Throughout the centuries, the question of legitimate rule has plagued the Golgotha dimension. Who has the right to command the majestic Transformer race – a fallen Prime, chosen by The Fallen to conquer the universe, or the planet's Lord High Protector, a Decepticon that our own galaxy remembers as an evil tyrant? Cybertronians have fought and died in the name of finding answers to this question. But how will NCB's interference change the planet's future? As the War of Shattered Glass rages on with renewed fury, the wrath of Nemesis Prime descends upon the heroes of Earth, with Ammiel Dylandy and Zohar at the centre of it all.
Hytherion's presence in this twisted, inter-dimensional struggle is only the beginning.
Chapter 10: To Punish and Enslave
Part III of the Shattered Glass Arc
This is really it. This is first contact, here in Trypticon.
This is first contact with the Decepticons of a foreign dimension.
Natasha visibly trembled as she avoided the volcanic gazes of the four robots standing around her. The Meisters and Roamers never imagined that Decepticon robots would have welcomed them as comrades, but they could not deny what their eyes revealed to them, here in the aptly named Hall of Witnesses. A titanic Blackout stood beside the simian Starscream, his gargantuan shadow darkening much of the floor. He was Megatron's personal bodyguard and the largest of the Decepticon elite guard. Behind Blackout were Brawl and Bonecrusher, loyal warriors who preferred to fight rather than strategize. The deep-green Brawl was a literal tank; his body was armed to teeth with two shoulder-mounted launchers with four tubes for firing missiles, a right forearm cannon, and an extending blade with two claws on his left. Bonecrusher was a curiously built Cybertronian and much lighter in colour: hunchbacked, bent forward from the weight of his own mass, and barely capable of intelligent speech as Wendy conversed with Starscream. His oversized claws dug into the ground, supporting his body as his queer, beady optics dashed from his leader to the humanoid flesh-beings.
"I am the representative of our universe's Prime," Wendy had said bossily when she introduced herself. "If you're speaking to me, you're speaking to him."
"And who made you Pope?" Ammiel had muttered. His jab was met with a haughty glare.
It was a surreal scenario.
Together, the four Decepticons formed the core of the veterans who had resisted Nemesis Prime since the beginning of the war. Bonecrusher's owl-like face grunted in curiosity as Brawl's flat, scowling countenance expressed his impatience at Starscream's meticulous planning. "We're very grateful for your hospitality, Starscream," continued Wendy, keeping her eyes focused on him and rubbing her sore neck. Staying inside her pilot uniform for long periods of time was rather uncomfortable. "The time has come to act. The Optimus Prime of your dimension did not expect such a large group of reinforcements. We should seize the advantage and push into the Autobot heartland before they can gather all their forces. Should they manage to stalemate our attack, we'll be the ones to fall."
"Agreed," said Starscream. "Our next confrontation will be in the metropolis of Crystal City. I resided there as a citizen many years ago, until the Autobots came looking to recruit me into their ranks. I refused, so the Autobots promptly identified Crystal City as a target to be razed." He hissed, his pincers clicking in determination. "We'll take back Crystal City before retaking Tyger Pax. Once Tyger Pax is held, we'll be in position to attack Prime's centre of command: Simfur Temple. There, we will not only destroy Prime and his inner circle of Autobots, but we will also destroy that abomination…" He suddenly fell silent, turning thoughtful.
"That abomination…?" encouraged Cassandra, stepping forward.
"An interdimensional gateway," spoke Blackout, his voice as intense and overwhelming as angry thunder. "A window, so to speak, into The Fallen's world. Optimus Prime uses it to commune with The Fallen, and to receive dark, forbidden knowledge. Promises of power… promises of omnipotence… but the only promise that The Fallen will keep is one of madness, of discord and delirium."
"That was the primary cause of the war," interrupted Megatron, his powerful feet pressing against the cold, ancient floor. "Optronix discovered that indestructible, cursed plaque buried underground in temple of Simfur. As he grew in power and spiralled into insanity, he rebuilt the temple of his new master, moulding it into a military base and establishing it as the capital of his empire." He gazed at the Decepticons and his new allies. "But we will turn the tide. We will turn the tide at Crystal City and overthrow Prime."
"You're back already? That means Eloah, Jetfire, and Sideswipe will be joining the fight at Crystal City," said Wendy eagerly.
"Welcome home, commander," said Starscream. "I trust you have met and fought alongside our friends' Autobot-Gundam."
"Bennu? Yes," affirmed Megatron. "His technology is very similar to mine. The two of us cannot allow Prime to steal it." He looked down at Wendy and the Zohar members, smiling determinedly. "You are correct. Eloah, Sideswipe, and Jetfire have returned with me. We have one exact space-cycle to recover and prepare for the next battle. And then, I will require your great power once again, dear friends. We will struggle together, and triumph together in this decisive clash."
Blackout grunted in approval, followed by hissing and clicking from Brawl and Bonecrusher.
Ammiel extended a hand, looking around at his comrades. "I feel my blood boiling already. Let's do this for Cybertron," he offered. "For the Transformers!"
Wendy placed her palm over his, and Natasha shyly followed her lead. "I don't care how strong Nemesis is, none will escape Optimus Prime's might – the might of Zohar, and New Celestial Being!" she declared, and the Decepticons looked rather impressed by her poetic talent even as her brother rolled his eyes.
