Beast Wars and all characters and things related are copyright and trademark of Hasbro and Mainframe Entertainment. This work, however, is the original work of the author.
Note: This story takes place immediately after "Saving Cybertron".
A Whole New World, Chapter 7
By TVfan
Cybertron, Caves
Tigerhawk and Airazor came forward, as they had heard two things that made what they suspected about the caves that raised some curiosity between the two Maximal transformers. They were exploring the caves that they had found underneath the known levels of Cybertron. The fact that the caves existed was a great question that they didn't have answers to, as Maximals and Predicons all carried their belief that Cybertron had always been a robotic world, or at least that any non-robotic elements were completely replaced when it became a robotic world. But the caves were organic in nature, and that would create a great deal of scientific curiosity into Cybertron's origins. That curiosity was partially why Tigerhawk and Airazor were making the journey. The rest of it was find some way of combining the technologic world Cybertron became with its organic origins.
"A clue to what?" Airazor asked to Tigerhawk as they responded to the sound of both metal and water that they heard, "The past or what could combine organics with technology?"
"Either would work," Tigerhawk answered they walked forward, relying extensively on the lights in their own optics to provide them with the light they needed.
The two moved further into the cave and over the small rise that they had kicked the small stone over. Then they saw what the source of the noise was. There was a small underground river that looked to be flowing deeper into the cave. Stalactites and Stalagmites had formed extensively in the area, and Airazor's scanners actually detected a fairly large concentration of various industrial coolants mixed in with the water.
"Such pollution," Airazor gave a sigh.
"That isn't the big thing here at the moment," Tigerhawk corrected and pointed to a figure near the edge of the water about twenty feet in front of them.
They looked and looked to see what looked like the figure of a robotic humanoid. It had a very narrow frame with a thin head and a primitive blaster in its arm. In a strange way, it looked as though it had been trying to drink from the water.
"A robot," Airazor commented, "You don't suppose this is… 'Early' transformer?"
"And acting as though it had once been an organic life form," Tigerhawk answered, "it was trying to drink…"
"But we can drink water too," Airazor answered, "in fact; it can even help us maintain our energy."
"Yes, but that's the result of our beast forms," Tigerhawk responded, "The records that Optimus had that the Autobots and Decipticons did not need food or water. If they needed some sort of coolant, they got it more like the way humans would receive blood from a donor."
Airazor walked closer to the offline robot and more closely examined it. Its torso square and box-like, but its arm and leg joints were more spherical. She also saw no sign that it had an alternate mode. If it was a transformer, it was before it could get an alternate mode or it simply hadn't received one yet. She carefully rolled it over onto its back. Its face could still display emotion and despite its efforts to drink, it also looked pained.
"We've fought each other from our very beginnings," Tigerhawk said in a semi-depressed voice as he noted structural damage to the robot's chest.
The damage looked like shocks from raw energon, as though the robot had been exposed to it in a way that would make the energon work more like some sort of whip or weapon. It made both Maximal transformers sigh heavily. It wasn't a sight they wanted to see, and it was also a sight that made them realize that trying to figure out Cybertron's past so as to reinvent its future would not bring up a lot of 'happy' facts.
"Come on," Airazor said slowly, "let's see if we can find anything else."
Omega One
Meanwhile on the station that had been intended to become the body for the 'resurrected' Unicron, Botanica and the Vegetas crew were not entirely pleased with the story they had heard. While the story of how the Tripredicus Council took over Cybertron as part of their plans did include a great deal deception on the part of the Tripredicus Council, it was also clear that transformers like Queen went along with it willingly. The Tripredicus Council did not need to deceive them. They followed willingly, and yet Optimus seemed quite willing to work with them. That did not set well with any of the newly arrived Maximals.
"And you would work with these villains?!" Botanica pointed an accusing arm at Queen, "She even said that the only reason that she turned on the Tripredicus Council was due to their then betraying those that were descended from the Deciptiocns."
"Not just workin' with 'em," Rattrap snickered, "He was smooching 'em too!"
"Shut up, Rattrap, you're not helping us any," Optimus answered.
