Two shuttles, both armed with soldiers, scientists, and doctors blasted off from Planet Cybertron. One shot away, hungering for the victory that was close at hand. The other raced off, desperate to quench their fears and secure their place in the universe.
Pax and Silver Convoy awoke at the same time from their repair chambers. The medic drones had finished undoing the damages that were inflicted by the two's earlier battle, which left parts of Silver Convoy's skeleton broken and two bad gunshot wounds to Pax's chest. Silver Convoy was easy to repair; Pax, however, required far more detailed and complicated work.
"Pax Convoy," Silver Convoy said, still groggy, "We haven't much time. Meet me on the bridge for your briefing."
Pax slowly got up, moving his joints and feeling where his old wounds had been. "What…how did you beat me?" Pax's voice was humble, lacking the earlier rudeness.
"Energy matrix." A panel on Silver Convoy's left breast slid away, revealing a small, shiny circle with circuitry lacing through it. "I can absorb any type of energy, store it within myself, and then release it through my hand cannons. The only catch is that the energy matrix only works if I'm standing still. I must be grounded."
"Ah," Pax replied. "Were you built with it, or what?"
"The energy matrix was something designed a long time ago, for starship's shields systems." Silver Convoy closed the panel, "But it was unstable. In battle, shields react to every blow, compensating in one area to provide protection in another. Ultimately, the Maximals were able to make it small enough.
"The only problem with this was that if a Maximal were to use this, it would consume all his body's power storage, as well as wreak havoc on the conductors. When the first neo-Autobots started to be created, their endurance under high strains of energy was exponentially greater than the Maximals'. So, it was infused into the Autobots. The energy matrix has been passed down through Autobots for the past century, only being given away when the carrier dies."
"Why only then?" Pax asked, intrigued.
"Because the energy matrix recalibrates the entire power structure of the robot in order to handle the new strains. In essence, it tailors the structure of the power circuitry to itself, and then maintains it. If this small hemisphere," he pointed to the small circle, "Is removed, the robot cannot survive because the energy matrix isn't directing the path of energy. Also," he noted warily, not surely confident of Pax's allegiance, "it can only be removed by the user. It can't be stolen."
"I see…" Pax said.
"Good, good. Meet me on the bridge for briefing, we'll discuss the blueprint of the Lunar, and where the key points are. You have ten minutes before call time." Silver Convoy walked away, leaving Pax in the medical bay to contemplate the power that the energy matrix could potentially have.
***
"Galvatron," Pharaoh began, irritated, "What was so important that you believed it necessary to enter my personal quarters? And what are you holding behind your back?"
Galvatron's left arm raised, the barrel pointing at Pharaoh's head. "I want the Dark Matrix, Pharaoh. Give it to me!"
"Treacherous, treacherous Galvatron," Pharaoh chuckled. "If you kill me, then the Omikron will know. They'll detect the blast residue from your cannon."
"Pharaoh!" Galvatron yelled, "Hand me the Dark Matrix or I will shoot you!"
"No, Galvatron. I created you, and I can destroy you."
"So be it," the Decepticon said. He whipped out a small Maximal body from behind his back. All of a sudden, Pharaoh sighted a gun in the tiny hand, but too late. The sidearm fired eight fatal shots into Pharaoh's forehead.
"You see, Pharaoh…" Galvatron began, "I knew that I would be caught, if I had pulled the trigger myself. But I recovered this shell in mint condition many years ago, in case it could become useful." He threw the body aside, "I established a remote control connection with it. I was the puppet master of this marionette. And, to perfect this charade…" Galvatron's cannon fired once into the center of the Maximal body, blowing it in two.
He calmly walked over to a com-station, activated it, and yelled, "Emergency! A Maximal intruder made it aboard and has shot Pharaoh! Emergency! Repeat…"
Merely a quarter hour later, Pharaoh (as well as the Maximal "intruder") was proclaimed dead. Galvatron explained how he had entered the room before the Maximal attacked, and how he and Pharaoh were taken by surprise by the stowaway. Pharaoh did not move out of the way fast enough, and was killed as Galvatron shot the spy.
