*An Old Legend*

*

At the base, Starscream had finally been left to rest and recover from his training with Freefall and so had decided to wander the base, trying to think of yet another way to escape his predicament.

It hadn't taken him long to discover that Ella was no longer here and so he set about getting some of his own plans accomplished and went to raid the science labs for equipment.

But he discovered that the room was already occupied, by the doctor, Ray Chalmers, and the scientist, Jackson Wheeler. Both had needed to come to the base for some technical supplies for the project they were assigned to in Port Angeles, and had ended up staying the night when their work had tired them out, continuing their work first thing in the morning.

Starscream however was more interested in their conversation.

"So you think she'll ever do it?" asks Ray.

"Do what?" answers Jackson.

Starscream had to admit to himself that the vocals of both these humans were very familiar to him and it wasn't until he listened to more of the conversation that he began to understand why.

"I'm talking about Ella you lugnutz! Do you think she'll ever fully rehabilitate Starscream?"

"Who's to say?" Jackson was one to hardly give a direct answer, which annoyed Ray to no end. It was never a complete yes or no, but usually a maybe of some form or another he answered with.

"Whatever am I to do with you old friend! You're still the spacey old mind you were as the Autobot's chief scientist."

"And you're still the ever surly old CMO you were before too."

"Ah the good old days!" Ray noticed that something Jackson was working on was starting to fizzle slightly, "And I see you still have a knack for making things potentially explosive!" as Ray started to move to somewhere in case the item did blow.

"I'm not that bad am I?" Jackson asked amused, turning off the devices power conduit and therefore stopping the fizzle completely.

"Well this time around I don't have to do many medical repairs on you. If it wasn't for the magnetic interlocks you have, then I would have to rebuild you each and every time you blew yourself up. I'm glad your body comes apart and puts itself back together so easily now!" commented Ray.

Jackson sighed for a moment as he remembered something, "So Ratch', how do you think they'll react to us when they find out we're effectively human now? I mean I don't know if they'll react to us the same way they did with Prowl, that same kind of situation may never happen with us?"

"I can't answer that for you 'Jack. You and I had plenty of time to adjust and remember who we were, while still being human, the others don't have that luxury, so we'll just have to wait and see. It's bad enough we've gotten to the point where we hardly use our human names when it's just us now."

The two human sized mechanoids pack up the rest of the items they needed and go to leave the room.

Meanwhile outside the room unbeknownst to the two is Starscream. Who is somewhat confused by the revelations that the two humans who were in the science labs were indeed Ratchet and Wheeljack, one of whom he had shot down and terminated in battle using Megatron in his alternate mode years ago, as a Decepticon soldier.

As he leant against the wall thinking, the two passed him in the hallway on their way out.

"Hello!" said Jackson cheerfully as he passed Starscream.

Ray stopped and received Starscream's trademark scowl when he stood there too long and looked up at the full sized transformer. "Well!" commented Ray, "I don't care whose side your on now Starscream, but you're still a two faced rat bag of a mech, with you're own ambitious agenda who can't be trusted to watch anyone's back, or left alone to your own devices for that matter." And as soon as he says it, he goes and locks the lab with a code device of his, smiles and then leaves, waving as he does.

Ray and Jackson wander off and leave Starscream, annoyed that he now cannot get the items from the lab he wanted. Starscream wondered to himself why he hadn't reacted to Ray's comment. Was this imprisonment here at Dragon Valley making him soft? 'Ridiculous!' he thought, 'I am Starscream, Lord of the Air. I am as cold and sharp as the wind, as ever I was before and as ever I shall be for all eternity!' he gloated to himself, but then he also scoffed and thought he was starting to sound like his adopted brother Sunstorm. He then walked over to the control panel at his level on the wall, and begins to work on trying to unlock the door to the laboratories.

*

From Earth, Ella had finally received the call about assistance from Sound Track. Luckily it had been the day after they had all gotten back from the club and the trip to Nebulon would give them time to charge off their hangovers.

Optimus had requested that Jazz and some others, Bumblebee, Hot Rod, Kup, Cliffjumper, Blaster, and the twins, accompany the mission to the alien planet.