"He does bring a valid point to the table, though," Orx commented, "We are Maximals. We are dedicated to a democratic and representative government style that grants equal rights for all…"
"Except Predicons," Queen shot back.
"We're more than willing to grant equal rights to them," Rosalon answered, "the issue is that Predicons believe 'equal rights' for them means that they get to rule over everyone else like some sort of petty ruler or dictator… and that every Maximal would be your slaves! Your drones attacked and took over Cybertron and attacked colonies. If this were merely a battle for equal rights, you'd have no need to attack Maximal colonies and scientific research teams. Your entire attack was aimed at our destruction…"
"And even if you do not take her as your spark-mate, Optimus Primal, the fact that you would work with someone who ranked fairly high within their command structure represents a betrayal of Maximal values and a refusal to give justice to the transformers she quite willingly helped murder," Botanica finished.
"And what would you have us do?" Optimus asked back with a sigh, "That we just keep the wars going? What about the concept of peace?"
"We're all for peace," Pinebot answered, "but at what price? Vegatas suffered a great deal of damage when their drones attacked us, and any research about the planet was contaminated because of their damage because they chose the only government they wanted was a dictatorship under their rule. How many second chances do you think they deserve?"
"And we cannot change our minds?" Queen questioned, "I'll admit that we made mistakes… but we are not going anywhere…"
"Change your minds?" Botanica asked in a skeptical tone that Rattrap found most enjoyable.
"As in agreeing to a more democratic government, so long as we are allowed to be part of it," Queen answered.
"It wouldn't be very democratic if you exclude Predicons from the government, wouldn't it?" Blackarachnia commented.
That whole exchange made Botanica blink.
"You would accept Maximal leadership?" Botanica questioned.
"If you win the votes, yes," Queen answered, "The Tripredicus Council did a lot to deceive us. They did more than just hiding the truth behind their plans, they kept us in the dark about a great many things, and it was your Optimus Primal who took the time to explain the things that we were not educated on."
Botanica looked to the transmetal two gorilla who was standing by calmly, though she could also notice some frustration on his face.
"Very well, then," Botanica said slowly, "We will agree to trust you… but do not make us feel that our trust was misplaced…"
Queen nodded and then glanced to Optimus.
"In the meantime, what is all this?" Orx wondered.
"This was what the Tripredicus Council had intended to use for the body for the new Unicron," Rattrap answered, "but once we took the council down and freed the sparks… all this is, is a space station."
"What do you need a space station for?" Botanica asked.
"Mostly security," Optimus said slowly, "the Tripredicus Council rigged everything to their base… when we took that down… it's like all Cybertron went brain dead… the power is still there… but nothing is controlling it."
"A nerve center?" Rosalon wondered, "This is your base now?"
"Until we can get Cybertron up and running again," Queen answered, "Which we can't do until we get the sparks online…"
Botanica slowly moved further into the command area of the station and easily noticed the massive internal chamber. She figured that the sparks would have likely been kept here as well. As she finished her look around, she noticed a sort of digital map on one of the screens near the station's control panel.
"They built links to the Oracle and the Matrix?" Botanica wondered, "Whatever for? Wouldn't their trade for the sparks occur elsewhere?"
"More than likely to more easily allow Unicron's spark to move here," Optimus answered.
"That and the fact that the transformers that have been 'spiritual' enough to be able to interact with Oracle and Matrix are usually on the scrawny side," Rattrap commented, "they wouldn't want their lone transformer who could interact with what amounts to Cybertron's 'deities' in a position where it could be part of a major battle"
"Do you know any transformer that spiritual among your followers?" Botanica then asked to Optimus Primal, "Maybe know just how Cybertron should be rebuilt?"
A frustrated grown escaped Optimus's lips and he looked down while rubbing the back of his head with one hand. Tigatron, now Tigerhawk had had somewhat of a spiritual personality on Earth, but that had been in connection with Earth's organic ecosystem. He seemed the most connected to the flora and fauna of Earth. To Optimus they were interesting, and deserving of scientific study, fitting the explorer in him, but Optimus did not get a personal feeling of serenity from simply being out in the wilds. He needed at least some access to Cybertron's technology. Tigatron routinely remained well away from the base and in the wilds for days at a time. Optimus didn't know or think that that sort of connection to an organic system would translate over to a heavily technological world, like Cybertron.