"This…this is horrible…" Pharaoh's aide whispered. "I had only gone out to deliver a message…"
Galvatron reassured him, saying that Pharaoh did not die in vain. "Because of Pharaoh, we will have 'the artifact' and will destroy the Maximal scum! I promise you, I will avenge your leader. And when I rule Cybertron," he smirked, "I will control it as Pharaoh desired! He may be dead, but his dream shall never die!"
The aide looked away, as if pondering. "Wait!" he cried to the coroners moving Pharaoh's corpse away on a stretcher. "Put him down for a moment!"
Galvatron grinned in anticipation. The aide opened Pharaoh's chest cavity, carefully removing the Dark Matrix. Omikron and Predacon alike gaped in amazement. Armada, who had come to investigate the damage himself (already suspecting that there was no Maximal intruder), froze in place as the aide walked to Galvatron, Dark Matrix in hand.
"Thank you," Galvatron crisply said as the Dark Matrix was passed to his hands. He raised it above his head, yelling, "The Autobots will be eradicated! Every last one of them!" The Omikron, Predacon, and Decepticons cheered as the Y-shaped metal on Galvatron's chest lifted, revealing a cavity. The Dark Matrix held in front of his chest broke from his hands and glided into the torso.
"A new era has begun, for Omikron, Decepticon, and Predacons! We will pave the road with Autobot carcasses!" The on-lookers cheered, greatly satisfying Galvatron.
***
Pax Convoy stared out a window as the shuttle approached N-859. Silver Convoy defeated him…the moment that the finishing blow was delivered looped in Pax's mind. How could he have lost? The Plus armor was broken through so easily…and he, such a strong warrior, lost. A mercenary that was supposed to be the most powerful in the universe lost to a single Autobot. Maybe…maybe a mercenary's life wasn't so good? Maybe an Autobot life was more beneficial? Lower injury risk, he wasn't exposed to constant battle…maybe he was traveling the wrong path?
No, Pax thought. He chose this mercenary life because its what he needed to be happy in life. He needed to be a mercenary, not an Autobot…right?
The shuttle entered the planet's atmosphere, flames bursting around like wildfire. He couldn't concern himself with issues of honor or righteousness. There was a job to be done. Petty worries could wait.
On the planet's surface, Galvatron entered the Flagship Lunar. He sighted Locust, and called out his name.
The scarab transformer about-faced, "Welcome Omikron! We're all set for Pharaoh's visit, we've-"
"He's dead, Locust. Maximal got on board the ship and killed him," Galvatron answered the unasked question. "I command the Omikron-Predacon forces now."
"Magnatron?" Locust inquired, "You sounds somewhat like Magnatron…"
"I was once Magnatron. I am now Galvatron," he said.
"Galvatron…? You're much…taller!"
"And more powerful, as well as a triple-changer," Galvatron answered. "Now, have you accessed the bridge yet?"
"Not yet, Lord Galvatron. We're working on it, but are impaired by the high concentration of raw energon here."
"It does not matter. Victory is at hand," Galvatron answered. "And, for uninvited guests, I have security." Armada, Thrust, and Jet Pipe approached him, evil in their eyes.
"Here's the deal," Silver Convoy said. "Maximals, pile into the trailer. I'll pull it to the entry point, where I'll yell 'Now'. Blow away the trailer, and destroy and Predacons or Omikrons that you see. Pax Convoy, Jagger, Autobots," he said, turning to face them, "Stay out of sight until I give the 'Now' order. After that, transform and get here as soon as possible and help to fight off Omikron. Understand?"
A general "yes" came from the soldiers.
"Good," Silver Convoy said, transforming into a truck. A trailer pulled up behind him and attached to the back of the truck. Maximals climbed into the trailer, and Pax Convoy closed the door behind them.