From Earth, Ella had brought along Vanguard, Sunstar, Flashdance, Freefall and Burnout. As well as Starscream brought along by Freefall, under no choice of his own, and also with many long winded whines.

By way of Alliance Central; Sound Track, with Joyride and Bonecrusher, along with Optimus Prime, Bluestreak and Jetfire, came along. The others had been left behind to talk to the council. They had stopped by Cybertron on the way through for supplies, and also picked up Arcee, Springer and Blurr.

It had been several days travelling in the Autobot's ship from Earth, but they had finally arrived on Nebulon.

With the Autobot soldiers and visitors from Alpha Prime and Cybertron already on Nebulon, their shuttle had just arrived on the landing pad.

Upon opening the bay doors to disembark, everyone who could, rushed out.

Burnout had never been a very good flyer and her chassis' magma vents had opened during the trip, allowing sulphurous fumes into the air and gassing just about everyone on board. Everyone was glad to be off and away from the smell.

As some of them open their air vents again, Sunstreaker decided to comment. "And here I thought Sideswipe was bad!" The comment got a few laughs from his comrades; even Jazz was trying to stifle a laugh, as Sideswipe gave his twin brother a dirty look and a thump on the shoulder plates. "Wait, I changed my mind, he's worse!" While everyone burst out laughing, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe got into a playful brotherly fistfight.

Vanguard commented, "Same old story!" She waltzed right up to both of them, amidst their little brawl and broke it up. Optimus, who had heard and seen all that had happened, thanked Vanguard for her assistance. "No problem, boss man." She responded, while shoving the twins apart. "Always nice to see these two beat the energon out of each other just for the sake of it!" But with the mood the twins were in they very nearly turned on Vanguard, if not for Optimus ordering them to settle down, she would have probably joined them just for old times sake.

*

Not too far away in a hidden shadow, a mech Panther by the name of Ravage watched them disembark. He muttered to himself, 'Autobot fools.' He had been sent down to the planet with Soundwave and some others to investigate and report of any extra Autobot activity.

He had discovered that someone, most likely Optimus Prime or Fortress Maximus, had sent for reinforcements just in case. He counted up their number of all the ones he could see while wandering around their base hidden. He discerned their identities and moved off to report back to Soundwave what he had seen.

*

Off to the side of the landing pad, Flashdance was in her Biomode as Felicia. She had her headphones in her ears, and was having a drag. She thought she had seen something, but by the time her sensors locked onto whatever it was, it was gone.

Blaster had noticed her action, and came over to ask what was wrong. "What's goin' down, li'l 'Dancer?" Having made good friends with Felicia, it was the nickname he'd started to call her by.

"Ah thought ah'd seen somethin' ovah here, but ah guess ah was wrong," She replied. "But no point forgettin' 'bout it!" She clenched her hand into a fist then opened it again. A light stream engaged, as she was able to form a spherical object. She tossed it aside and a large, black cat formed from it. "Shadow, ya'll go and fahnd out if that was just mah imagination or not, ok?" The mech panther nodded its head in acknowledgement and then ran off into the shadows to follow her master's orders.

Blaster was a might surprised at what she had just done. He hadn't seen much of how she could use her abilities, and he liked it, so much, that he thought about trying to get a conversion system for himself if he could. He had decided that he would ask Flashdance more questions about how her system worked later.

Felicia noticed his surprise. "Mah powers are similar ta yours, Blaster, only diff'rent." Then she smiled, and went to tell Ella what she had done with Shadow.

Later as they were talking.

"So you think it might have been Ravage?" asks Optimus, who had listened in on the conversation between Ella and Felicia.

"Ah don' know Optimus. Ah thought ah saw somethin' black, but then again ah wasn't sure what ah saw anyway, so ah sent Shadow just in case." Felicia answered.

"Well anyway, it was a good thing to do. We will see if it was Ravage or not when Shadow reports back." States Ella.

"Yes." Replies Optimus.

Ella looks up at the rather tall Autobot commander, "In the meantime Optimus, while you and the officers are discussing the matter at hand, I'm going to go and take my agents for some rest and relaxation and get them used to the locals, before we actually go anywhere or do anything with your teams."