"None that would really help with regards to getting Cybertron rebuilt," Optimus finally sighed, "The first priority will be to get the protoform factories back online and go from there."
"Then let us help," Botanica offered.
"Any help will be appreciated," Optimus nodded.
"I'll go along and help," Rattrap volunteered, "You guys got this area well taken care of… and Blackarachnia can manage all the systems well enough."
The transmetal rat then moved over to lead the newly arrived plant transformers out and back toward the hangers.
Cybertron, Caves
Tigerhawk and Airazor continued to move deeper into the cave, largely following the water that seemed to be flowing in an underground river. As they did so, they continued to see what looked like offline primitive transformers, all suffering from various injuries that looked as though they had been damaged by similar weapons. The strangest thing was that the primitive transformers bore no insignia and many were not even positioned in a way that they could have used the weapons they had on the others. Many were even in positions that would seem to indicate that they were doing would be typical of organic beings.
"All of this is so odd…" Airazor commented, "How could all this happen… the positions… many look like they were people going about their lives for food or drinks or shade."
Airazor then stepped over another dead primitive transformer that carried some battle damage.
"And yet they look like they've been through a war and have been left behind," Airazor finished.
Tigerhawk paused looked at the scene around the part of the cave that they were in. Again, the sight made him sigh. He wasn't a coward, not in the slightest. In fact, if given a just cause, Tigerhawk was quite willing to be just as ferocious as any other transformer that had gone through the Beast Wars. What troubled him and made him truly hate warfare was senseless death. Opposing Megatron on Earth was the right thing to do, and so was defeating the Tripredicus Council, but from what they could see in these caves, the deaths were senseless.
The primitive transformers that seemed to have died looked as though something big and powerful just went through and blasted them. The fact that they were left where they fell also made it senseless. Cybertronian history had long carried a great deal of respect for fallen warriors. Transformers who grew old and passed on were honored as well, but it seemed that fallen warriors got the most prestige for their sacrifices. Dinobot in his various monologues on honor and battle made frequent mention of this.
"I am beginning to think that Cybertonians weren't the result of this," Tigerhawk said slowly.
"How so?" Airazor wondered, "Cybertron has had who knows how many civil wars…"
"Yes, but Cybertronians do tend to respect and care for their dead," Tigerhawk answered, "These primitive transformers have just been left lying where they fell…"
Airazor was silent and continued walking on in deep puzzlement. She wondered what could have attacked Cybertron in such a way. At the time this happened, Earth was still developing. In fact when they landed on prehistoric Earth at the beginning of the Beast Wars, humanity was only just beginning to truly develop. It was on Earth during what they called end of their Pleistocene Epoch and the beginning of their Holocene Epoch. And Cybertronian technology already existed, since records indicated that the Ark and the Nemesis did not leave Cybertron with a different time entered into their main navigation computers. That had to mean that these primitive transformers were even older than that!
"But what could…" Airazor began to ask when she tripped over something.
She had looked to Tigerhawk when she spoke and tripped over something. The only thing that was hurt by this was her pride, though she noticed an odd look on Tigerhawk's face as he helped her up.
"What is it?"
"Look what you tripped over," Tigerhawk said pointing.
Airazor looked back and her optics widened in surprise at what she saw. Laying there was what looked like a giant crystalline skull with a giant eye socket with two sections and a host of hair like tentacles that also trailed behind the skull.
"It's a Vok!" Airazor gasped.
"Yes," Tigerhawk nodded, "It would appear that the aliens that gave us so much trouble in the Beast Wars also attacked Cybertron at one point in its ancient history."
That gave the two Beast Warriors some answer as to the result of the battle. The Vok had proved to be dangerous enemies when they decided that the Beast Wars had interfered with their plans for Earth. Their attack on Cybertron probably had some sort of plan behind it, and that is what created more questions in the two of them. Mostly about what the plan was and how they related to Cybertron's origins. They only thing they could really do to answer these questions were to keep looking.