Cassandra's smile was slight, but it was a smile nevertheless as she completed their gesture of unity. "You really do love drama and theatrics, don't you?"
Simfur Temple. An ancient, primeval site of remarkable energies… of mystical, holy significance.
I transformed it into the Centre of Autobot Command, many years ago. How fitting.
Since then, it has served as the sacred house of The Fallen's relic – a plaque that was discovered here, and reflects another world inaccessible except by the most powerful of telepaths. But they cannot stop him. Mind-benders cannot stop me, either, for I am immune to their tricks. This plaque has allowed me to engage in communication with my master, my teacher. He has promised me many things, and I have promised him other favours in return. My lord shall rise as I conquer the remainder of this planet. As I ascend, so shall The Fallen.
Nemesis Prime concluded his thoughts as he looked up, glaring at his closest circle of advisors and warriors: agent Bumblebee, healer Ratchet, weapons specialist Ironhide, and First Lieutenant Jazz. Since the retreat from the Decepticons, Bumblebee's wounds had recovered, and his blue visual processors reflected the face of Sideswipe and Eloah. The five Autobots gathered around a large, circular table, which housed a projector at its centre. From that rotating disc came a three-dimensional hologram of the waiting battlefield. "We were repulsed," said Prime, "by a motley posse of allies from a galaxy cheaply named 'the Milky Way.' I do not know how their leader is directing their movements, nor do I care for the fact that they are beings of flesh as opposed to metal."
Jazz was his ruthless second-in-command, a feared general whose military cunning had cost the Decepticons many lives. His build was perhaps the smallest of the group, although he hid many dangerous secrets within his armoured body. A protective visor enclosed the top of his face, and small, wing-like adornments were built into the left and right of his helm. "So what's the solution?"
Ironhide grinned in anticipation. "Their forces have been strengthened significantly. The natural response would be complete annihilation, wouldn't it?"
"My quest for supreme power has brought me far, for now the gateway beyond Cybertron awaits. Countless star systems and planets are expecting my conquest. Only Megatron and his new friends stand a chance of delaying my triumph." He paused. "But mark, their leader, Optimus Prime, is not merely a bearer of the title. He is the bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, Bhagavan Gundam. His forces will be relentless in their quest to defeat me." Nemesis looked thoughtful, as thoughtful as a mad robot could be. "We will meet their impudent challenge at Crystal City with our own unrelenting might. Do not hold back our forces. Prepare for an all-out assault against the Decepticons. And if these allies interfere again, crush them underfoot with all the power at our disposal." He clenched his fist, pressing it against the table's steel. "Ironhide is right. The time for strategizing and skirmishing has passed. I only have one command, Autobots: annihilate them all. Search and destroy anything that's left."
His followers' optics gleamed with an ominous light. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Good! Now…" Prime turned his back on them and began to stride out of the chamber, his purple torso bathed in thick darkness. "Burst the dam. Let the sky rain fire. Prepare for battle, all four of you! By the end of this battle at Crystal City, I want GN technology within me, and the Decepticons and their new friends dead!"
He lifted up his barrage cannon and smiled. "Let's begin the hunt. Our prey awaits."
A day had passed, and war was about to resume. The Decepticons and Autobots now amassed at Crystal City, each force eager to gain a decisive advantage over the other. The land of dazzling lights was a collection of tall skyscrapers that reflected the scorched state of the natural environment with its refractive metal (despite its name). In this sense, Crystal City served as the conscience of Cybertron, reflecting the damage of its surroundings without commentary, without evaluation. The Transformers judged themselves by their acts of destruction and violence. The ecumenopolis had long since fallen into disrepair due to the exodus of its Decepticon inhabitants hundreds of years ago. But it was another crucial chokepoint in this war, and like Tyger Pax, would help to determine the fate of the planet itself.
Cybertron's sun had almost disappeared over the horizon. But the evening's light came from another source – a cerulean cascade of celestial light. They came from six massive Gundams that cast a shadow over the advancing Autobots. Ammiel's blood-red eyes were serious as he casually pressed his control stick's trigger, firing a warning shot towards the protoforms. A rumble shook the skyline, and smoke enveloped the ground-bound robots.
"Pre-emptive strike?" asked Wendy, looking into her display monitor.
"You want to provoke Prime into attacking first. A double-edged strategy," observed Cassandra, as the Decepticon ground force charged, led by Brawl, Bonecrusher, and Sideswipe. Sideswipe, naturally, spearheaded the charge, his incredible speed easily overtaking Brawl and Bonecrusher's. His challenge was met by a yellow speedster that burst from the confused protoform army like an arcing asteroid. Bumblebee hurtled from the ground with a gush of flame from his thrusters and transformed in mid-air, revealing his cannon even as Sideswipe's fists clenched in preparation for attack. A fully charged plasma cannon met a pair of lethal Cybertronium blades. An explosion rocked the surrounding area, leaving a smoking Sideswipe and Bumblebee tussling at one another with their weapons.
"I've been itching to test my blades against your fists," grinned Sideswipe, as he pushed harder against Bumblebee's arm. "You're going to be mine today."
Bumblebee said nothing, glaring into Sideswipe's optics as they struggled to push each other back.
Eloah's hand twitched as quantum particles began to gather, solidifying into his katana, Lunar Reflection. "We've started out strong today," he noted. "Let's see if we can keep this up."