"That is quite alright Ella. It will give you a chance to get acquainted with some of the locals here at this base also." Optimus didn't quite agree with how casual she was with her soldiers but it was also admired. He had seen first hand that she didn't keep up the barrier he did with his own soldiers sometimes, when it came to him being the Commander and them being the soldiers. Ella and her agents were all close friends or so it seemed, he thought.

Ella turns and calls out to all her team members who had gathered in the halls near the hangar and indicates to them to follow her outside to the main part of the base and to somewhere where they could interact with the locals.

Outside of the base, the local Nebulonian people were used to the presence of Transformers. There were a few looks and points and gasps as her team had alternate modes rarely seen on Nebulon but they didn't really pay much attention and went back to their daily routines as soon as they were out of sight.

They found a local establishment that not only catered to the locals but also to their own kind. When they entered they found several others from the base also relaxing here until needed for the upcoming fight they knew would come. But for now, Ella just told them to spread out and take some time to relax and do what they wanted.

She found herself a quiet spot near a dark corner. Before she wandered over to it she took off her jacket and had to go past some drunken Nebulonians that looked like they were from some kind of archiving facility.

As she went past a few of the men leered at her intensely but one was more curious about her white dragon tattoo and grabbed her arm as soon as she was within reach.

Hot Rod, Blurr and Bumblebee happened to be close by where she hadn't seen them yet and got up in response to the sight of her being grabbed.

"Need any help there Ella?" asks Bumblebee.

Ella puts her hand up to the relaxing Autobots and waives them to sit. But Hot Rod stays standing to keep watch. Ella turns her attention back to the green skinned Nebulonian who still had hold of her arm. "Did you want something?" she asks.

The man was almost trembling, "You…You're one o' dem Dragon Masters aincha?"

"Pardon?" she was familiar with the term but had never been called such a person before and didn't understand why she was being called one now. The 'Dragon Masters' were the ancient Angellions who had warred with Deukalion in times of old and she had not been around then, she certainly wasn't that old.

He was getting more frantic now, "I know you're lying! Trying to hide and protect yourself, but I know the truth, that tattoo proves it." He started getting his voice high pitched and stressed as he uttered the last few words, "You Immortals are extremely rare and now that I've found one I'm not letting you go, you belong to me now!"

Ella sighed, she came across this a fair bit with her tattoo when it was seen. It was a familiar image in the ancient histories of most cultures and was easily recognised by any scholar who had studied the ancient history of certain planets, but she was unaware that Nebulon had this history or that anyone knew about it. She had not expected to be recognised by a drunk tavern patron and grabbed so rudely.

"You're not taking her anywhere short stuff!" Hot Rod had come over to where these individuals were, where they had surrounded Ella and were about to take her out of there. Hot Rod had forgotten that Ella was quite capable of taking care of herself, a reason why she had waived off help from the Autobots.

Her team were watching from close by but had not moved. They knew Ella was in no danger with all of them there, so they just stayed where they were and watched from a distance. They were somewhat amused by Hot Rod's intervention however, but still kept watching to see what would happen now.

"And who's gonna stop us? You?" mused one of the drunkards, not realising that the one who had challenged him was a Transformer. As he looked up he realised his mistake and cringed.

But then Hot Rod shifted to his rather new Biomode so he was at their level. He cracked the metal joints on his hands and motioned to them to start a fight with that devilish grin on his faceplate. "So who wants to be first?"

Ella glared at Hot Rod, "Your actions are appreciated Hot Rod, but not necessary." As she said this the looks on the faces of those partons glazed over. She was used to being hunted or wanted in possibly bad ways, and although she didn't really like doing this to others, she knew it was sometimes necessary. She had used her power to make them forget what they had just done, going into their minds and shutting them down temporarily.

When they had come to they wondered who the people were around them and what they had been doing. Ella had put a forgetful notion over them with her psychic abilities and they would no longer recognise her dragon tattoo, and then she wandered off to where her team was.

"You're no fun, you know that right?" said Hot Rod playfully as she walked past him, being denied a fight and wanting to show off as heroic.

She smirked and kept walking.

Later.

