Cybertron Space Bridge Nexus
"What do we do now, Prime?"
Optimus Prime, Elite Guard washout, soldier, Autobot, and reluctant hero, stood to his full height. "We roll out," he stated clearly. Turning, he faced his crew. "We are going to defy orders, go to Earth, and provide backup to the Decepticon forces there. We are going to destroy this abomination before it brings any harm to Earth or Cybertron. And if Ultra Magnus and the rest of the Autobot High Command don't like it, then they can blow it out their tailpipes!" he declared.
Fierce cheering erupted from his crew, who immediately set to work. However, almost immediately they came across a problem. Ultra Magnus and Sentinel Prime had taken the vector key with them. Without it, it was impossible to target a Space Bridge accurately, they'd be sent warping to a random part of space.
"What now, OP?" asked Jazz.
Optimus Prime considered this. "Bulkhead, can you create a... I dunno, a makeshift key? Or jury-rig the bridge up to project us?"
"Well we could..." started Bulkhead. "But it'd take us a solar-cycle, at least. And that thing hits Earth in no time."
"Get started, do what you can. Sari, give him a hand."
"Right!" she replied, zipping over to Bulkhead's massive shoulder, peering over at the console. Her hand stretched out, and she began to link.
Optimus Prime turned to his remaining crew. "This next bit is going to be dangerous. The seven of us aren't going to be enough to make a difference against this thing. But Jazz... well we may have another solution. Remember what Prowl said."
"Prowl?"
Optimus ignored Ratchet, deciding he would have to fill him in later. Jazz obviously realized what he meant, however. "You're talkin' 'bout the All-Spark. You think the prophecy...."
"We need to bring it with us. Even if the prophecy was so much slag, which I'm betting it isn't, the All-Spark is a power unto itself. We've all seen what it can do firsthand. It may be our only hope against this thing."
"But that things under serious security, OP," replied Jazz. "Alpha Trion guards it like a cyber-hawk. How we gonna get it?"
Now that was a glitch in their plans. Optimus Prime gave it some deep thought. Obviously they couldn't charge in, weapons swinging. Alpha Trion was ancient even by Autobot standards but he was one of the most well-respected members of the Autobot High Council, and Ultra Magnus would ensure he and the All-Spark received top notch protection. He wouldn't have to do more than snap his fingers and half the Autobot Elite Guard would descend upon them. His crew wouldn't last a nanoclick. Stealth was what was called for here, but with Prowl off-line, that was one aspect in which Optimus Prime's crew was lacking.
Surprisingly, it was a pretty pink femme who answered. She lifted up her servo as if she was a student in class to get Optimus' attention.
"I think I may have a way," Arcee reluctantly volunteered.
Detroit, Blackgate Prison
Although Ultra Magnus was (at least in the opinions of some) a cold-sparked bastard, he was not willing to simply throw humanity to the wolves without a little bit of aid. Since the end of Megatron's incursion, Cybertron had been in contact with Earth on and on-and-off basis. Now, the Leader of the Autobots was filling in humanities defenses about a potential new threat and the incoming troops sent to aid them.
He neglected to mention, of course, that it was Decepticons aiding them, and that the Autobots were safe and comfortable in another solar system, but none thought to question his motives. They took his word as if he was Optimus Prime himself.
Nor was Earth preparing to simply sit back and let the Cybertronians save them this time. They had been making preparations of their own ever since the first battle against Megatron, and although they had not been ready before when the Lugnut Supremes had invaded, they were ready now.
In Detroit, at a specially constructed prison called Whitegate, a rotund, balding man with a thick blonde mustache was making his way down to the lower levels, not unlike how Optimus had descended into the Stockade's lower levels on Cybertron not too long ago. And with a similar purpose in mind.
"Can we get some lights in here?," he asked.