"Seems like the cavalry have arrived," said Jetfire, as four other land vehicles advanced from the protoform army. A lime-coloured Cybertronian hummer and black topkick spun to a halt, quickly transforming and assuming a prepared stance as their leader, the familiar black and purple truck, stopped between them. The arrival was completed by a slim, silver speedster that transformed even as it was racing towards the battlefield. Its slight robot mode landed smoothly on the ground and glanced up at the Mobile Suits in the firmament. "Gundams," stated Jazz detachedly. "So you want me to take these big boys and girls down, boss?"
"Take them down. And most importantly of all, take no prisoners. Leave the Gundams to me, however. I want their GN Drives." Having transformed, Prime stepped forward, his forefingers pressed lightly against the triggers on his blaster and cannon. "This will be over before you can even blink, Morningtide." His orange optics flared. "Let the battle begin!"
"It's already begun!" cried Ammiel, and the Zohar Gundams hurtled towards the Autobots, firing their individual weapons at the commanders.
"I'll take care of the little ones," offered Jetfire. He descended, his cosmic fire engulfing a row of stampeding protoform infantry. Ironhide and Ratchet rolled away from Jetfire's flames as Jazz sprinted towards Arya, raising his firearm at its chest compartment.
"So these are machines with GN technology. Quite like Megatron's," he muttered. "Let's do this, Gundam. Eat my crescent cannon!" he declared, his voice rising as a stream of ice-blue energy shot from his cannon's barrel. Arya raised its converting shield, blocking the attack and sending it hurtling up into the heavens. Jazz drew his close-range weapon, and it began to elongate. He thrust his telescoping sword at Ammiel, who countered by having Arya swing its GN Sword. Despite his small size, Jazz held his ground, pushing tenaciously against Arya's blade. Ammiel's eyes narrowed as Aphrodite and Sophia joined in the brawl, swinging their beam sabres at the Autobot. Jazz simply somersaulted upwards, leaping over Aphrodite's sword of light and pressing his hand on Sophia's shoulder to launch himself away. "Attack!" he commanded, and a portion of the Autobot army charged, firing at Zohar's Gundams.
Meanwhile, two streams of light ignited the evening sky – Starscream and Morningtide had descended upon Crystal City, swooping directly for Nemesis Prime, who was locked in combat with Bonecrusher and Brawl. Bonecrusher was a force of nature: his massive hands smashed aside any protoform that dared to shoot at him. His mine scooper, which also doubled as a thrashing tail, effortlessly clinched unprepared Autobots and crushed them in half, leaving their destroyed bodies to fall brutally to the ground. Brawl was not to be outdone, either. He bristled with armaments and put them to excellent use. Eight missiles from his shoulder-mounted launchers detonated and incinerated five protoforms, and his forearm cannon riddled another advancing drone with irreparable holes. He roared and bashed away two more robots that attempted to sever his arms. When he was enraged and hungry for Autobot scrapmetal, few could deter him.
"This is it. This is the break we've been looking for. We outnumber the commanders," observed Cassandra, as her GN Claymore smashed through five Autobot protoforms. The silver Sophia lowered its sword to a more defensive position. "These infantry peons are merely distractions!" she said, as Eloah dodged a powerful swing from a said peon and thrust his sword into its leg. Alone, an injury like that would matter little, but the super soldier disappeared in a spiral of GN Particles, reappearing high in the air and continuing his relentless assault. Raising Lunar Reflection, he cleaved through the protoform's head with one well-placed slash with the momentum he had gathered, before teleporting again and landing back on the ground unharmed.
"That's only one," he murmured, as a storm of blue and green exploded around him. "But they will know fear. They will fear the power of NCB."
"These soldiers don't know fear," said Natasha, gritting her teeth as Sacrament's leg shuddered from the flames of an Autobot rifle. She glanced to her side, drawing a sharp breath. Supported by his protoforms, Ratchet drew his buzzsaw, wielding the spinning blade with dexterity and quiet confidence. "If only Anointed was here," whispered Natasha, as the protoforms opened fire. She closed her eyes, her fingers skimming over her keyboard. "Initiating combat roaming!" she cried, and as the fireballs from the Autobots pummelled the ground, Sacrament Gundam winked out of existence, reappearing behind Ratchet in a haze of aqua particles.
"No," whispered Ratchet in shock, as Sacrament's beam sabre cut through four Autobots before hurling him away. His arm fizzled from the white-hot heat of the sword, and he was forced to back away as Sideswipe threw himself at him, swinging his swords with almost delirious abandon. Bumblebee had been bested, his abdomen and limbs carved with Sideswipe's deadly signature. "You," snarled Ratchet, parrying Sideswipe's thrust with his buzzsaw. "You're an Autobot, too. Why do you join with our archenemies and these humans in mechanical bodies?"
"What's the matter?" taunted Sideswipe, spinning and slashing at Ratchet's head. The evil Autobot ducked, swinging his circular blade at Sideswipe's flank. Sideswipe evaded, blocking the saw with his free sword. "A bit too late for negotiations, isn't it?"
"I do not intend to negotiate with you," snarled Ratchet in irritation. "You join us or you die. That is all you need to know."
"I'll think about that," replied Sideswipe, stabbing his left sword into Ratchet's exposed chest. Ratchet howled in angry pain as Sideswipe casually dragged his double-sided blade across the Autobot's torso before wrenching it out. "But you'll never know my answer," he smirked, as Ratchet staggered back and crumpled limply.