"So what's the story with this Dragon Masters legend anyway? Those Nebulonian guys had said something about it?" asked Hot Rod. He and his two companions had joined Ella and her team and were all surrounding her on several tables, eager to hear what she had to say. It wasn't something she talked about much and only a few members on the team really knew why.

They were not particularly interested in what kind of missions that they would be up as they had become curious about the little situation and about Ella's response to it.

Ella had seated herself in front of the others. With Vanguard, Sound Track and her twin Flashdance, Felicia having changed back to her robot mode; their younger sibling Joyride; Freefall sitting near Starscream with Bonecrusher and Burnout on either side of him to keep him out of trouble; and also Sunstar sitting close to Ella.

Some of the Autobots were also sitting around the room watching the group curiously, but one rather vehemently. It was Cliffjumper. He was not happy with the fact Starscream was here. Many weren't, and he wanted to voice his concerns despite what Optimus had said about keeping quiet and not causing any trouble.

"Slagging waste of time saving him from jail." he muttered flatly, commenting to Ella motioning to Starscream, "You shoulda left 'im there to rot!"

Ella sighs as Starscream gets up to defend himself, "Why you misbegotten, undersized, piece of ugly scrap!"

"Yeah, so what'r you gonna do about it?" threatens Cliffjumper.

Bumblebee sighs and thinks, 'Oh here we go!'

Several of the Autobots here get up to support Cliffjumper, while Ella settles her own group from getting involved.

Bumblebee nobly stated, "If Prime believes he has a chance to redeem himself Cliffjumper then you should at least try too, despite what he's done in the past."

"I don't care what Prime thinks where he's concerned." Pointing to Starscream, "That slagger belongs in the deepest depths of the Pits!" Retorts Cliffjumper angrily.

Just as Starscream makes a move to attack Cliffjumper, Freefall gets out a device that is linked to Starscream's restraint collar and turns it on by pressing a button. Starscream is immediately floored and writhing in pain.

Freefall stops after five seconds and then turns to face Cliffjumper as she helps Starscream onto his peds, "Ve hev more then enough veys of teking cere of comrede Starscream, Cliffjumper, remember thet, hmm? End you remember to keep vocels shut." She says flatly then sits Starscream down with her again until Ella asks her to take him out and wait somewhere private until its time to get going.

After Freefall and Starscream have left Ella turns her attention back to her group. "Well, uh, It's not like I need to give you guys and girls a pep talk or anything? So, ah what can we do eh?"

"A story, Lass?" asks Burnout.

"Yeah we no be havin' a story from ya for a long time?" comments Joyride. And a few of the others agree and clamour for her to start.

"Well I don't know about a story?" says Ella as she rubs her chin, "And we may be called out soon so I'll tell you about a little bit of Angellion history and myth instead."

"Like what, perhaps?" asks Bonecrusher, her attention now focused solely on Ella. For some reason, Ella's old stories had come to intrigue her, just as stories she had started hearing from the old Autobot Kup, had.

"It's about an old legend." Ella says. "In regards to the Matrices that some of you have heard about, or possess," she looks at Bones' and Sound Track in turn while she says this, then continues, "There are 12 of the devices. These were originally made by the ancient Angellion as far as I know but they were also the power cores of ancient war machines they used to pilot. Even billions of years ago there were creatures that looked like dragons. These mechanical beasts were as big as Gestalts and were sentient mechanical creatures."

"Now the myth goes that the Angellion created the Power Matrices, but these Power Matrices were the cores of the ancient war dragons and it's said that they predate the Angellion. Other stories say the Angellion made the dragons also. So really I don't know what is true and what isn't?"

She pauses to think for a moment. She had noticed that some Autobots in the room were eagerly listening in, not having heard this story before.

"But you know what I think?"

"What be dat?" Asks Joyride.

"I think that the Angellion found the technology, much like the Quintessons found technology on Cybertron. I think the Angellion figured out a way to repair the Great War Dragons and utilised them for the protection of Alpha Prime in those days."

"So there are 12 of these things eh?" comments Kup, who had come in after the start of the story but still caught some of it to understand it.

"Whatever happened to them?" asks Sideswipe. He had also joined them recently after sneakily setting up a daring prank before hightailing it out of the base, with his brother not far behind him.

