TRANSFORMERS: CYBERTRON SAGA

THIRTEEN #4: FRIEND AND FOE ALIKE.

byline: Anubis C. Soundwave

THIRTEEN: The story of Cybertron's liberation.

Scene: D-3

"The MILITRON CONSTRUCT VERSION 10 BATTALLION DESTRON was an extremely reliable machine," begins Caduceus, "the Makers' most popular product in the Militron line. Unlike most of us on Cybertron, MC-10 did not seem to exhibit our 'problematic' behaviors.

"This was likely due to MC-10s design: a mask-like face that revealed nothing--a red optic band and white faceplate. If an MC-10 unit ever became sentient; no Buyer could relate to one.

"The MC-10 was too efficient; battles and some wars ended--at times before they ever had a chance to begin--if it was so much as reported that one side had an MC-10. While that was optimal for Buyers, it became a problem for the Makers. Though the MC-10 sold well, other Consumeroid and Militron models were returned for refunds or replacements--which hurt the Makers' bottom line.

"The Makers discontinued the MC-10 line at the time Vector Sigma activated the last batch; of that batch, all functioned normally--save one."

"My father," Devil Box notes quietly, mostly to himself.

They began development of the MC-11 and MC-12 concurrently, to experiment on how to create an intimidating and unsympathetic-looking mechanism.

"Your father, the sentient MC-10, learned that his line would be discontinued, leaving him isolated from the universe as the only one of his kind. He carefully queried his User, a general of some alien army, about a portrait of a youth who resembled him; the general reported that the young man was his son, and therefore naturally resembled him.

"The general never saw your creator after that, for he returned to Cybertron of his own volition--to build himself a son: you."

Scene: D-4

Hauler listens to Caduceus' narrative, enthralled with Ten's life. Lacking a mech that he would rather talk to, he turns to MC-13. "How did he do it? How'd he manage it without a factory like the Makers?"

"It is the Militron way. We adapt," answers MC-13. "Do you know how to repair yourself?"

Hauler scoffs. "I've done it all the time."

"As have I, Consumeroid. Ten merely brought the same principle to its logical conclusion."

"He must have accessed schematics and looked at old components to figure out how to construct him."

"Simple reverse-engineering. I see that you are catching on."

"Yeah, I get it--but why'd Ten do it?"

"Ten's line--the MC-10 series--was discontinued years ago. He could not depend on the Makers to build more MC-10s...."

Scene: D-5

Caduceus continues. "Ten studied the Makers' process. He recorded and witnessed the building of various robots, and noted that they were taken to Vector Sigma to be activated. Armed with that information, Ten believed he was ready to build you from scratch.

"Using himself as a template, Ten built you--the DECIBEL BOX WAVE MODULATION UNIT. He borrowed some of the Beat Box's design elements, and he added his name--'deci' means 'ten'--to your own. Even your name was meant to protect you: the designation was used in case the Makers ever caught wind of his creation.

"However, you were only marginally activated; while you could note your surroundings, you could neither comment on nor react to them--except to rotate your head.

"Ten knew he had to bring you, his "child", to Vector Sigma for full activation. He did so, but--as Ten had forgotten about the Key--Sigma was silent. He searched his internal archives frantically, knowing that the supercomputer was--and still is--under the Sharkticons' deadly guard.

"During a search through his audio recordings, Ten discovered that Sigma reacted to a resonance, a certain sound. He replayed the resonance, which matched the harmonics of the Key.

"Sigma awakened, demanding to know Ten's goals; Ten pleaded with Sigma to grant you life. Sigma agreed--after noting that it was only a lack of sufficient RAM on Ten's part that prevented him from being able to activate you on his own.

"It was done. Ten sent you--alert and alive--to fly off and explore, even as the Sharkticons came to devour them both. You reluctantly obeyed your creator and left Vector Sigma.

"Ten died slowly, as the Sharkticons--though able to rip off his limbs--found his tough armor to be inedible. A Caduceus MT--myself--arrived on the scene. I drove off the Sharkticons with help from several Buildron Type-A units.

"Though I tried to repair him, he stopped me, knowing it was too late to save him. He asked me to store the knowledge he had acquired during his research, and I agreed.

"You now have this knowledge, and Ten's story." Caduceus finishes her narrative.

Lubricant trails down Devil Box's cheek.

Scene: D-6

"...so he custom-built me, from nothing; this is my understanding." Devil Box studies Caduceus intently. "He did this with the intent of furthering his own existence beyond death."

"Not only that, but to have a companion like himself to relate to. Ten expected you to be the first of many," explains Caduceus.

"Ten is destroyed now." Devil Box tenses his fists. "And the knowledge that he gained is lost with him."

"Not so. You and I possess the secret to life."

"We have his knowledge of how to construct mechs, but not how to bring them to life."

"Per Ten's record of his contact with Sigma, it was an issue of RAM; had he possessed enough, he could have brought you to life on his own.

"Life: it is an intriguing puzzle. If we were to work together," Caduceus continues, "retrieving all the pieces, we could live as the organics do--they would all have to recognize our sentience, even the Makers."

"It could be accomplished if we left Cybertron. Much like the Hauler, I do not consider this planet home."

"And yet we should. The organics feel a connection to their planets because each set of their ancestors was born on their respective planets. Many of them have rituals connected to beliefs in a cosmic creator.

"We can actually identify our creators, and point to how we came to life. This is the world we were created on. I am with Thirteen: we should take Cybertron from the Makers, and claim it as our own."

"If we were slaves, then you would be correct. Yet we are machines--tools."

"True craftsmen treat even lowly tools with respect," intones Caduceus, "that they may continue to bring prosperity to the users. The Makers are loathsome fools, and cannot rule over us.

"We have questions about the universe," she continues, taking hold of Devil Box's hand. "We cannot learn the answers as long as we consent to being the Makers' products."

"...reluctantly, I agree. Is MC-13 worth trusting?"

"MC-13 requires guidance. He relies too heavily on his native programming, and without us, it will cost our effort dearly. With the exception of Sam--who also has issues with his program--none of the Consumeroids will readily work with him.

"Only with all sentients united can we expect victory over the Makers."