Chapter 4
Factions
….
"Awaken my sentinels, from my spark to yours, I grant each of you a part of me to represent who I am," a deep authoritative voice spoke. "You are the light in the darkness. You represent hope. You represent peace. You represent harmony. You are my creations. Come forth my disciples, for we will banish the darkness that plagues this universe. For now and evermore, you are the Thirteen Primes of Primus."
"Orion?" Elita called.
"Hmm?" Orion responded as he snapped out of it.
"You're okay?" Elita asked. "You were in deep thought. Are you still bothered about what happened in the Council Building?"
"No," Orion answered. "Just my memories."
"I see," Elita said. Orion and Elita were sitting on the edge of a building looking over the city of Iacon. Word of Megatronus 'opinion' spread across the city. It took a few hours before the entire planet knew of Megatronus' words. To the dismay of the Elder's, half of the planet's population agreed with Megatronus and started to rally against the current government. "Well, according to Ultra Magnus, other cities are trying to keep the peace from rebels," Elita said.
"I always follow Megatronus and supported him but for him to suggest that, it's…"
"Salvage-like?" Elita completed.
"Not the word I'll use."
"Have you spoken to him since then?"
"I haven't. After he left, I lost track of him. I haven't seen him since."
"I pulled a few favors and have Prowl and Jazz searching for him."
"And?"
"Nothing," Elita sighed. "Three solarcycles of search is tiring. I'm sorry Orion; we have to assume that Megatronus left the planet."
Orion reached over and hugged Elita. "Thank you," he said. "Your sentiment says a lot." Orion got up and left. Elita looked over her shoulder and saw that her friend was down. She rest on foot on the ledge as she placed her elbow on her knee. She let out a short sharp hiss of anger. "Slag it Megatronus, where are you?" Elita wondered. "Orion is worried about you and he won't cheer up until he sees you. What's going through your mind? Please Primus, watch over him and guide him to the light."
Elsewhere, Lockdown was heading to a secluded location. Inside his cabin is a fossilize tooth. He was on a mission, a mission given by Eve. His mind raced as he sorts out the information he received recently.
Three Solarcycles earlier…
"I want you to go to the Sea of Rust," Eve instructed. "I'll give you the exact coordinate of where I want you to go. At the location you'll find a tooth."
"A tooth?" Lockdown questioned.
"It belongs to the inhabitants that occupied the planet before you."
"Predacons? You want me to get a Predacon tooth for you."
"Oh no, it's not for me. It's for you."
Lockdown narrowed his optics in suspicion. Eve took notice and ignored him. "What's so special about that tooth?" Lockdown asked.
"That tooth is the oldest fossil on Cybertron and I'll tell you this because I know it's true. That tooth is older than Primus himself."
"Now you're messing with me," Lockdown said as he crossed his arms.
"Don't believe me, that's fine," Eve shrugged. "But I want you to take that tooth and examine its content. Also I want you examine your armor fragment and this as well."
Lockdown looked at Eve's hand and saw a red piece of metal. "What's that?" he asked.
"An armor fragment from Solus Prime. I want you examine it and compare your findings. You'll see there is a clear difference among the three and you'll see that I'm right."
"From what you're saying, you believe someone else created us."
"I am."
"But Primus…"
"...lied to you all," Eve said. "He knew something he didn't want anyone to know."
"Why?"
"Simple. Your purpose in being here is to rule and conquer other planets and voiding it of life."
"That something Unicron would do, right?"
"You tell me. Once you see the results, make your decision. By calling me, you agreed to my terms and will assist and reviving my master."
"And if I don't?"
"I'll find someone else."
Present….
"She better be right," Lockdown grumbled. "There is nothing I despise than wasting unwanted energon for a foolish task."
Lockdown arrived at his destination. He switched to robot mode and walked up to a large pair of double doors embedded on the ground. The door was hidden at a secluded location. He reached down and opened the door. He walked down the stairs and closed the door behind him. He entered a laboratory of a well known scientist. Lockdown scanned the lab and saw chambers covering the sides of the lab. Computers at each chambers and they were connected to the main computer that stood directly ahead of Lockdown. "One of many," Lockdown sighed. "He knows how to keep busy."
Two solarcycles earlier….
Lockdown had visited the maximum security facility located at the South Pole. The facility was impregnable and designed by Megatronus himself. No one is to enter the building unless you're assigned security detail. Locked up in the facility are Cybertron's most dangerous criminals. But the criminals inside isn't why the facility is impregnable. It was built to contain the most wild and savage cybertronians of all-time, Shockblast. Fearing his escape, the guards chained him to the walls and kept his energon level at dangerously low. Shockblast is conscious but too weak to do anything. He was held underground and separate from everyone else. Guarding his cell is two autonomous sentinels, constructed by one of Cybertron's finest builders, their function is simple. If the person isn't Megatronus, a Prime, an Elder, or guards with high security clearance, kill on sight.
