably, the chamber dimmed, the swirling winds emanating from it dying down rapidly. Finally, the Plasma Energy Chamber stopped altogether, the plating sealing the energy back in.
Still breathing heavily, Rattrap looked around. "Hey. Where did all the low-lives go?"
Optimus Primal looked around, wondering as all. "Good question, Rattrap." Primal transformed to robot mode…but as he took a step, something cracked beneath him. His eyes followed down to his feet, where a sliver of green glass rested. Gently Optimus Primal picked it up and examined it. "Somehow though…I feel this may hold this answers…."
To Be Continued....