"Good luck, people," Silver Convoy started the engine and drove towards the mining site. Pax followed close behind.
"This doesn't feel right…" he whispered.
Esp creped in front of Silver Convoy. His miniature head turned side to side. The Omikron had made themselves at home here…gun batteries, soldiers, the whole nine yards. But there was always a weakness in a temporary installation like this; the power relay cables. They hadn't bothered to cover them up with roadwork, like back on Cybertron. No, these cables were exposed, allowing one shot to sever them and cut power to at least one structure. Esp ran back to Jagger, who reported his findings to Silver Convoy.
"Are you sure?" Silver Convoy asked, he and his strike-force concealed behind a series of boulders.
"Positive," Jagger answered.
"Let's do it!" Silver Convoy yelled. The truck and trailer sprung out from behind the rocks, reaching maximum speed seconds later.
"Halt!" A Predacon soldier yelled, his gun aimed at Silver Convoy. Ruthlessly, the Autobot plowed over his enemy. A cable in sight, Silver Convoy popped a small blade out of his hubcap, rotating downward, bearing sparks. The knife cut clean through the cables and retracted as he drove by.
The massive freight braked sharply, slamming into a makeshift communications building. "Now!" yelled Silver Convoy, detaching and transforming. The trailer was blown apart from the inside out and Maximals stormed out.
"Remember!" Silver Convoy cried over the firing of guns, "Destroy the power relay cables, then head into the ship!"
Pax and the other Autobots sprinted towards the camp, weapons blazing. Cable by cable was shot and destroyed, and power was cut to both the ship and camp.
Lights flickered out and the door to the Lunar's bridge ceased moving.
"What's happening?" Galvatron demanded, radioing Locust.
"Lord Galvatron!" His once polite voice turned screechy, "The Autobots and Maximals have ambushed us! We need back up! Hurry!" A loud scream ensued.
"Autobots…Silver and Pax Convoy must be with them!" Galvatron deduced, his hand balling into a fist.
"Silver Convoy…I have a score to settle with him!" Jet Pipe said, transforming into a four-winged jet and flying to the battlefield.
"As I must settle something with Pax Convoy," Galvatron growled, transforming to aerial-tank form and rocketing down the hallway. "Armada! Follow me, help take care of the Autobots!"
"Gladly," Armada smirked.
"There!" Silver Convoy proclaimed, "I think that's all of the relay cables!"
"Yes, they are!" Jet Pipe screamed, ramming Silver Convoy. He grunted as he fell, punching the jet's nosecone. Jet Pipe transformed, shooting Silver Convoy with a laser.
"Did you really think that we would only have one battle, Ess-See?" Jet Pipe mocked, dodging one of the Autobot's punches. "Our battle is just beginning!" He elbowed Silver Convoy in the head, who reciprocated with a sidekick to the ribs and a ground sweep kick.
Silver Convoy whipped out his rifle, striking Jet Pipe with it. He aimed and fired, hitting Jet Pipe in the leg. "You can't win against me, Jet Pipe."
"I don't have to!" His head bulged, and randomly leaped to the side, putting an Autobot in a chokehold, his spark extractors flopping around the hostage.
"Jet Pipe…I'm the one you want." Silver Convoy reminded him, then realizing that the Omikron could have accessed the bridge by now.
"I want to consume all sparks, Ess-See!" He eyed the Autobot he held in his arms, "Including this one!"
"Pax, protect the bridge!" Silver Convoy yelled. Jet Pipe's head swiveled to glance at Pax Convoy, and in that one millisecond, Silver Convoy fired one, precise shot at Jet Pipe's head. The blast contacted, and Jet Pipe fell, his hostage escaping.
"Pax! Go! Now! Remember where the bridge is, from our briefing!"
Pax eagerly nodded, reloading his Blitz Cannon. "Drones, Pax Convoy Plus merge!" The gestalt took one giant leap, crashing through the artificial tunnel and entering the starship.