They quickly resumed looking through the caves and moving deeper and deeper. The mysteries of Cybertron's origins had to be at the bottom of these caves. Figure out what made Cybertron shift from an organic world and into a robotic one would be determined by going deeper and getting to the bottom of the caves. Their trek produced more dead Vok and more dead primitive transformers, but the bigger thing was that the caves were starting to get narrower. That had to be a sign that they were getting closer to the bottom of the caves and closer to what would be the answers they sought.
"Maybe this is why the Vok were so hostile to us on Earth," Airazor commented as they passed another Vok that looked dead. It's body had been reduced to a crystalline form and looked lit it had been scorched by various weapons and even an unknown energy wave. "Because it looks as though their attack on Cybertron not only failed, but was repulsed with heavy losses…"
That actually made Tigerhawk blink as he had not expected that sort of conclusion, but it did make sense. They had only known of two Vok members during the Beast Wars, and the transformers that had been created had been made to serve them. With only two of the aliens there, perhaps they had a larger population at one point and failed in a war that reduced their numbers, which produced a strange 'survival' complex.
"Might also explain why their technology and abilities focused on the creation of things such as energon and non-robotic structures that functioned as though they were single devices," Tigerhawk nodded, and then turned his head when there was a kicking of stones further in the caves.
"Was that you?" Airazor asked slowly.
Tigerhawk shook his head. It was something else and it came from deeper within the caves. They carefully made their way toward the sound. It could be an animal, but given how long Cybertron's histories stated that it had a robotic planet, that was unlikely. While the caves were a sign of an organic planet at one point, neither Tigerhawk nor Airazor had seen anything that would support any sort of life, even the kind that lived in caves all their lives on Earth. More than likely it could be a Vok that survived the apparent battle and never made it back to its own home world.
The sounds grew louder as they approached, and Tigerhawk thought he also heard sounded like the movement of gears and robotic joints. He then wondered if maybe a primitive transformer somehow survived down in these caves, though he couldn't ponder for too long, as the caves began to narrow as he and Airazor got closer to the end of them and to whatever was making the noise. He also began to notice what almost looked like circuitry on the walls of the cave, which made him even more curious.
"Hello!" Tigerhawk called into the darkness, "Do not be afraid, I'm not here to harm you!"
"You think it'll understand us?" Airazor wondered, "what if it's like the primitive humans on Earth… they didn't speak the same languages as the humans that the Autobots defended when they awakened from stasis lock."
"We have to hope," Tigerhawk sighed, "we have to make contact."
Airazor only nodded as they heard more scuffling sounds and then footsteps. Both stopped as the footsteps grew closer and closer. Eventually, two red optics appeared in the darkness in front of them.
"Who are you?" the owner of the red optics asked in a firm voice.
"I am Tigerhawk, this is Airazor, we are Maximals… one of the present factions of Cybertron," Tigerhawk said slowly, "Who are you?"
The owner of the optics came slowly forward so that he came into clear view and said in a voice that carried a great deal of personal authority behind it.
"I am Vector Sigma."
Above Cybertron
Botanica felt heavily disheartened by what she saw as they brought their exploration ship down into what had been Cybertron's capital city. She and her crew had detected the problems that were on Cybertron when they arrived and now they knew why. The uprising by the Tripredicus Council and the use of a powerful transformation lock virus that had been developed toward the end of the Great War. Optimus and his crew had beast modes thanks to their time on prehistoric Earth, but the transformation lock virus forced the transformers that had been on Cybertron to take beast modes as well. Botanica and her crew took on plant forms for their alternate modes.
"How do you plan to get rid to the transformation lock virus?" Botanica asked.
"I really don't know," Rattrap said slowly, "it's one of a million things that will need ta be done, and none of them can be done effectively until we can get bodies for the sparks that we liberated…"
"And what of Queen and her ambitions?" Rosalon asked aloud, "even if she accepts a democratic government… there is still a lot to be done with how that government will be structured."