"Well war is inevitable just about anywhere. No one really knows. Some rumour said that the dragons awakened fully and became beings of light and ascended along with the Angellion to the next plane of existence. Some others say they decided to stay behind and safeguard the universe with themselves, using their power cores, selecting a chosen few to wield them."

"And those chosen few happen to be ones who can become Primes and the like?" states Bumblebee, "Right?"

"Yes Bumblebee, that's correct, a far as the information I have is concerned." Replies Ella.

*

In another room, Starscream was still groggy from his shock, but was coming around.

As soon as he realised he was alone in a room with Freefall he turns on her. "Just what in the Pit did you think you were doing?" Starscream had mistakenly thought she trusted him, considering how she had been acting around him lately.

He didn't appreciate what she had just done and was making his opinion known verbally. He often forgot she was his Commander, but he always spoke to her freely, on his level rather than address her as his superior, she was a femme who would never have the same amount of respect he had secretly carried for Megatron.

She just waited. "You ere finished vhining now comrede?"

"No I am not!' he states angrily. He was confused now as to what Freefall had in mind and what she intended to do. She had been so friendly to him lately, that he thought for sure the femme trusted him, and that he would use every available instance he could to manipulate it, but he was wrong. She had suckered him entirely.

He had been so sure of his instincts, she had been allowing him reign to do and say what he wanted, but this little act to control him had taken him by surprise and caught him off guard. He hadn't known about the shock device and was annoyed with himself for not knowing about it.

As much as he whined and argued, Freefall just patiently and quietly listened till he had done his rant and then she would interject.

"Mistake is yours comrede, thinking I em trusting you yes?" she looked at him and knew she was right, that he had assumed some trust was present on her part and thought he was able to do as he pleased, "You forget, I hev been eround long time, I em much older then you, never underestimate me." She moves in closer to the mech as he stands there only half listening to her with his arms crossed, so convinced of his own personal authority. She makes contact with his optics as they're both about the same height, "End I em your Commender now, you teke orders vhen I sey, not ect on your own, understend?"

"Make me?" he dares.

Freefall just smiles, she moves over to the door of the room, checks that it is locked and then moves toward Starscream again.

He just stands there and the look he gives her is virtually one that dares her to act.

*

Ella had spent almost an hour telling them all about her people's legend and the mythos surrounding it, when the officers called them back to the base for mission assignments.

But Ella was still able to talk with some of them, and those who had yet to return from the meeting room were missing out on the conversation. There were some that were not due out for their missions till later and so had joined Ella and her squad in the rec room after Optimus and Fortress Maximus had asked for their assistance on the battlefield if need be as their own group.

"So is that what Decellion had been after on Cybertron, a Power Matrice?" asked Sunstreaker.

"Yes." Ella replied, "But she hadn't known anything about Cybertron's history by the looks of things, or about the lineage of the Prime's. A long time ago there was a war on your planet that she was involved in. That Power Matrice was sealed away in the place that Bonecrusher had sent her team member Headstrong to guard, I believe you call it the chamber of the ancients now?"

Several of the Autobots nodded. Sideswipe added, "That's where Prime got the Matrix. So the Power Matrices from your history are really one and the same as the Matrix of Leadership we have."

Well not all the same, each of them is different. I think the one you Autobots have is the one that represents wisdom?" Ella commented.

"I believe it is." Stated Kup. "I've known two Prime's in my life and they both exhibit qualities pertaining to that whether they had it in them in the first place or not."

When he stopped, everyone was expecting him to continue with a story but he didn't and that left a few puzzled faces. This made Kup laugh slightly when he realized why it was so quiet.

Ella commented, "Looks like they were waiting for you to carry on old friend!"

He smiles and so regales them with a story anyway.

*

On Earth, a young technological genius was being allowed by her father on special permission to be at his place of work today. That young lady was Alexandra Price and her father was the General and Commander of the Port Angeles Military facility.

Adam Drake was also here today, overseeing the work his special operatives were helping him with.

They were working on a secret project being funded by himself and conducted by the US Government. Adam had presented a viable program to construct mechanoid battle units, slightly larger then the average sized transformer, but units that were capable of being piloted by humans.