But Lockdown isn't there to visit Shockblast. He had his intention on one inmate. Because of his dealings with the guards, he was allowed in with no questions asked. The guards knew that if they questioned him, he will stripped them of their weapons and turned them all in for possession of illegal weapons. Lockdown walked the halls of the facility to the first-tier. The facility is separated into tiers. The higher tiers are reserved for top criminals and the lower tier is for the petty and most annoying criminals.
Lockdown dropped down two floors and entered the first-tier. He made his way down the hall until he was stopped by a guard. The guard stood in front of him with a rifle in his hand. The guard stood over Lockdown with a serious glare. "Identify yourself!" he boomed.
"Out of my way, "Lockdown said.
"Identify yourself or be destroyed," the guard boomed as he aimed his rifle at Lockdown.
Lockdown let out a small growl. He was annoyed and had to fix the problem promptly. Just as his shoulders opened, another guard rushed in. "Lockdown, I do apologize for my colleague's behavior," he said. "He's new and he is still learning."
Lockdown's face softened. His shoulders closed up as he looked at the second guard. "Twister, you best instruct all guards of my position," Lockdown warned. "If not…"
"We understand," Twister laughed sheepishly. "Come on Grindor. Let's leave him alone."
"But…" Grindor said.
"He is Lockdown, our supplier of weapons," Twister introduced. "Our weapons are not standard and it is a needed to keep these criminals in check. If we cross him, we will bust us for possession and we don't want that."
"Then he will be incarnated as well."
"Believe me; you do not want him in jail." And the guards left.
Just as Lockdown is about to continue, he felt a stare. He turned to his left and saw a pair of red lights glowing in the darkness. "What are you looking at?" a voice thundered.
Lockdown looked straight ahead and laughed, "Junk."
The prisoner lurked and struck the gate. He reaches out to grab Lockdown but he was out of reach. Lockdown looked to his left and smiled. He saw the large silver prisoner venting hot steam from his mouth. "Motormaster, when will you learn your place?" Lockdown said.
"When I have your spark in my hand," Motormaster roared.
Lockdown's right hand turned into a prod and electrified Motormaster. Motormaster dropped to his knees in pain. "Pile of junk," Lockdown spat. "They should've smelted you already."
Motormaster looked up at Lockdown with hate. "I'll have my moment," he promised.
"And I will wait." And Lockdown proceeded down the hall.
"Heh, wimp!" a voice laughed.
"Say that to my face Wildrider!" Motormaster roared.
"I like to but my face will slag off from your ugliness," Wildrider cackled.
Motormaster punched the wall. Wildrider laughed even harder. "Big bad Motormaster has lost his edge," Wildrider teased. "I can't believe we followed you."
"Mute it," another dark voice said. "You're giving me a processorache."
"Will you shut up Dead End," another voice groaned.
"I will gladly Drag Strip," Dead End said. "Just tell me when you will give up racing."
"I will end you," Drag Strip threatened.
"Right," Dead End sighed. "Hey Breakdown, you function?"
"Mute it!" Breakdown grumbled. "I hate it here."
Lockdown rolled his optics. "I can't believe the Stunticons are here," he sighed.
Lockdown walked down to the end of the hallway. To his left is Soundwave, an infamous hacker who is incarnated for hacking and selling vital information on the black market. He barely says much but that is what makes him fearful. Then his right is Shockwave, a 'corrupt' scientist who spends his time experimenting on innocent bots to test their will and possibly transform them into ungodly creatures. But he was incarnated for allege cloning and public endangering. His lack of emotions labeled him as Cybertron's second most vile being on the planet. Lockdown turned to his right and tapped on the bars. A red steady light glowed in the shadow as it rose and walked closer to the bars. "Lockdown, why are you here?" Shockwave asked.
"I'm here to ask a favor," Lockdown answered.
"I don't do favor."
"Then how about a trade."
"Of what?"
"I have something here I need to experiment on and you have the equipment needed to conduct it. I like to borrow it."
Shockwave turned his back to Lockdown and proceed to his seat. "Denied," Shockwave rumbled.
"Not even for this," Lockdown presented.
Shockwave's optic lay upon a tooth that he didn't recognize. "Pure fabrication," he said as he turned his head.
"It's a Predacon tooth, rumored to be older than Primus himself."
"Impossible. Our current knowledge states that Primus as our creator. Nothing could have existed before him."
"This does."
"What's your source?"