Immediately within the ship, a blue and black aircraft soared his way. He swung his hand out, slapping the ship against the wall. Pax Convoy Plus ignored the disturbance and ran to the bridge.
"Oh, no, Pax!" Galvatron yelled, transforming. Pax turned around, facing Galvatron for the first time.
"Who're you?" the mercenary asked, annoyed.
"Only a Predacon you once obliterated!"
"Magnatron…?" Pax asked, staring at the Decepticon.
"Galvatron, now, because of you!" he sneered, shooting the Autobot with the cannon on his left arm.
"Galvatron, Magnatron, you'll both go out the same way." Carrier transformed and locked onto Pax's right shoulder. Galvatron realized the threat, his parts shifted around, his hands, head, and upper legs all folded away, while his body flipped around, the white-wings expanded, and the left arm combined on top of the right arm. This was Galvatron's third form: a stationary, defensive cannon.
Pax Convoy Plus pulled the trigger, green energy sprinting towards Galvatron. The beam hit Galvatron head on, but soon after, three other beams returned to Pax, this time puncturing his armor thrice, shattering it, and canceling the gestalt merge.
Pax gazed in amazement; Galvatron's wings were tattered and burnt and he was driven several meters back…but that was the extent of the damage. Galvatron fired twice more, hitting Pax Convoy in the left arm both times.
He howled in pain, clutching his arm as metal clinked out of it. "Drones! Guard me!" he commanded, turning his back on Galvatron and scampering down the hall.
"No, you don't." Galvatron coldly said, mercilessly shooting Pax in the back, dead center. Pax's head reared back in distress, his attention switching from his arm to his back.
"Out of my way!" Galvatron cursed the drones, hopping over Carrier and smacking Scouter. Art fired a round of heavy shells at the Decepticon. Galvatron spun around, his armor scratched and torn, and leaped back over Carrier, crashing onto Art.
"Imbeciles!" He snarled, blowing away Art's treads and tearing away his cannons. Scouter's light blaster persuaded Galvatron to scrap him, as well, in a single shot. Carrier rolled in front of Galvatron, holding him back.
"And you! I especially relish this!" Galvatron yelled, transforming back to defensive cannon mode. Particles of light danced into the cannon head. With the unexpectedness and sheer strength of a volcano, the energy splintered through one side of Carrier and out the other. The bulky drone crashed onto its side, flames sprouted, metal warped and caved in.
"You're up next, Pax Convoy."
Pax hobbled through the Lunar's halls. He needed to ignore the pain, and think. The bridge was two lefts at this upcoming intersection, he remembered. If he could only get there before-
Galvatron in aerial-tank form smashed into Pax. "You aren't getting away." The tank's cannon shot Pax once in the left shoulder, who responded with a round of fire from the Blitz Cannon. Bullet holes decorated the tank as Galvatron switched back to robot mode. Pax let his onslaught continue, leaving the trigger depressed longer than last. Galvatron stood and took the bullets, allowing them to tarnish his perfect Decepticon body. Pax Convoy's mouth dropped in terror as his enemy stood before him, no worse than five minutes ago.
"Surrender, Autobot!" Galvatron exclaimed, blowing the Blitz Cannon away from Pax. His arm shifted downward and blasted Pax in the right side, then in the left leg. The mercenary dropped in agony.
"You destroyed my old body," Galvatron calmly breathed, "How ironic that you should be destroyed by the new!" He looked down at Pax. Out of the blue, Pax's right hand delivered an uppercut to Galvatron, rending metal from its bearings. He let out a cry of surprise, but quickly regained his composure. Galvatron's open hand impacted on Pax's right shoulder with such a force that he a crater was left, cracked metal growing out of it.
Cheetor's creation fell again. Galvatron threw Pax against the left wall and re-set his arm cannon.
"Galvatron, please!" Pax begged, feeling the end near. "Don't do this!"