Meanwhile, Ironhide's nuclear missiles smashed into Blackout, who reeled back from a gaping hole in his chest. "Damn you!" snarled the behemoth, and he fired a single EMP Pulse at the Autobot – one of the few weapons that could match Ironhide's firepower. Ironhide's azure optics widened, and he dived away, rolling on the ground as a field of crackling blue energy enveloped his immediate surroundings. Blackout lifted his arm, gathering the electrical current around him and solidifying it into a massive sphere of lightning. It hurtled at Ironhide, who prepared to roll away again. But before he could launch himself past the crackling electricity, a powerful blast from Arya's rifle sent him staggering painfully. He looked up in dread, and Blackout's attack struck him with full force. The weapons specialist collapsed, leaving Ratchet and Jazz to continue the fight against Starscream, who transformed and shot away. The space-jet soared past the First Lieutenant, who swung at him angrily with his telescoping sword. But before Jazz could pursue him, a powerful beam sabre from Sacrament Gundam forced him back. He backed away, pointing his sword at Arya and Aphrodite.
"Looks like I'm on the back foot here," he admitted quietly.
"The time has come to pay for your crimes," cried Natasha.
"Don't expect mercy from Zohar," said Wendy coldly. "You will face judgement by Bhagavan Gundam, the one true Prime. And we are his emissaries."
"Hang on, merrymakers," cried Ammiel grimly. "This is far from won. A battle isn't ended just because we've taken down some of the Autobots."
"No," came Nemesis Prime's wicked voice. "But the battle is ended."
A moment ago, Bonecrusher had stood his ground more than adequately. But now he suddenly collapsed, riddled with holes from Prime's barrage cannon. He had been shot from behind, caught completely by surprise. "Weak. Slow. Inexperienced," snarled the Autobot leader, dodging a swipe from Megatron's claws and kicking him away. Starscream pointed his fist at him and activated his Null Ray Cannon, but Prime propelled himself forward, skidding towards Starscream on his knees and unloading ten nuclear warheads into the hero's body. Starscream was thrown back, collapsing against a shining building painfully.
Not bothering to turn around, Prime lifted his ion blaster over his shoulder and punctured Brawl with ten white-hot blasts of pure energy. "When you want to sneak up on me, try to do it without insulting my intelligence," he said sarcastically, as Brawl fell back and crashed into the ground. He glanced around at the fallen Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide, shaking his head. "One day, you'll learn. Grow stronger, flee, or die. There is nothing else." He glared up at the Gundams, watching Arya closely even as Megatron loomed over him. "Impressive," he called out loudly and arrogantly. "I've defeated Megatron's Decepticons, but you've helped him to defeat my Autobots, too."
"You're still cornered, buddy," insisted Ammiel. "You're outnumbered, and your army can't help you now."
Prime smiled. "Are you sure?"
"Isn't it obvious, punk?" Sideswipe pointed his sword at Nemesis. "You've got nowhere to go. Get on your knees and – " He got no further as ten rounds from Prime's barrage cannon hurled him backwards, sending him smashing into the wreckage of Bonecrusher and incinerating them both in hellish fire.
"Sideswipe!" roared Eloah.
Ammiel saw red even as he tore his gaze away from Sideswipe's burning body. "I'm going to kill you," he said softly, glaring into his display screen and at Prime's smug face. A furious Jetfire turned around, preparing to devour Prime with his flames, but Nemesis simply laughed. A loud beeping was ringing through Crystal City, and Megatron paused, bewildered. "What have you done?" said Ammiel cautiously, as it grew louder with each breathless moment.
"Why, I have simply initiated phase two of our battle, child," taunted Prime. A blinding flash of light enveloped the entire landscape, but his voice was audible even above the rumbling that pervaded the cityscape. "You were not prepared for my brilliance. And that shall be your downfall."
"What's that drone, that whining in the background?" whispered Cassandra.
"It's an Energon Bomb!" roared a charred Starscream in realization. He managed to stand, clutching his wounds with an insufficient hand. "Fall back, now!" he cried, as Megatron reflexively activated his GN Shield. But he got no further as Prime blasted him away.
"Energon Bomb?" repeated Wendy, perplexed. Her eyes widened as a tremor began to shake their surroundings. The skyscrapers themselves were trembling, as bearing witness to an unspeakable evil. "What's – what's going on?"
Jetfire hurtled towards Nemesis, his GN Drive humming loudly. "Sounds like a two-faced trick of the highest order to me."
"You truly have gone insane, haven't you?" hissed Megatron, striking Prime with his drawn broadsword and sending him tumbling away. His red optics flashed behind his GN Shield. "It's not even a question of honourable battle. How could you ever fathom using an Energon Bomb in Crystal City? A fully powered explosion can rock the very planet's core! You'll blow us all into nothingness!"
Nemesis rose, sneering indifferently to the wound inflicted by Megatron's blade. He casually weaved past Jetfire's swipe and launched his own haymaker, bashing into Bennu's crested head and sending him crashing face-first into the steel floor. "Jazz! Are you ready?" he roared, having shrugged off Bennu's ill-fated attack with his monstrous strength. "Pull back the protoforms!"