"Private. But I'm willing to share the information with you. If you tell me where your lab is located, I can conduct my experiment and leave the result for you to verify."
"Against what?"
"I have a fragment of Solus Prime's armor. It should be sufficient. What do you have to lose?"
"Logic dictates that giving you permission is a waste but my curiosity states otherwise. You are certain that the tooth is older than Primus."
"According to my source."
"Very well, I will provide you with the location of my cloning lab and the access codes to my computer. You are to utilize the necessary experiment and leave. Anything else will result in your death."
"Agreed."
Shockwave stood up and walked up to the bars. He held his hand out and transmitted the information to Lockdown via infrared. Lockdown nodded his head slightly to show thanks and left.
"Logic dictates experiment is a waste," a computerized version of Shockwave's voice spoke.
"It seems that I'm not the only one who is doubtful."
"Doubtful."
"We'll see how this turns out Soundwave," Shockwave said as he proceeds back to his seat. "History is to be repeated very soon."
"Soon," Soundwave spoke.
Present….
Lockdown walked up to an examination station as he punched in a few keys. The table behind him revealed six jars containing an unknown fluid inside. He dropped the tooth in one, the armor in another and he broke off a piece of his armor and placed it into the third jar. He pressed another button and the jars receded into the table. Lockdown waited for a while before the result appeared on the screen. He looked at the result and saw something that made him believe. "This is impossible," he said.
"It's not," a female voice said.
Lockdown looked over his shoulder and saw Eve. "Explain," Lockdown demanded.
"The second jar shows evidence that Solus Prime is indeed created by Primus himself," Eve said. "The third jar show no match to Solus Prime at all which means that Primus had no part in your creation."
"But we are come from the Allspark which Primus created."
"Did he? If that was the truth then why the first jar is in the negatives? Shockwave's equipment is magnificent. He can tell you the age of a fossil based on their CNA and their armor's genetic structure."
"But the age can't be known unless Shockwave knows Primus' age."
"That's where Soundwave comes to play. One of the information had hacked was Primus' age. So when Shockwave found a fragment of Primus' armor in the Sea of Rust, it was confirmed. Now, when you examine the first jar and the third jar, there are some genetic matches. This means, everyone on this planet is a descendant of the Predacons who existed before Primus. And this planet existed way before Primus. Now you see what I mean right. You're not Primus' children. You belong to someone else and he wants you back."
"So you're saying that your master…"
"Your creator…" Eve corrected.
"...he wants us back."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"To continue his plan but in order for that to be done, several key factors are needed."
"Like?"
Eve pressed a button on the console and the screen turned on. Megatron's face was on the screen. "Megatronus?" Lockdown said.
"This message is for all those who are tired of living in the oppressions of the Elders," Megatron spoke. "I've spoken to them and they show no hint of change. They've decided to leave things as they are instead of fixing it. As a result, I am calling for a change. Join me in the fight to overthrow the government and reformat the world into the image that is right for us to live in. They show no care for the innocent but side with the very criminal who plague the streets of Cybertron. Now I see the truth. These criminals are not the enemy, they are! I've revived a faction that was lost long ago. If you are ready for change. If you are really for peace. If you are ready to fight by my side, then shout it out on the rooftops. 'I want change. I want peace for I am a Decepticon!'"
Lockdown looked at Eve who had a smile on her face. "This is the war I spoke of," she said. "This war will fuel in the revival of our creator. And in order for this war to truly begin, he needs to be revived."
"Who?" Lockdown wondered.
"The traitor," Eve said.
"And what am I suppose to do?" Lockdown asked.
"Continued as you were," Eve answered. "I will call for you when needed. Best of luck my king, as for I am your servant." Eve took a bow and vanished. Lockdown stared at the screen as Megatron's speech looped over and over again. With each loop, Lockdown saw his cause. He saw his future. He had a smile on his face as he envisions Cybertron's destruction.
South Pole
Megatron and Starscream entered the facility. Megatron had his eyes on a certain group of misfits who he will recruit to his army. The guards saw Megatron and they were surprised. "Megatronus, what brings you here?" Twister asked.
"It's Lord Megatron to you!" Starscream corrected.
"Relax Starscream," Megatron soothed. "They mean no harm."
"So Megatron, is this one of your rare inspections?" Twister assumed.
"No," Megatron said. "This is a prison break."
"A prison break?" a guard said as he armed himself.
Megatron saw the guard and shot him dead. The other guards stood in fear. "Anyone else," Megatron wondered.
No one moved.
"If you value your lives, you'll be joining the Decepticon cause," Megatron said. "Consider yourself recruited. Starscream, keep an eye on them while I recruit some more. Scrap anyone who defies me."
"As you wish, "Starscream croaked.