"Your pleas fall upon deaf ears." A sphere of energy catapulted out of the cannon and stuck to Pax Convoy's abs, no immediate effect. Pax looked up at Galvatron, who serenely watched on. From nowhere, beams of light slowly converged on the sphere, and a final beam expanded from the back of the sphere. Instantly, all beams shot towards Pax. The wall inverted as the energy sphere on Pax's torso became a deadly lance, shooting Convoy through layers of walls.
Galvatron stood proudly. Nothing could have survived a shot like that. It was twice as powerful as his own cannon's maximum blast!
"What?" the Decepticon hissed as Pax shakily lifted himself, whimpering meekly. His chest was scorched and fragmented, his arms almost ripped away, his helmet disintegrating. And his location…he was at the door to the bridge, to "the artifact!"
"No!" Galvatron screamed, trying to squeeze through the hole in the wall. Admitting he was too large, Galvatron chose to run the original route to the bridge. He could only pray that he wouldn't be too late.
Pax Convoy wobbly stood up, bracing himself against the wall. His vision was blurred, and his entire body seared in pain. His internal map of the Lunar, however, was still operational, and he tried to find where Galvatron's beam had placed him. Given the power of the beam, and his position on the wall-he was at the door to the bridge. He made it.
Pax took one step, and sparks jumped out of his body. Agony multiplied as his eyes bulged and his jaw dropped. His internal computer pleaded to initiate stasis lock. He overwrote it. He knew his fate already.
He was going to die today.
He hopped to the door, his torment increasing with every passing second. Pax had never felt pain this much, this extreme! It was overwhelming! Death was preferable over this…but he didn't want to die! He had only been born weeks ago, he couldn't die now.
His body said otherwise as skeletal rods displaced. Pax's body collapsed on the door to the bridge, falling apart, dying. Depleted energy began to take its toll on him as feeling was lost in his right foot. Pax's left hand slammed against the door.
"I'll do anything! I…I don't want to die!" he sobbed, having lost feeling in both feet.
"This way," a voice seemed to whisper, as if carried by the wind. "Push the button…open the door!"
Pax Convoy took all the effort that remained in his body and tapped the blue button next to the door. It slid open and Pax collapsed inside.
"No!" Galvatron screeched as he turned the corner. Pax swung his legs inside the bridge as the door hissed shut.
"He can't be left in there!" Galvatron said. Terrified, he primitively pounded on the door.
Pax Convoy's body reared in pain. The front of the bridge had been impaled by raw energon crystals, indeed created a very hazardous environment to Cybertronians. Pax stumbled to his feet, his body shorting out from the energon crystals. Blue electricity laced up and down the mercenary's body and made miniature seizures break out spontaneously.
"Go to the captain's chair," the voice whispered again. Pax's head painfully lifted, sighting the back of the captain's chair ten steps away, at most. Pax Convoy limped, his left leg entirely numb, to the chair.
"You're almost there. Don't give up."
Pax's hand rose, reaching to his goal.
"You can do it. You have the power."
Numbness spread through his body, but he was almost magnetically drawn to the captain's throne.
"You have the power."
Pax Convoy gasped violently as he plummeted to the floor. He had only reached the back of the chair.
That was all he needed.
The captain's chair slowly rotated to face Pax Convoy. At first, all he saw was a decaying hand slumped over the armrest. Then, he saw the remnants of a leg. The chair finished moving as Pax's head creaked back. The torso was nearly gone, blackened and devastated. The head was deformed and ugly.
But as Pax Convoy looked at the captain's face, emerald eyes glowed out of the crunched head and a chest panel slipped away. Pax gazed in wonder as a blue light was emitted from the chest.
"The Autobot Matrix of Leadership," Pax Convoy gasped. As if possessed, his hands grabbed hold of the white container and tore it free of the corpse.
"Arise…"
Pax Convoy stood up, the Matrix held in front of his chest.
"Convoy Prime!"
Pax's eyes grew large. "That voice…"
Energon ceased to cover Pax's body. The Matrix of Leadership had control now.