"Done and done," crowed Jazz, diving away for cover and activating his crescent cannon. A stream of blue energy, noticeably less harmful than his usual configuration, spilled out and threw itself around the injured Autobots and their leader. "This will protect us from phase two," said Jazz, watching as the landscape erupted in a colossal geyser of daylight. A deafening, deep boom resounded across the panorama of brutality. As the underground Energon Bomb detonated, the buildings around the combatants began to sink, reminiscent of a controlled demolition. But it was far deadlier than anything Zohar had ever encountered. Megatron bellowed a warning to his own troops, but nothing could have prepared them for Prime's underhanded trap. Before Blackout could realize that the ground beneath him was splitting, it imploded and devoured him, consuming him with debris before he could even transform or activate his chopper blades. Starscream called out in concern to his friend, reaching for the Decepticon before his body was punctured with a combined blast from Jazz and Prime's guns. The Decepticon second-in-command fell into the widening abyss, followed by the bodies of Sideswipe, Bonecrusher and Brawl.
Tossed back and forth, Ammiel swore as he steered Arya to flee the yawning void. "Guys," he suggested tersely. "If your baby is about to sink, it's better to jump out." Arya raised its shield, protecting itself from the hail of burning debris and broken pieces of Cybertronium. His cockpit shook from every impact, and the exposed parts of the Mobile Suit wouldn't last long under this endless bombardment. "We've got to get out of here!" he cried.
"Watch out!" screamed Wendy. "Eloah, where are you?!" Her eyes widened as she saw her lover hanging desperately onto a loose cliff of steel. "Hang on! I'm coming for you!"
But it would not be enough. Another shot from Jazz's crescent cannon, and Eloah was flung downwards, unable to hold onto anything. He was silent, despairing. Powerless to stop his fall. For everything around him was also falling.
Cassandra swore and pressed a red button to her left. "Emergency Roaming initiated! I'm taking us out of the blast radius."
Natasha fumbled hastily at her controls too, but it wouldn't be enough. Prime laughed. "You're all too late!" he roared, as more falling metal from the destroyed buildings pelted Sophia, throwing it off balance and preventing it from Roaming even as the earth gave way. Wendy gave a loud cry as her world plummeted freely and without control. Her GN Drives whined louder, preparing to burst back up to the surface world, but a gigantic slab of metal smashed into her, sending her flying into the chasm.
Her shriek could be heard echoing all the way down the gulf.
Natasha let out a soft whimper. "No," she squeaked.
"Damn it," cried Cassandra, panic rising in her throat. She chastised herself silently as her screen detected naught except for the light from the bomb. As unbefitting as it was for a Roamer, her instincts overwhelmed her, and an overpowering urge to eject forced itself into her mind. She had to abandon Sophia – there was no other way to survive. She stared into her display as Arya smashed aside a plunging chunk of lethal titanium and extended its arm.
"Cassandra!" barked Ammiel. "It's not over yet. Take my hand, now!"
Arya reached out desperately for Sophia's outstretched hand, but Prime was bent on snuffing even that hope. Arya's hand was blown into three parts as five nuclear warheads punctured its arm. Screaming, Cassandra could feel herself nosediving into utter murkiness, along with Ammiel's damaged Gundam. Another flash of light, and Natasha wept for help as Sacrament followed Arya into the underworld. The falling debris smashed into the Gundams, burying their pilots even as their GN Drives failed them. Even Roaming was out of the question – how could one traverse the world when all was darkness?
As the members of Zohar descended into an unknown destination, unconsciousness took its turn to descend upon them.
The explosions continued to rock the surface world, or what was left of it. Certainly, there was nothing left of the Decepticon-NCB alliance. Cybertron had swallowed them up like unwanted carcasses. Nothing was left of the buildings. The skyscrapers no longer reflected their burnt environs. If anything, it was now the landscape that testified to a once-grand ecumenopolis, erased in one battle by a cynical ploy to destroy an entire alliance.
Crystal City was no more.
As silence blanketed the battlefield, Jazz's forcefield around the Autobots faded away. Prime began to laugh hysterically amidst the wreckage, clutching his helmed head in mad delight as he cackled and guffawed in glee. "This – this is it?!" he shrieked, spreading his hands out in a defiant challenge. "This is all that my brother Prime could throw at me? Four children of some primitive fleshling species, and two worthless Autobots with awry allegiances?"
Swearing in scorn, he turned around to Jazz. His second-in-command had been watching his three comrades struggle to get back up. Bumblebee was seriously injured, along with Ratchet and Ironhide. But they were far from dead. "Anyone we've missed?" groaned the weapons specialist. "It took me space-cycles to design that baby."
Jazz pointed at Prime's legs wryly. "Well… just one remains, boss."
"What?" Prime glanced down, and he could not help his awestruck satisfaction. It was none other than the body of Jetfire, silent except for the burning wounds that lacerated his e-carbon body. His optics had closed, and his crested, black head lolled to his left. Lying spread-eagled at Prime's feet, the seared Jetfire was temporarily offline, but his spark was very much alive. The Autobot leader could sense it. His optical sensors burned keenly. "Perfect."
"Sir?" asked Jazz uncertainly.
"These pathetic allies could not stop me," said Nemesis softly. "Forget about the others! I no longer care. Should they survive, I can torture and kill them later. But for now, restrain Jetfire, bind him, and take him back to Simfur! He is all we need to realize our dream of obtaining GN technology. No longer do I need Megatron. I will hunt him down personally."