Lights flickered on for half a second, then sputtered and died. Biting back a familiar curse, the mustached man stepped past his subordinate and smashed his fist against the console controlling the lights. They obediently flickered on proper, and he gave a satisfied nod. This section of Whitegate was the High Security for Volatile Prisoners section. As the lights came on, they illuminating the occupants, each behind a specially treated glass window which was conducting close to a million volts of electricity. Anyone who tried to break out was in for a nasty shock in more ways than one. Forms became visible within, a green hat from the 14th century, a puff of pink locks, a set of white platform shoes, a large, domed pink helmet, an orange racing stripe, and a pair of eyes with pupils shaped like clock hands.
"Alright crooks and felons, listen up!" Captain Fanzone turned in a circle as he addressed his audience. "Each and every one of you is guilty as sin, just we got that on the table. But the fact is you're also good at what you do. And right now we need that. So here's the deal: you join up with us for this one fight which in all likelihood you ain't walkin' away from. If you do survive, you're cleared of all charges, we find you a nice, honest job workin' for the city. Or you can stay here, rot, and hope you don't get destroyed in the fight anyway."
He let the two options sink in before adding, "Offers good for ten minutes. I got places to be."
"Verily shall I join in this most noble of endeavors!"
"A chance to desstroy machiness? Oh yess, I am definitely there."
"Yesh! Letsh do thish!"
"Alright! Chance to stretch my legs!"
"Don't forget me, hon!"
"Totally awesome! Let the frag fly!!"
Chamber of the All-Spark
The All-Spark, pulsating in its crystalline glory, hovering in the middle of the pristine white chamber.
Before it, two Autobots with less than perfectly pure intentions stood before it.
"Well, Prowl would certainly approve," muttered Jazz, as he and Arcee gazed up at the All-Spark, flickering quietly in the middle of the open chamber. He and the pink femme were the only two in attendance. Like his earlier visit, Alpha Trion had suspended the rules since two heroes of Cybertron were the ones visiting. Hesitantly, Arcee stretched out a servo and caressed the cool, crystalline surface of the All-Spark. Unlike Jazz, however, she received no sort of vision. Mildly disappointed, she supposed one had to have strong Processor-over-Matter to accomplish such a thing. Or Prowl only spoke to Jazz. Either way, she was out of luck. It was enough, however, to see the All-Spark as it was, however. The symbol of all Autobot stood for. Life and Light.
Alpha Trion stepped into the chamber, and the two Autobots whirled around, suddenly doing their very best not to look guilty. Puzzled, he glanced up. The All-Spark was where it should've been, so he supposed whatever they had been doing was no real concern of his.
"Thank you once more for the visit, Alpha Trion," said Jazz, placing one servo in the other and bowing low. "We shall never forget this."
"It was an honor to have such famed heroes visit," stated Alpha Trion with a kindly smile. "I hope the All-Spark has been able to answer your questions and provide you both with guidance."
"Not yet," replied Arcee enigmatically. "But it soon will."
The pink and white transformers moved to depart, when Arcee bumped into the forcefield erected over the doorway and stumbled backwards, clutching her head. A mild shock had run throughout her system. Blinking her optics, she relied on Jazz to support her as Alpha Trion, belatedly, lowered the force field, apologizing profusely. "I am sorry," he said. "Security precautions. By the order of Ultra Magnus."
Clutching her torso protectively. "No no it is alright, we... I... am undamaged," she managed after a moment.
Mildly puzzled, Alpha Trion watched as they departed, Jazz slipping into his vehicular mode and giving Arcee a ride. Young bots were such strange machines, he decided.
He never looked back. If he had, he might've noticed the All-Spark flicker for just a moment. Or, more importantly, the hologram inducer now located beneath it. Projecting an image of the All-Spark in its place.
Destiny was moving forward, despite the will of the Autobot High Council.
Dinobot Island, Predacon Base
Trapped in a small storage room (he theorized it was for stasis-sleeping crewmen to rest) Professor Isaac Sumdac did his best to analyze his situation and come up with a solid plan. To put it bluntly, it was grim. Kidnapped, trapped, surrounded by enemies. It looked about as bad as it had when he had been a slave to Megatron and the Decepticons.