"I really don't know, I ain't good with any of that political stuff," Rattrap said with a shrug as Orx brought the exploration ship down at one of the landing yards, "Though given the moves she put on Optimus… I'd say the prime thing she'd want is a… well I suppose a more limited monarchy. She and Optimus would be King and Queen and there'd be some sort of council that works with them…"
"Something like that might work… but I'd think we'd need more active transformers to be involved in the decision," Botanica commented, "Something you said can't be done until you get protoforms ready?"
Landing went relatively quietly and they slowly began to make their way through the ruined streets that once been Cybetron's capital city. As they walked, Botanica couldn't help but get a close look at wrecked buildings. Cybertron had a great of beauty to in the way it had been arranged and the way lights were arrayed to either light up the night or advertise something. Now none of that was possible and part of her should feel greatly saddened by the destruction of what had been the pride of Cybertronians everywhere. Strangely though, Botanica actually felt hurt that there was no plant life.
"Must have been the time on Vegatas," Botanica thought to herself, "the place had a great… natural beauty that would be hard to match…"
She then looked over to Rattrap the obvious fact that he had a beast mode. That made her wonder if the transmetal Maximal felt saddened by the lack of animal life on Cybertron.
A block away, Rhinox kept an eye the work the others were doing. The goal for the group was to get the spark containment unit into the old Maximal Elders Council Building. There it would be at least sheltered from any rain or possible outside interference and might be more easily defended if the Tripredicus Council had any other followers out there that might return to Cybertron. The building was one of few that were of sufficient size to hold the spark containment unit and was still connected to the power grid.
"Can we blow it yet?" Terrorsaur asked impatiently, almost as if he were whining.
"Not yet," Rhinox sighed, "We got the unit hooked up to the building's power supply, but we haven't gotten confirmation on whether or not blowing a hole in the wall will allow us to keep the power going to it."
"Makes me wish we had Rattrap here," Cheetor commented, "He would be pretty good with these sorts of things… shoot, he might even be able to demolish it without doing damage to the power even if there was a risk."
Rhinox nodded. Rattrap was good at a lot of those things, but that was generally part of the issues Cybertron was facing. Everything it had been had been destroyed by the Tripredicus Council's war and now everything had to be rebuilt and the Cybertronian race restored. At present there simply weren't enough to do everything that needed to be done in a way that would work. This was further complicated in the difficulty that would come from some of the projects.
"I don't think we're that bad," came Repair's voice as the beaver transformer came up with Wired by his side.
"Things are safe?" Rhinox asked.
"Overall…" Wired said slowly, "Yes. This outer area will lose power, but the cables we've rigged go to circuits that the demolishing of the building won't touch."
"So can we fire now?" Terrorsaur asked.
"Yes," Rhinox said with a sigh, "Just remember to keep your shots aimed so that nothing bounces back at the spark containment unit."
With that Terrorsaur and many of the transformers, particularly those that were Predicons, took to firing multiple blasts of whatever weapons they had on them at the exterior walls of the old Maximal Elders Council Building. Rhinox could only sigh as the already grand structure shook under the shots. As he did so, he found Packadex and Mammoth came and stood beside him. While none of them could fly, they were big enough to block the larger pieces of debris that flew toward the spark containment unit. Smaller pieces did hit the unit, but thankfully they had nowhere near the size or the velocity to damage the unit.
This went on for a few minutes until they heard a voice come up behind him.
"Hey-uh Horn-head, what's with the target practice?" came Rattrap's voice, "Bored with waiting around or what?"
Rhinox then turned to see Rattrap approaching, which wasn't too much of a surprise, but he was shocked by who was with him. They were transformers, but they seemed to have alternate modes that would be plants rather than animals or vehicles or some other technology.
"Rattrap… who… who…" Rhinox said slowly, finding it hard to form words.
"Oh… these are some explorers that weren't on Cybertron when all this mess started," Rattrap answered with a shrug, "This is Rosalon, Orx, Botanica, and Pinbot. Vegatas Exploration Team, this is Rhinox."
"A pleasure to meet you, Rhinox," Botanica said carefully.
The two slowly shook hands and Rhinox kept his focus on the Vegatas crew.
"Vegatas…" Rhinox said slowly, "That's…"
"Its ecology seems to be dominated by more sentient plant life rather than animal or robotic life."