In the first second, millennia of wisdom and experience were introduced to his spark.
In the next second, there was chaos.
In the third second, order was restored.
In the fourth second, tranquility of spark was achieved.
In the fifth second, there was true fusion of the spark, as no longer "half mercenary, quarter Primal and Prime", but now as Convoy Prime. One spark.
And in the sixth second, the Matrix created a suitable body for Convoy Prime.
Galvatron blew apart the door to the bridge, only to realize that he was too late. A red, vacuumized metal Autobot stood in front of him. Three large wheels went up and down both legs, and a stylish box possessing a headlight and vents were attached before the elbow on each arm. A triangular, gray stack was on each arm. The figure turned around.
"Galvatron!" a gruff, strong voice said. Two blue, armored rectangles were open to either side of a cavity in his chest , white venting armor covered his abs. Golden eyes peered out of a gray face enclosed in a azure helmet, a blue plate covering his mouth.
"Is this what you quested for, Galvatron?" The figure said, holding out the Matrix.
"Yes, it was." He smiled, "That was 'the artifact' all along." He momentarily hesitated, then asked, "What name shall I call you by when I kill you?"
The figure placed the Matrix inside his chest cavity, and the rectangles closed, a small red bar locking them in place. When compared to Optimus Prime's cavity doors, these were thinner, armored.
"Convoy Prime," he answered, charging Galvatron. Four shots were fired, and the new Matrix-carrier dodged each, allowing all to hit the mass of energon behind him. In one deft punch, Convoy Prime dazed Galvatron, and, wasting no time, threw him into the bridge.
Galvatron shook his head free of dizziness. His head whipped back as the realization that the blasts had destabilized the energon came upon him. Galvatron roared in defiance as the crystals exploding, utterly overpowering him.
"Jagger!" Convoy Prime called out to the Autobot leading a squad of Maximals. "We need to get out of here!"
"Pax…?" The espionage expert asked. "Is that you? But how…?"
"No time to explain!" Prime said. "Autobots and Maximals! Transform and roll out!" Convoy Prime's arms flipped around onto his back, his head folded away, the headlight box on the bottom of his upper arm swung in to become the lower corners, and his legs bent back, completing the truck.
Jagger had no time for awe as he heard the explosion approaching. He jumped, transformed, and landed inside the truck's cab. Convoy Prime raced ahead of the Maximals, allowing the slower beasts to hop on and ride with him. As the exit was in sight, Prime saw his three drones, all repaired.
"Drones!" he exclaimed, "Second transformation!" Carrier, now on six wheels, remained stationary as Art and Scouter compacted and attached to either side. A bar swung out from carrier and latched on to Prime's cab. Convoy Prime seemed to effortless pull the trailer up the tunnel back to the surface. Shortly after everyone cleared out of the tunnel, flames spewed out and the land above the Lunar began sinking down.
Convoy transformed and turned his attention to his comrade, Silver Convoy, who was wrestling Jet Pipe away. Both were severely wounded and on their last legs. Prime took striding bounds to the fight, and caught Jet Pipe off guard, cracking a blow that landed Jet Pipe far away and unmoving.
Silver Convoy turned to Prime. "Cheetor was right. You are the next Matrix bearer."
"Yes," Prime replied. "Let's leave here before the land around the crash site becomes unstable. Maximals, Autobots!" He cried out, "Back to the ship! Return to the ship!"
The soldiers retreated from the battle zone, victorious. "The artifact", the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, had been recovered and sent into the right hands. Galvatron was trapped under tons of rock, and with him, the Dark Matrix. Without their leaders, the Omikron and Decepticons were sure to fall…or were they?
This tale has just begun. The tale of Convoy Prime and his nemesis Galvatron, and his battle for freedom on Cybertron and in the universe pales in comparison to the true crisis.
Soon, Prime shall return to Cybertron, and the battle will begin anew. This is far from over. Very far. © hyper_aj00@yahoo.com