However, that fact gave him an unexpected but welcome edge. Black Arachnia and her fearsome cohorts had left him wholly alone, not in a glass cage like Megatron. The Decepticon General had wanted to keep a watch on his 'pet' at all times. But Black Arachnia did not. As far as he could tell by hearing the door, he didn't have any guards either. They were trusting to the fact that an admittedly out of shape middle-aged human could not break down a deadlocked, cybertronian steel door.
Potential.
Examining his situation, Professor Isaac Sumdac put what he knew about the Autobots to good use. And considering how much he knew about them and the transformer race in general, that was a good deal of use. He knew, for example, they had to fuel up on energon (even though they seemed to prefer and supplement this with oil), which meant this probably had a... he tapped at one plating, then another.
Aha!
Not the strongest or fittest of men, it took him some huffing and heaving to pry the plate loose from the wall, but it was well worth the efforts. Some cabling was there, but it was more than big enough for him to climb into. He pushed aside some cobwebs, grateful beyond all measure they were not the sort of thing his hostess spun. But the wreck had been here a while, after all. Grimly mustering his courage, he pushed on.
The exit to the tunnel was in the energon bay, near the engineering section of the ship. If Isaac was correct, the main hallway led down to the storage bay. The crashed Lugnut Supreme had designs similar to Omega Supreme, and Isaac had been on the latter long enough to recognize its corridors.
Clever girl that she was, Black Arachnia was well aware of the increased Decepticon activity on the edge of Detroit, near the mines, and was grateful she had possessed the foresight to have her base hidden from view by the Dinobots. Safe inside, none of the Decepticons would trouble them, which was exactly how she preferred it. True, she was a Decepticon of sorts, but it was always a 'mutual benefit' agreement. And after finding the All-Spark had been largely useless to her, loyalty to the Decepticon cause was not one of her strong points.
Her troops were all inside, the Dinobots roughing it out inside of the storage area, which Isaac deftly slipped past towards the bridge. He contemplated a break for the exit, but they were too close and bound to notice if he did. He would have to settle for calling for help first. He could then assess his options. Maybe a distraction to lure them away.
Of Waspinator there was no sign, and for that, he could not be thankful enough. He prayed to whatever Gods were listening to never let him ever see that abominable monster or his mistress ever again.
Finally he found the bridge, and finding it empty, tried the communication consoles. To his relief, they lit up. This section of the crashed ship still seemed to work. He tapped in a key code he knew by heart and sent a message to Cybertron and to his little girl.
Sari's face flickered into view, she looked deeply concerned.
"DAD!"
"Sari thank goodness, listen I may not have long, there is something terrible coming, I-...!"
The transmission abruptly cut off. Static filled the screen in its place. Frowning, Professor Sumdac tapped down on the console. He was sure he hadn't mucked it up, the transmission should have been spot on. He hadn't even touched any switches, yet...
A eerie chittering met his ears as he turned around, eyes opening wide in horror as he beheld a purple spider lurking behind him, one of its clawed legs extended, having tapped the console opposite and shorted out the transmission.
Black Arachnia had previously had a real quandary on her hands. She needed Sari Sumdac, but the smaller techno-organic was on Cybertron. And even if she suddenly cast aside the Decepticon symbol on her collar, she was not welcome there. Not as a filthy organic and a war criminal to boot. She needed a way to covertly lure Sari to neutral ground. To Earth.
And she had just baited the bait. And now her real prize was coming.
"I told you, Professor," she purred, as she lowered herself to the ground and began to make her way closer, filling his field of vision. "One way or another... you would help me."
Cybertron Space Bridge Nexus
Arcee and Jazz rejoined the crew of the Ark at the Space Bridge network. Optimus Prime had managed to convince the operators of the Network that Bulkhead and Sari were doing maintenance work. Between Bulkhead rattling off complex mathematical equations and Sari "accidently" revealing she was part organic, no bot wanted to be within five hundred meters of any of them. Thus, they were work in relative peace when Jazz and Arcee returned.