The problem was, even though Adam was funding the majority of the project, the Military wanted his plans and wanted sole control of it. He knew it and held back on most of the technology, also building other mechanoids in secret in another place somewhere in Port Angeles for his own idea.

For the moment, Alex was with a group of government scientists that were here today on Port Angeles Military base. Alex was doing an advanced research program alongside her high school learning, where she was also doing University level study, but at the same time going to school with students her own age. That was the reason she was here today.

She had been allowed into the research group that was here because of the program she was on, and also because of her fathers standing in the military, but just like everyone else, she had had to sign a non disclosure agreement about what they were going to see.

When they walked into the room that was deep underground from the upper levels, she was astounded. She would have loved to tell her friends about all this but she knew she couldn't. She wondered if the Military knew about Dragon Valley base, and probably might have mentioned it to her father had she not seen Adam Drake standing by one of the mechanoid units with some others doing some tests.

She had never met him personally but knew of him, and secretly knew he was Ella's daughter, whom she had met before.

She had no camera, no notes she was allowed to take so all she could do was memorize everything she saw.

While the other scientists were being lectured by someone across the room she walked over to Adam and introduced herself.

"Oh yes I remember you! You're one of Laura's high school friends aren't you?" he asked.

She nodded, obviously astounded to be in the presence of a technological genius of his calibre.

"So are these Transformers?" she asks.

"Not really, they are meant to be human operated mechanoid battle units for the EDC and US Military." Said another who was working with Adam. He extended his hand out to greet her, "Doctor Jackson Wheeler at your service young lady!" he said pleasantly.

Another esteemed scientist she knew by reputation. She was indeed very lucky today, "A pleasure to meet you Doctor, I'm a big fan of your work!"

Jackson smiled. She returned the look and then asked, "Are all these others here military scientists too?"

"No." said Jackson, "Can you keep a secret!" he mused.

"Of course!" she played along, wondering what it was that the good doctor was going to reveal to her. He had looked at Adam first to check to see if it was alright and he nodded to his colleague.

"We are keeping the good stuff for ourselves and giving the military only what they need. We, that is to say, Adam has his own idea in mind because he knows the military is trying to wrestle this project from him."

"Like what?" 'Lex was a bit hesitant now. She knew her father and the military did mean well at times, but sometimes she had to wonder whether to trust them or not. And trusting Laura and her friends, as well as Ella had led to more interesting things that her father would never have let her see in a lifetime.

"Well the other ones we are building are better than these, maybe you'll get to see them at some stage!" mused the Doctor, "Now let me introduce you to my friends."

One by one he pointed out each in turn. There was a tallish gruff looking red headed ex soldier who was arguing with another doctor that Jackson had pointed out. A dark haired young Asian man with a bored look on his face was resting on the feet of one of the mechanoid units.

A dark blonde man was talking to himself while fixing something close by, all the while, grumbling to himself in Spanish.

There was a short and stocky dark brown haired Australian man with grey hair at his temples moving some heavy objects around. After he had deposited his latest move, he stopped to muse himself over the soldier and medic arguing and laughed to himself. Though he was barely able to move fast enough when that same medic threw a wrench right at his head. It missed him by mere millimetres and got the Spanish man instead. It knocked him clean out.

"Was that necessary Raymond?" asks another male. He was tall and slim and radiated authority, someone who had just joined the motley crew.

'Obviously the group leader', thought Alex'.

"Now we will have to take Julio to medical and have his head checked out." Said the same group leader.

"Are you expecting me to apologize for that?" questioned the medic, "You know damn well I can fix him right here, after all he's been hit with harder than that. My wrench would've hit Bryan if he hadn't of ducked."

The Australian man shaped his face to a look of innocence when Peter looked at him in a 'I didn't do anything' look.

He turned his attention back to the man who had started looking at the Mexican. "Regardless Raymond, get him looked at and then come and talk to me later, we have things we need to discuss with Adam." Peter walked off out of the room.

Alex was somewhat amused by their interactions, and it somehow reminded her of something familiar that she couldn't quite remember. So she walked back to the group of other scientists smiling with secret information on her mind.

*