"That might help with some of our filtration issues we'll need to deal with the transformation lock virus," Cheetor commented.
"Hmm?" Botanica wondered.
"As I'm sure your ship's sensors detected or from what Rattrap might have told you, when the Tripredicus Council launched their uprising they unleashed a transformation lock virus that unless you've had prior vaccination… or an organic alternate mode, you won't be able to change…" Rhinox sighed, "To get around this we'll need a sort of filter to remove it from the air… the problem is that no known mechanical filter has ever worked with the specific virus that was used…"
"How would a plant based filter be any different?" Rosalon asked curiously, "While plants can combat pollution… they're extremely fragile and do not work well in the long term. We even noticed that on Earth where they did have an ecology. The plant life there DID remove their pollutants, but it came at the cost of several generations of trees and other plants dying from the pollution and humans then planting NEW ones to replace them."
"The idea was to somehow combine the organic plants with something more mechanical," Cheetor commented, "Sort of like how we are now a combination of organic and technological."
Rosalon blinked to Botanica, "Could that work?"
"I suppose in pure theory that could work… the key problem though is determining what technology you're talking about and how advanced it is," Botanica commented, "humans have experimented with cybernetics, and they've become quite advanced after meeting Cybertronians… but even they've found that the more advanced the limb, the more they need to actually alter their own brains in order to process the commands to the new limb, as they've found that the only way around that fact that a mechanical system by its very nature DOESN'T behave the way an organic system does. The only plants that have the ability to process that sort of alteration are on Vegatas. On no other planet has plant life advanced that far…"
There was a short silence as Botanica traded looks with Rhinox and Cheetor and then to Rattrap.
"But in theory it could work," Botanica then finished, "the plant's system could take the pollutant in but have its respiration and cleaning system be more mechanical. The pollutants and things the plant can't use can go into a vat that is connected. We could also attach what would amount to a diagnostic sensor and keep track of the plants condition."
Rhinox then sighed heavily. These solutions went against everything he thought Cybertron was, but it was also the only thing that might stand a chance of cleaning the planet. He also had to admit they were rather ingenious.
"That will have to wait until we can get the spark containment unit here into the old Council building," Rhinox then sighed, "it'll be easier to defend and we'll be closer to what had been the old Maximal protoform factories."
Cybertron, Caves
Tigerhawk and Airazor stood in surprise and awe at the answer that was given to them. Cybertron had great legends of Vector Sigma, which generally stated he was the origin for Cybertron's existence as an industrial planet. Those legends generally depicted Vector Sigma as a sort of robotic god on par with the Oracle and the Matrix, and said that he literally created Cybertron as a robotic world. The fight with the Tripredicus Council, however, had proved at least part of those legends wrong. If Cybertron was created as a robotic planet, they should be able to go straight through the planet and come out the other side, as if Cybertron were nothing but a massive space station. But, they had found soil and earth and rocks and a massive cave system that went under the tunnels and conduits that made up Cybertron's basement levels. This meant that Cybertron had been an organic world at some point in its history.
Though, that origin didn't kill all of the Vector Sigma legends, as Cybertronians could have been mistaken on how he made it an industrial world. Given what they'd discovered so far, they figured it would mean that he turned the organic Cybertron into the robotic Cybertron. That still left the myths that Vector Sigma was a robotic god intact, but those myths were shattered by what Tigerhawk and Airazor saw before them.
"You… you are Vector Sigma?" Airazor asked slowly, trading glances between Vector Sigma and Tigerhawk.
"Yes," Vector Sigma answered calmly, "and how did you find me?"
"We found the caves and realized that Cybertron was once an organic world," Tigerhawk answered, "We… I personally wished to find out more about this and see if it might help for the future."
"The future has already be preserved for Cybertron," Vector Sigma said coldly, "the planet's very name shows that future."