"Do you have it?" asked Optimus.
Arcee held up her hands, and her torso-plate started to slide open. Bumblebee's optics nearly bugged out of his head before Ratchet slapped a servo over them, giving Arcee some privacy as she drew out the All-Spark and let the plates slide back into place.
"The All-Spark," she stated, offering it to Optimus.
"Unite two worlds, gotta be you, OP," added Jazz. "You brought Autobot and Decepticon together, even if it's for just one showdown. Gotta be what Prowl meant."
The All-Spark started to slip from her hands, and she fumbled for a moment, almost dropping it. Bumblebee moved quickly to catch it in her place, and handed it over to their Prime.
Optimus gently took the All-Spark, holding it in his servos. Gazing into it as if all his answers lay within, which they likely did. However, if they did, he could not yet see them, and he gave a heavy sigh, gathering his strength. "Let's hope so," said Optimus Prime. "If Prowl was wrong, we're going to be in serious trouble. No, delete that, we are in serious trouble already. This is going to be extremely dangerous. Even if we survive this we're going to be considered traitors, not heroes. Anyone who wants to back out now, you won't hear a single bad word coming from me."
Optics glanced between one another, as Optimus and the crew of the Ark considered the ramifications of what they were doing.
However, Bumblebee summed up their thoughts perfectly. "Back out?! Are you nuts? Uninstall that!"
All eyes turned to the yellow mech. "This is the right thing to do Prime. I don't care what Ultra Idiot and Sentinel Jerk say. Earth deserves saving every bit as much as Cybertron."
"Hell yeah!" Sari added, hovering near his shoulder.
Ratchet stepped forward, placing a servo on Prime's shoulder. "You've proven yourself to us, lad. Now it's our turn to prove ourselves to you. We're not going anywhere."
And Optimus Prime could not have felt prouder in that moment as he slid the All-Spark into a compartment in his chest. He could feel it pulsating right beside his spark, but unlike Megatron, was not interested in combining the two. It was too much power for one bot to have. "Alright then. Bulkhead, what's the status on the Space Bridge?"
Bulkhead shuffled nervously, and behind him, one of the panels chose that moment to splutter weakly, spitting sparks before dying. "Uh... not so good, boss-bot," he admitted. "The dampeners shorted out, and without them we can't triangulate..."
Opitmus Prime held up a hand to stop his enormous subordinate before he bored him into stasis-lock. "Can it be done anytime soon? Yes or no, Bulkhead."
The larger green bot shook his head.
"Then all we need now is that vector key," mused Optimus.
"Perhaps-this-will-suffice-then!"
Heads swiveled around, as a object was tossed through the air. Bulkhead managed to catch it, and more importantly, not to crush it in his oversized servoes. To his surprise, it was exactly what he needed. A vector key! And of the exact size and make too!
A sky-blue Autobot leapt down to land amongst them, giving a crisp salute.
"Agent Blurr... well I suppose now I am just Blurr. Reporting. Optimus Prime. Sir," he stated, each word fast as a bullet.
"Blurr? What're you doing here?"
"Repaying a debt I owe," he said. "Two debts. One, I owed Ratchet and Sari for bringing me back on-line. Two, I owe the Decepticons the skid-plate kicking off a lifetime! Three! Well... Suffice-to-say-I-have-a-third-reason-but-its-not-important-right-now...."
Optimus held up a servo to stop him. "Nevermind that. Does that mean you'll be coming with us?"
"Affirmative sir, if you'll let me."
"We'd be honored."
Suddenly the terminal lit up, and Sari's personal comm. started beeping like crazy. An incoming transmission for her. But from who? The only person who knew the frequency outside of her Autobot friends was...
"DAD!"
She rushed to the terminal, flicking the switches to transmit. The image came up immediately of her father, haggard and with a few more white strands of hair in his head. He looked frightful.
"Sari thank goodness, listen I may not have long, there is something terrible com-...!"