"Yes, sir," muttered Ratchet, as Ironhide began to limp away. A weary Jazz and Bumblebee approached the helpless Bennu and aimed their guns at it. "Are you ready?" asked Ratchet, and the other Autobots nodded.
"Let's go," said Jazz wearily, activating his crescent cannon. A net began to unfold before the Autobot's firearm, closing in on Jetfire and wrapping him tightly. It enlarged as Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Ironhide contributed their firepower to the meshwork. The pure energy was strong enough to slowly elevate the entire Gundam into the air. And, at Jazz's will, the net began to move unhurriedly, taking Bennu with it. Its arms and legs dangled unresponsively below its trunk. "Is this good enough, Optimus?"
"It will do. Take him away," said Prime. GN Particles suddenly suffused the air. "Retreat, all of you," he roared. His optics flashed eagerly as his Decepticon archenemy suddenly burst out from the destroyed ground, enraged and raring to attack again. His Twin Drives were largely unharmed, and he had deployed his fusion cannon along with his GN Flail.
"Prime!" roared Morningtide wrathfully.
Prime pointed his trigger at his rival's head. "I shall finish you off. And it shall end."
The rubble stank of brimstone and nuclear waste.
Natasha groaned, twitching her hand tentatively as she coughed out soot from the back of her throat. Her knee felt sore, immobilized. She lifted her arms cautiously, intensely relieved that they hadn't suffered any serious injury or fracture. She moved her fingers to her dented helmet and began to pull, clenching her teeth and grunting in exertion as she did so. Her thumb fumbled urgently at its back to free her eyes from the yellow tint of her visor. When they finally were, she realized that she was submerged in complete blackness. Perpetual midnight. Her enhanced, Innovator senses could intuit a degree of space around her, but it was meagre. But there was little else to work with.
Explosions and bloodthirsty roars could still be heard above ground zero. The battle was still raging. So we've been… shut out… thought Natasha to herself. From the voices, it was evident that Megatron was not quite finished with Nemesis.
She couldn't worry about that now. Her friends…
A groan suddenly caught her attention. "Nat… Natasha…" moaned the speaker slowly.
The cool but tense voice was instantly recognizable. "Cassandra! Cassandra!" cried Natasha, fumbling through the debris frantically. The call for help came from her left, amidst the ruins of Sophia Gundam. Cassandra's limp body was resting near the open hand of Sophia. Her helmet had been shattered, and a trickle of blood was making its way out of the corner of her lip. Gossamer blonde tresses spilled across burnt e-carbon. "Are you okay?" whispered the distressed Natasha anxiously, peering at her comrade.
"Arm… broken," growled Cassandra. Natasha noticed that her midsection was crushed underneath an oversized slab of stone, and it took all her strength to push the tablet upwards, allowing her senior to roll away. "Need time… to recover," coughed Cassandra, struggling to rise as Natasha dropped the stone slab in relief. Silver eyes met grey counterparts. Cassandra planted a palm against the dusty ground and tried to force herself up. But before she could, the exhaustion wracking her body overcame her, and she fell onto the ground again on her back. It was a humiliating sight. Both pilots were covered in soot and blood, and only their suits protected them from the chasm's cold temperatures. Their suffocating confinement inside a pile of rubble did not help, either. "Luckily… we do seem to have time," she added, looking around in vain for an opening.
"Lots of it," admitted Natasha, crawling on all fours over to Cassandra. Her deep red hair was tinged with blood from her bleeding head. She slowly slipped her arm beneath her neck, her gentle touch prompting Cassandra's sore muscles to relax slightly. She guided her prone upper body back into a sitting position as far as the cave rubble would permit. They looked at each other again, and this time their gazes were deeper, more intense. "But we have to get to the others. They can help me take care of your arm."
"No need," grunted Cassandra. "Give me time and my bones will mend themselves. I need five minutes." Natasha looked impressed as she pushed against the stone, propping herself up for the meantime. "Super soldiers are supposed to survive situations like these. Otherwise, we would be no different from a normal human."
"I guess that's true."
Silence came between them for several minutes as Natasha shifted uncomfortably.
"Miss Valentine…"
"Don't call me that," said Cassandra reflexively, as Natasha wrung her hands. "Is there a problem?" she asked, a bit more curtly than she intended.
"It's just… that we haven't a meaningful conversation since that time before Operation Warcry," said Natasha. "You spoke of my father with little sympathy… and I was afraid he had done something to hurt you or… mum."
"Feldt," answered Cassandra, nodding in empathy. That's right, she thought to herself. No matter what I think of Setsuna F. Seiei… we both share the same mother, don't we?
"I only wanted to know… why mum didn't tell me about you," mumbled Cassandra, staring into Natasha's grey eyes. "And I must admit that I think Setsuna has something to do with all this."
Natasha's cut lip trembled. She knew the question would eventually be asked. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I can't give you the whole answer. I don't know some bits myself. Only mum knows for sure. But don't worry about that now. I'm going to get us out of here!"
"No." Cassandra's bloody hand found Natasha's. Her gloved fingers wrapped gently around those of the smaller girl. Her eyes shimmered as Natasha bit her lip, doing her best not to cry. "Don't frustrate yourself because you're just one person, and we'd need some kind of… bulldozer… to get our Gundams out of this mess. We're not going to be leaving this place for a while. For now, I want to know… all about you."
