Rising Sun – Part 2
Optimus's brilliant blue optics flickered. He then saw he was in the temple hall by The Tomb of The Primes again. He whirled around to look into the tomb again. The bodies of the Primes still lay there. They had not moved. What had just happened?
Optimus's hand went to his chest. He felt his spark pulsating. He looked down at it and realised that it was glowing vividly. What was happening to him? Then suddenly his audio sensors detected several voices that seemed to come from the tomb. It couldn't be. Logic told him it must have been the desert winds outside the temple. He looked up.
Earth, but not modern Earth. Optimus saw he was standing by a wild forest. Plants and rocks were everywhere. The sounds of wildlife filled the air. Then a flock of birds rose from the trees as the sounds of heavy giant footsteps approached. Optimus was taken by surprise when he saw a group of Cybertronians emerging from the forest trees. It was the Primes again! Optimus was rooted to his spot as the Primes stopped right in front of him, just a few metres away. Optimus believed he was in full view to them. He waited for their reaction to his presence. They did not look in his direction though. They showed no sign of seeing him standing there.
There were thirteen of them now Optimus observed. From his closer viewing point this time, he could make out details on each Prime. He ran his optics over them all. Then he spotted The Fallen amongst them! Optimus tensed. The Fallen seemed to be engaged in a debate with the other Primes.
"This sun is a perfect energy source to harvest, Prima!" The Fallen was exclaiming. "It is more powerful than the last sun we harvested!"
Optimus noticed that the one called 'Prima' was the Prime with the crown of metal spikes and a crest on his forehead that he had seen in The Tomb of The Primes. He possessed optics illuminated with the same royal blue light as his.
"This sun is powerful, Nova, but you neglected to mention that one of the planets surrounding it sustains life," Prima was responding to The Fallen.
'Nova?' Optimus thought.
"Life? Barely!" The Fallen replied disdainfully to Prima. "Nothing more than puny flesh-bags reside here!"
"Life nonetheless. Intelligent life," Prima firmly stated. "I, Nexus, Maximus, Logos, Vector, Alterius and our sons all agree that the organic life on this planet has the right to freedom. Have you forgotten our code of protecting life, brother?"
"With all due respect, brother, the code of the Primes is preventing us from harvesting the energy we need to recharge the Allspark! And finding suitable suns for this purpose is no quick and easy task for our Seekers!" The Fallen argued.
"The Allspark's energies are still plentiful at present," another Prime spoke up. "We are in no desperate need to replenish it anytime soon. Anymore power transferred into The Cube now might even be dangerous. We have never recharged it before to excessive levels of energy."
"Perhaps you are being too cautious, Sentinel," The Fallen challenged. "Are we so afraid of 'excessive' power that we are unwilling to test its potential? Think about it. Perhaps near limitless power is possible! The Allspark could be energized by not just one, but two or even more suns whenever and wherever we find them. Our Cybertronian workforce could increase at a faster rate. And we could operate at greater levels of power than we have ever known!"
"There is no necessity in seeking so much power, Nova," Prima sternly spoke. "My son, Sentinel, is right. We have no great need for more energy at this time. The Allspark presently sustains us and our current Cybertronian workers enough. And we only use it to create new Cybertronian life when we need it or when it chooses to, such as how it gave us another six descendent Primes, our sons."
Prima glanced proudly at the six descendent Primes that added to his and his brothers' original number of seven.
"Life is a precious gift," he said with compassion. "And for that reason we will leave this organic planet's sun untouched. The organic inhabitants must be allowed to thrive here. You are not to do anything to this planet or its sustaining sun, Nova."
"This is a foolish decision, Prima," The Fallen hotly disagreed. "You may be our leader, but you do not always make sensible choices."
The displeased Prime stormed away from the other Primes and disappeared into the forest. The other Primes watched their tempered brother stalk off with some concern. A gust of wind blew loose a rain of white petals from flowered trees nearby and they drifted past Prima. He opened his long elegant fingers to catch some of the petals. A small white heap of them collected in his large metal palm. He watched a single white petal fall away from the others in the heap and drop to the rocky ground below, becoming stained in mud as it made contact with the ground.
"The fallen one…," Prima murmured.