Megatron made his way to the first-tier. He walked to Motormaster's cell and glared inside. "Motormaster, you are the leader of the Stunticons," Megatron spoke. "I am giving you an opportunity of a lifetime. Serve me and I'll let you and your crew wreak havoc on Cybertron and get revenge on those you imprison you."
Motormaster's optics glowed with anticipation. "When can I start?" he asked.
Megatron unlocked Motormaster's cell and opened it. "Right now," Megatron answered.
Motormaster walked out from his cell for the first time in stellarcycles. He met Megatron's gaze and held out his hand. Megatron saw the gesture and shook Motormaster's hand. "You won't regret this," Motormaster said with promise.
Motormaster turned to his crew. He arched his back and boomed, "STUNTICONS, OUR TIME HAS ARRIVED! LET US TAKE REVENGE ON THOSE WHO IMPRISONED US AND RIP OUT THEIR SPARK!"
The other Stunticons whooped and hollered as they left their cells to cause chaos.
Megatron turned his attention on the remaining two cells left in the first-tier. He walked up in front of Soundwave's and Shockwave's cell. "You're here to recruit us?" Shockwave assumed.
"You're very perspective," Megatron praised. "I'm in need of a communication officer and a science officer."
"At what price?" Shockwave asked.
"Loyalty," Megatron said. "That's all I asked of you. Both of your skills will greatly assist the Decepticon cause in overthrowing the government and reformatting into image suited for us. I will give you everything you need to thrive. Name it and it is yours."
"At what price?" Soundwave repeated.
"If you join, each of you will be my senior officers. Soundwave will by Communication Officer who reports directly to me and Shockwave will be my first lieutenant of Science."
"First Lieutenant?" Shockwave questioned. "So I will have a team at my disposal."
"At your choosing," Megatron said.
"Very well," Shockwave said. "I will join you as this is the most logical choice there is. It is important for me to continue my research but at the same time, serve as your Science Officer."
"Excellent decision," Megatron smiled and turned to Soundwave. Soundwave stood silent. "Well?" Megatron asked.
Soundwave stared and study Megatron. Megatron couldn't tell what Soundwave's intentions were. A pair of red optics glared blandly at him. "What is he thinking?" Megatron pondered to himself.
"Laserbeak," Soundwave spoke.
"Laserbeak?" Megatron repeated. "What about it?"
"Retrieve Laserbeak and I will consider."
"Who do you think you are ordering me around?" Megatron said as he had an uncomfortable smile on his face.
"Laserbeak is an agent of his that he created," Shockwave explained. "He is incomplete without it."
"So getting it is a form of a test?" Megatron laughed. "Amusing task but one too simple to complete. Where is he?"
"Shockblast's chamber."
Megatron's face dropped. "Very well," Megatron agreed. "I will get him for you."
Heavy footsteps thudded as Megatron left the tier. Shockwave stared at his prison mate with wonder. "What is the point in this exercise?" Shockwave asked. "Doing this will achieve nothing."
"This is the point," Soundwave imitated. "Amusing task too simple to complete."
"What are you?"
"Soundwave."
Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus was heading to the Council hall. He had an unscheduled meeting with the Elders about the current situation. He arrived at the building and barged in. The doors flew open as Ultra Magnus marched his way to the Elders. "We need assistance," Magnus demanded. "This rebellion is getting out of hand. It's getting to a point where our current staff can't contain them. Local governments are falling apart. My officers are resigning their post. And the people are asking for a leader. We need a leader. When are we getting a leader?"
"In due time," the Elders replied.
"Time is what we don't have. We need a response."
"We have to wait."
"Then what am I going to tell them?"
The Elders went silent. Ultra Magnus took the hint and nodded his head. "Fine," he said. "I'll 'inform' the public of your decision." Ultra Magnus took one last look at the Elders before leaving. The door slam shut as Ultra Magnus walked down the steps of the building. Elita was waiting patiently. "Well?" Elita asked as Ultra Magnus walked past.
"Wait!" Elita called as she gave chase. "What did they say?"
Ultra Magnus came to an abrupt halt. Elita stopped before bumping into him. Ultra Magnus turned around and looked Elita in the optics. "If the situation was different, his words will be my drive," Ultra Magnus said. "I'm beginning to believe."
"You can't be serious," Elita said.
"Believe it," Ultra Magnus said and he walked off. "Ready the men, we're going to war."
"We'll be massacred if we fight," Elita said.
"Oh well," Ultra Magnus said.
Elita watched as Ultra Magnus walked off. She pondered about her loyalty. She wondered if she should fight a hopeless fight. She let out a sigh through her exhaust ports as she activated her upgrades. "I guess I'm going to war," she said.