Tigerhawk and Airazor both looked to him. There was a great deal of venom in that tone of voice, and to some extent a great deal of pride. These were things one generally didn't attribute to legendary figures that supposedly created the world they knew. And that generally also ran with what they saw before them. Vector Sigma looked like the other primitive transformers they had passed in their descent into the caves. Parts of his body looked square and box-like, though forming a very thin frame with joints that were rather round and didn't quiet look right with his torso. Like many of the others, he had a weapon mounted in one arm, but unlike the others, it was larger and strangely looked like a key on Earth. Tigerhawk also strangely detected an alien energy signature on the weapon. His face was quite memorable and somewhat unnerving. It looked like a dark blue human skull with red optics that looked like they were housed in heavy monocles. Those monocles made it impossible for Vector Sigma to show any emotion from his optics.
"How long have you been down here?" Airazor asked, "How did you end up down here?"
"I've been down here so long that I've forgotten how long I've been here," Vector Sigma answered, "but I could never forget how I got here."
Airazor and Tigerhawk traded glances as Vector Sigma began to explain.
"You are right that Cybertron was once an organic world, filled with organic beings," Vector Sigma answered, "but it was weak and vulnerable. They had no defense against any technology and this was proved to them when the crystal aliens arrived…"
"The Vok," Tigerhawk spoke, "the Aliens called themselves the Vok."
"They attacked our research party on Earth," Airazor explained as the primitive transformer gave them a suspicious look.
"I see," Vector Sigma eventually responded, "Well… they came in a probe that scanned us and took our leaders… they never returned to us. Then these Vok left their invasion ship and began rounding us all up into camps while they began building a giant mechanical dome near one of the camps."
"What were these camps for?" Tigerhawk asked.
"For processing us into energy to feed their machines," Vector Sigma answered, "they were converting my people into energy and we had no weaponry to fight them."
Both Maximals found themselves feeling a bit sorry to the primitive transformer told his story of his friends being fed on by the Vok.
"Why did they attack Cybertron?" Airazor asked, "If your people were defenseless… what made the Vok want to Cybertron… were they…"
"They never said their mission was to convert us to their energy," Vector Sigma answered, "but they made the ridiculous claim that Cybertronians would wipe out their race and that they were merely preventing that future."
That made Tigerhawk and Airazor blink as they remembered the Vok's attack in the Beast Wars following various supposed instances of the Beast Wars interfering with their experiments or their plan for the timeline. There had only been two actual Vok in that attack. The rest had been protoforms programed to serve them. That must have been the future the Vok saw, and they tried to save their race, and failed. Vector Sigma, meanwhile, kept explaining what had happened.
"But we were helpless!" Vector Sigma grumbled, "We were nothing before their technology. And they used it to reshape our world…the building dedicated to our Goddess, Oracle, and within which the spiritual window to the afterlife, the well of souls, was transformed by their technology into a great giant mechanical circle within which burned great energy of what looked like little energy spheres…"
"Sparks," Airazor thought to herself, and inwardly shuddered at the Vok's powers. If the Oracle had been organic Goddess and the Matrix had been a magic well that gave Cybertronians a window into the afterlife and were affected and changed by the Vok's technology that made them a truly frightening species and made her glad that they were gone.
"So I'm going to assume you somehow stopped them?" Tigerhawk asked.
"Yes," Vector Sigma answered, "but it came with the realization that as we were we would never be able to beat the Vok's technology. We had to become better. We had to become more."
The primitive transformer then gestured to the key like weapon that mounted in one arm with a great deal of pride.
"So, when they came in to move the next group… I urged all of us to rush them at once," Vector Sigma said slowly, "the Vok's technology was powerful and we couldn't defeat them all… but they didn't all move together. We could overpower one long enough for one to escape them."
Tigerhawk began to get the way Cybertron truly became an industrial world. The technology that did it was the Vok's but the actual act of doing it was the act of desperation and possibly biased by jealousy.
"The Vok kept their weapon inside their dome, and with the them responding to force the others back into the camp, I managed to sneak into it," Vector Sigma continued, "once I got there and took their key and almost as soon as I touched it… I saw only a great light as my body became strong, became resistant to their weapons. When I could see again, I was as I am now… a living machine with the Vok's weapon as a part of me…"
"And you used it on your own people?" Tigerhawk questioned.