Static cut him off, and Sari cursed, slamming her hands down on the console. Alas, the signal was lost. Her fingertips unfolded and branched out into a dozen digits as she tried desperately to restore it, but even her powers could do so much. Professor Isaac Sumdac had been cut off at the source. He was gone.
"We have to get to Earth NOW!" she said.
Optimus Prime nodded, even as Blurr and Bumblebee activated the bridge and Bulkhead set the proper coordinates for Earth. Specifically, the tiny but special city of Detroit. Blue energy flickered and then coalesced into the glowing orb that was the entry point of the Space Bridge wormhole. The energy washed over the Autobots, bathing them in a azure glow as they stood and prepared to enter. Optimus Prime gaze the order they had been waiting for to hear.
"Autobots... Transform and Roll Out!"
The Predacon, Deep Space
In the darker regions of space, a ship floated in the void, hidden and unseen in a asteroid belt, the large rocks drifting past. Those that came too close were bounced off of a deflection shield built expressly for that purpose, though apart from that, no energy was being emitted by the ship. It was inert, hiding, waiting. Even the bridge was dark, save for a single viewscreen. However, that was to change soon. The computer screens began to light up.
This provoked the interest of a shadowy figure, and red optics lit up as its crimson gaze settled onto the screens. Something of great interest was happening.
"Well well... what have we here?" intoned the shadowy figure.
Earth, Decepticon War Camp
"Sir! Perimeter breach!"
Megatron was on his feet in an instant. Humanity had been pecking at their camp's edge for days now, but so far they had kept their distance from the Decepticon army. Wisely, too, for though he had no qualms about ending their miserable organic lives, neither did he have any interest in doing so. So long as cockroaches kept out of their energon, the Decepticons would permit them to live.
But to panic his lieutenant so badly, could only have meant...
Megatron smirked faintly as he beheld the small crew that had practically materialized into existence in the very midst of their camp.
"So, the Space Bridge Network is not so inoperable after all," he mused aloud, regarding them. Their Prime, two younger mechs with barely a kilobyte of ram between them, the older mech more than ready for the scrap heap, two Elite Guard turncoats, the key's tiny caretaker, and one femme who looked so delicate a strong wind would snap her chassis in half.
"And where are the rest of the Autobots?" he asked sarcastically, spreading his servos wide. "Were we not to fight side-by-side as one against this common menace?"
Optimus Prime frowned. "Sounds to me like you've already worked out that the High Council threw you to the wolves."
Megatron nodded. "But we are not sheep before the wolves... as you are," he added menacingly. Around them, the Decepticons began to cackle and grin wickedly, some of them powering up weapons or slamming fists and claws together. Spittor cracked his whips against the ground ominously, and Blitzwing's insane laughter filled the background.
Optimus glanced left and right nervously, hoping his enemy would see reason. "We came here to help, Megatron. There's no point to fighting amongst ourselves."
The gray general lifted up his arm, aiming the cannon directly at Prime. "Oh, but there is no reason to let you stay on-line either, Autobot."
In Orbit above Earth
It had finally come home. It had finally reached its objective. The destroyed loomed high up in orbit over Earth, moving in closer. The call had come from elsewhere, but here, at long last, the source of its hunger could be sated. True, the planet was infested by organic filth, but that was no trouble, they would be cleansed, fed on, destroyed. Annihilated by the thousands of hundreds. By the billions.
The side of the orange orb began to glow an ominous red as it entered the atmosphere.
Earth, Decepticon War Camp
"For over fifty stellar-cycles I languished in that prison of a Tower, cut off from my loyal Decepticon troops, helpless. Because of you." The gray general idly tugged one of his wickedly sharp swords out of its sheath and held it up. "All my plans to reclaim Cybertron, to restore the proper destiny of the Decepticons, have been thwarted. By you." He dragged it along the ground as he took a step closer to the Autobots, leaving a jagged line in the rocky ground. "For deca-cycles I was imprisoned in the Cybertron Stockade, broken and defeated. Because of you. Now, Autobot," he held it aloft, his reflection glinting in the blade's shiny surface. "It is time to repay my debt in full."