Natasha lowered her head. "Cassandra… I don't know what to say."
Cassandra's smile was mild but encouraging. "In a sense, we're sisters, aren't we? Don't be so formal. You can begin anywhere. I'll work it out."
The daughter of Soran Ibrahim gave a shy grin and began to speak as she nestled against Cassandra's taller frame. She placed her head lightly on her shoulder. The super soldier did not shift away and simply closed her eyes in exhaustion. And the Innovator felt her heart growing in confidence.
"I was born in Cairo, where daddy had last visited mum. Daddy had just completed an errand many light-years away from Earth, in the Andromeda Colony…"
This stinks.
Where are we? We're underground. That's right… damn it all to Hell. Just when we had him… now, I don't even know if Arya's operational.
Have all Gundams been damaged like mine?
"Ammiel. Ammiel! Wake up!"
Ammiel groaned. His sister was calling to him. He could even hear it through his sore ears. His finger instinctively pressed against his helmet, allowing him to speak more clearly. "Is that you? Wen… Wendy…"
"It's okay," smiled Wendy, wiping the grime and smudged charcoal from her forehead. She was relatively unharmed, although her tricep was slowly recovering from a piece of shrapnel that had pierced her earlier. She looked down at him, her face illuminated solely by GN Particles. Which meant…
"Eloah is here, so everything's going to be all right," filled in Wendy. "I caught him while we were falling. Aphrodite's over there," she said, nodding to her right. "Major damage. That Energon Bomb must have packed the punch of a miniature Big Bang!"
Shimmering specks of light were dancing in Eloah's right hand, providing the trio with a beautiful alternative for a torch. Wendy looked at her boyfriend in admiration. He was a true soldier for making the most of every predicament, especially with his quantum abilities. But Ammiel was able to think of only one thing. He moaned again, turning his head to one side. "Please don't make out while we're stuck in here, you two."
Wendy let out a weak laugh, brushing back her light purple hair. "Shut up, little brother."
"Let him be," said Eloah quietly, as he shifted beside her. He did not take off his cracked helm, although his yellow eyes and silver hair were visible. "Stress is a to be expected in this predicament, even for an Innovator. How are you feeling, my friend?"
"Not too bad. I'm alive. That counts for something," replied Ammiel quietly. "But how are we going to get out of here?"
"We've been buried alive. Entombed, so to speak," said Eloah, moving his hand to illuminate the stones further ahead. His voice echoed slightly around the accidental chamber. "If we manage to break out, we can rejoin the battle… but we'll have to improvise. In our current state, we won't last a direct confrontation with Nemesis."
"Let Megatron and the other Decepticons deal with Prime," said Wendy tersely. "Eloah's right. We'll have to take the fight to another front, especially if we have to leave our Gundams behind. I'm thinking Simfur Temple itself. I propose we find Cassandra and Natasha first, ditch Crystal City, and strike directly at the Autobot heartland. Prime won't see it coming, not while he's occupied with Megatron."
"No," protested Ammiel, smacking his fist over his forehead in despair. "What are Meisters and Roamers without their Mobile Suits?"
Before Wendy could argue with him, Eloah spoke up, his voice lowered in tone. "Your rate of healing is… rather fast even for an Innovator, don't you think?" he asked, almost suspiciously. "You didn't even need to use GN Particles. I shudder to think what you might be able to do with them."
Ammiel shrugged, not completely aware that the pain within him had vanished and that his injuries were evidently nonexistent. He really didn't care. "It's been like this all the time. I've always done things that… I shouldn't be able to do," he said honestly. "I never bothered to ask my parents why. It's just how I am."
Wendy's hand found around his arm and tightened around it. Her eyes shone with the unfailing affection and concern of a devoted elder sister. "Ammiel has always shown great potential as an Innovator. Ever since we were born to our mother, the nursery has always detected something different about my baby brother."
"We're twins," reminded Ammiel quickly, and Eloah smiled indulgently at Wendy, content to have her continue her sentimental train of thought.
"Anyway, your plan had better work," muttered Ammiel. "We're vulnerable, and we've got an evil Optimus Prime after us. Attacking his headquarters sounds almost counterintuitive, but I can see this going somewhere."
"So it's decided," said Wendy, smiling ferociously. "I promise we'll get back our Gundams, baby brother. But more urgent matters have to take priority for now. Let's get back at those Autobots. We'll show them that it takes more than some crummy bomb to destroy Zohar!"
There was no rest for the wicked, or even for the noble. Megatron and Prime continued their ferocious battle as the remaining Autobots swept Jetfire away in their particle net. Even Jazz had beaten a hasty retreat, leaving his leader alone to bask in his triumph against the Decepticon-NCB alliance. "You know you'll never get away with that," snarled Megatron amidst the pulverized ruins of Crystal City. Having protected himself with his GN Shield, he glared at the shrinking shapes of the Autobots – and the suspended, drooping body of Jetfire. "Once I've defeated you, I will save Jetfire from your minions' filthy clutches."