"I fired it into the satellite system the Vok was using to maximize the effect on the planet," Vector Sigma answered, "Every Cybertronian became as they were meant to be and became powerful enough to defend themselves against them. Even with it, though the Vok's wrath was great. They were defeated in the battle, but their last weapon opened a great fissure in the ground that lead into the caves that I had explored as a weak organic as a child. The attack claimed others that I had saved from the Vok and a few of the Vok as well… I did not even get to see the glory of the world I saved."
"Cybertron has changed greatly since your time," Airazor answered, "and we have evolved in a way."
"Evolved?" Vector Sigma answered.
"We can take alternate modes," Tigerhawk answered and shifted from his robot mode to beast mode. Airazor did the same.
Vector Sigma gasped in shock, as instead of two robots he saw a large bird and a mixed bird/tiger.
"What! You aren't Cybertonians! Not proper ones! You are weak and filled with organic material!" Vector Prime roared and raised his lone weapon and fired.
The shot was aimed more at Tigerhawk, who despite his great size was exceptionably maneuverable and he managed to dodge it.
"You're insane!" Tigerhawk growled, "There are dead transformers killed by the very weapons you put on them! If you had just changed yourself… you might have my respect and the respect of others… but did any of the transformers you changed know what you planned to do to them?"
"They were weak and needed to become stronger, would you rather I let the Vok kill them all?" Vector Sigma shouted back, "because that is what they intended to do!"
Vector Sigma moved to track Tigerhawk as he leaped into the air and bounced off the side of the cave wall. Before he was ready, Tigerhawk's body slammed into him like a ton of bricks and knocking him to the ground. Tigerhawk used one paw to hold the key-like weapon down and bring his own optics close to Vector Sigma's.
"I would rather you not perpetuate what the Vok did," Tigerhawk accused, "I would rather you gave your people a chance to choose their own destiny."
"WEAKLING!" Vector Sigma roared and raised one leg and kicked Tigerhawk off him, the blow was mostly a surprise as Vector Sigma was much stronger than he appeared, almost Vok empowered strong.
The blow sent Tigerhawk tumbling forward and he looked up to see that Vector Sigma had regained his footing, and stood over him whit his weapon ready. It began to grow with a seemingly dark blue energy that Tigerhawk inwardly feared.
"But don't worry," Vector Sigma vowed, "I will make you strong. I promise you."
He never got a chance to fire his weapon as a pair of darts came in and hit the weapon from the side. The explosion of the darts sent waves of electrical energy through Vector Sigma and threw off his aim. He then turned to see that Airazor had returned to her robot mode and shot at him.
"You may have had a noble start, Vector Sigma, but what you've ultimately done is just as bad as anything the Vok did to Cybertron," Airazor spoke, "If it was an accident and you never meant to, that would be forgivable… but it's clear you're too far gone for that."
Vector Sigma didn't answer in any coherent way, but howled in pain as his weapon continued to short out against him. "But… zzzzzz…. Vok… zzzzzzzz …urd…zzzzz… er… zzzzzz….ed…"
"The Vok are gone forever," Airazor answered, "Cybertronians DID wipe them out eventually… making their prophecy true, and they simply didn't know how to counter it. Goodbye, Vector Sigma."
Airazor only fired again, this time hitting Vector Sigma in the chest, sending him flying back into the narrow chambers he had emerged from, the energy from the weapon that was part of him beginning to radiate power outwards that both Tigerhawk and Airazor could feel. Tigerhawk got up and flew toward Airazor and she formed up beside him and they began speeding to get away from the area. They got about one hundred yards away when there was a great explosion that sent both of them crashing to the ground and shook the entire area.
"Tigerhawk… are you alright?" Airazor asked to the transmetal two fuzor.
Tigerhawk slowly got to his feet and looked back to the area where they had once been talking with a transformer who in legend made Cybertron.
"I'm as fine as I will be," Tigerhawk sighed when his radio came to life.
"Dinobot to Tigerhawk and Airazor, come in," came the male raptor's voice over the radio, "What in the name of the Matrix just happened! The entire cave just shook!"
"Just an encounter," Tigerhawk answered slowly, "with legends that should have stayed legends."
To Be Continued…