Prime readied his axe, extending the pole to get a solid grip with both servos. Behind him, he could hear Bumblebee and Ratchet powering up their weapons. Sari's vibrating blades also slid into place as she took up a fighting stance. Megatron smirked at their display. "Once we are finished with you /and/ this so-called destroyer, the Decepticons will rise up to conquer Cybertron and finally reclaim our rightful destiny. You have lost, Autobot. And now... prepare... to..."
Boom.
A sound so massive it seemed to shake the planet, and everyone stumbled, if briefly. "What was that?" asked Megatron, for the moment lowering his weapon.
Soundwave was at his side in an instant. "Incursion detected," he reported, and for once his voice held a trace of emotion. It was wavering with fear. "Something has entered orbit. Something on massive scale. Unknown classification."
Detroit AF Base, Tactical Missile Command
Earth was hardly unprepared, however, for the destroyers arrival. Under the advice of Professor Isaac Sumdac, godfather of the robot revolution and longtime ally of the Autobots, a salvo of nuclear missiles had been prepared for if and when Decepticons tried to attack the planet in one of their big warships. They were being prepared for when the abomination arrived, and Captain Fanzone was assisting the military in coordinating the strikes, since the impact was going to be over the city of Detroit.
"Captain? We're ready here," indicated one of the techs.
Captain Fanzone nodded. "Fire," he stated simply.
In Orbit above Earth
The tactical nuclear warheads detonated against the heavy orange plating of the metal destroyer, leaving dents and scorches in the surface. Despite this, they were not causing nearly enough damage, and it was coming closer. An ominous roar echoed throughout Earth's atmosphere as flames lit up along the sides of the mighty metal orb.
"YOU UNDERESTIMATE ME, FILTHY ORGANIC CREATURES."
Stunned silence for perhaps half a nanoclick.
"It... TALKS?!" spat Bumblebee in absolute shock.
As it descended into the atmosphere, flit by angry, unholy flames, the orange sphere shuddered, and suddenly... began to change. To transform. Panels and compartments slid away, revealing arms and legs, and a mighty horned head arose from within what became the chest. The rings which had encircled the sphere folded in and became a spiked cape along its back. Or a pair of skeletal wings. With another mighty roar, the great destroyer came crashing down onto the surface of the Earth, so hard the entire planet shuddered. His mouth opened wide as crimson eyes glared angrily from within his angry face.
"I AM... UNICRON!!"
"Sweet Merciful Primus..." breathed Optimus Prime.
"Its not just a destroyer... it's a TRANSFORMER!!"
Kneeling low, Unicron slammed his mighty fist into the surface of the Earth with another mighty shudder, burying it in the soft rock up to the wrist. Then, his hand transformed yet again, and became a drill, boring deeper into the Earth.
From a distance, the assembled Cybertronian warriors watched in mounting horror. None of them could have possibly been prepared for anything like this. None of them had any idea what to do. Decepticon and Autobot alike looked to their leaders for guidance.
"What's he doing?" asked Bumblebee, puzzled by the self-proclaimed Unicron's odd tactics.
"Looks like he's trying to suck the planet dry... Unicron must survive by boring into the core at the center of any planet he finds and draining it dry," Arcee stated, somehow managing to keep her vocalizer stable. It was, after all, one thing to teach about in class, and quite another to witness first hand. "If he succeeds, Earth is going to shatter."
"Whole place'll crack like an empty egg," added Jazz. "Bad scene."
Optimus turned back to face their erstwhile ally, Megatron. "And Cybertron is next. Now will you join us? Properly and truly?"
The Leader of the Decepticons frowned darkly, but reluctantly lowered his sword. "It seems I have little choice in the matter."
Optimus Prime nodded. They understood one another.
"Autobots!"
"Decepticons!"
"Transform and roll out/rise up!"
Authors Notes
And so begins the final battle.