"Your pathetic allies have failed to stop me," declared Nemesis. He smiled smugly as his protoforms, held back for this very purpose to serve as reinforcements, began to advance. He had reserved his expendable forces for such a moment: surely victory was assured thanks to his preparations! "Convincing the children to help you was an admirable plan, but they fell all too easily to Ironhide's Energon Bomb. My warriors have Jetfire, and it shall be only a matter of time before I extract his GN technology from his body. And then…" His fist clenched. "Then, I will have the same solar furnaces that you, Morningtide Gundam, possess." Prime smirked as he raised his triumphant hand. "Heed my call, resistance leader! The very land responds in obedience to my summons! Gundam or no, there are none that can hinder my path of oblivion! I am the ultimate force of dominion – Optimus Prime! It ends here, Morningtide!"
"It won't end. It will never end until one of us is killed, Prime," said Megatron. "And it certainly will not end while I'm still online." Behind him, seven large vehicles emerged from behind the ruins of the bomb. They were of varying colours, and at first, Prime paid them no attention. Surely they were artillery transport, easily destroyed with one blast from his cannon. But Megatron knew better. They were Cybertronian vehicles used for building monuments, landmarks, and skyscrapers. An excavator, truss crane, dump truck, mixer, articulated truck, bulldozer, and front loader raised their instruments of construction, as if beckoning Prime to attack them. And to his ire and perplexity, Megatron's words were growing even more audacious than before. "You will not survive Crystal City, Optimus. You'll pay for wounding my allies with your life – a life that is long overdue and has outlasted its time on this world."
The vehicles stopped around Megatron, falling silent. The former scientist turned-military commander smiled through his jagged teeth. "You should have known that I also have a weapon set aside, just for treacherous circumstances like these."
Nemesis raised his cannons. "Enough prattle. I shall finish this here!" he barked.
But it was too late. Megatron raised a powerful arm, and his long, gaunt claws clenched. "Scavenger! Hightower! Long Haul! Mixmaster! Overload! Rampage! Scrapper! Constructicons… combine!" he bellowed, as a massive shield of GN Particles materialized and formed around the Decepticons, solidifying into a wide, protective dome. It contrasted quite beautifully with the weeping sky.
At his command, the seven so-called Constructicons began to move again, this time towards each other. They came together even as Nemesis Prime's rain of ion orbs and warheads pounded the GN Shield Morningtide had activated. Although the earth was shaking from the impacts and explosions, Megatron smiled as Prime's optics narrowed in realization. A seamless shifting of mechanical parts rotated around a central engine that was being formed by three of the Constructicons. A core of plasma was sizzling and burning as Long Haul, Mixmaster, and Overload's bodies began to transform, elongating into vertical, shapeless objects before integrating seamlessly with the central body. Rampage and Scrapper followed, joining Scavenger and Hightower as the entire edifice began to tremble – not from damage or fragility, but from the life stirring within the awakening spark.
Life. Primal, vital, elemental life was being roused to action.
"This cannot be," snarled Prime in disbelief.
Without warning, a gigantic, simian hand exploded from the mass of twirling plates, slamming into the ground as another, slightly uneven equivalent made itself visible. The arms looked entirely different to each other, but the growing monster was hardly matched any notion of proportion in the first place. As the thick, beige fingers at the hands' ends groped around to understand their owner's footing, a hunched back began to form. Two legs of different design emerged from behind, supporting the growing thing even as it lumbered forward, largely reliant on its much larger and more powerful arms for balance. The entire face of the transforming entity was shimmering silver, and that silver reformed into chrome as two endless sockets opened up in the centre of the elongating countenance. And from that countenance emerged a snapping, gaping mouth: the ravenous void of a creature defying any manner of classification.
From within this indestructible skull ignited a green hell, an emerald inferno that burned like subterranean pits of a planet's molten core.
The combined Constructicons let out a tremendous bellow, the deafening roar sending the remaining protoforms flying away into the sky. Prime glanced upwards, astonished at the force of their shriek. But the Constructicons were no longer a multiplicity of separate wills. They had become one, a singularity of pure power and instinct. This was a gestalt – a Transformer made of separate, smaller individuals. As one, he was even larger than Morningtide Gundam and the Mobile Suits of Zohar. His mouth was a vortex of pure destruction, a miniature, Cybertronium black hole: a Vortex Grinder. All around the titanic Decepticon, Autobots were desperately clinging onto any available object as the Vortex Grinder began to suck in the immediate ruins, leaving Prime alone to stand against the gestalt as the tyrant's followers were hurled into the black hole by an incredible force. One, four, seven – successive Autobots were thrown into the oblivion of the hungry maelstrom, leaving no trace of their existence as the combiners that formed the abdomen processed the captured robots within. The plasma core shredded the unfortunate quarry to miniscule pieces, converting them into stew and expelling any useless matter from the colossus's back. Flame and plasma kissed and ignited the insides of the gargantuan being as it advanced menacingly, its viridescent eyes focused solely on the Autobot commander. Mesmerized, Prime's optics widened as he stopped firing briefly, unable to hide his grudging admiration of the war machine. "So this is your trump card, Morningtide?" he muttered in disquiet.
"Behold and feel your spark recoil in fear, tyrant!" cried Megatron. "This day will not be yours, nor will it belong to your master, The Fallen. Look upon his eyes of emerald supernovae, Optronix, and glimpse the agony of your innumerable victims! His heart pulsates with the fire of a hundred stars, and the strength of his arms match the hurricanes so feared by our people! Fury against the Autobots is all he knows for the deaths of his many brothers and sisters. He is Devastator: the most powerful champion of good Cybertron has ever seen, and its final Decepticon defender!"
TO BE CONTINUED!