Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect or Transformers
Here it is, the long awaited (apologies) next chapter, and the revelations of Prime.
Transform Effect 1: Rise a Prime
Chapter 26: The biggest threat in the galaxy
Planet Junk had become a reprieve for Tali and the young members of Optimus's crew. The planet was a 'designated disposal' facility. There was no insect or animal life, and no plants on the surface areas of the planet. The Planet was only thirty percent water, but on the way down, Tali could see that there were masses of plants in the ocean. Clearly pollination of the atmosphere was reliant on the creatures in the ocean. There was oxygen in the air, though probably dirtier than Earth's. Areas of the planet were also heavily radiated, some parts of the ocean too. But the Junkions had formed dams from the junk dumped on the planet.
"How did this world get like this?" Tali asked Wreck-Gar, checking Geiger readings on her Omni-tool.
"People had only looked at the surface, they didn't see the life that was teeming in the oceans. They assumed this planet didn't have any life on it, so it was used for disposing of the garbage. Eventually it got used for disposing of more than just machines and debris," he explained.
"Horrible, who did this?" she asked.
"The Citadel council, thousands of years ago, probably before the greys joined them!"
"The greys, you mean the Salarians?"
"No, the greys!"
"But not all of them are grey!"
Wreck-Gar put a hand to his chin, thinking for a moment.
"I'm sorry but I just don't see your logic with that," he said.
Tali shook her head, as technically brilliant as they were, the Junkions were also stubbornly idiotic. But they were peaceful, welcoming them with open arms and helping them to recover. The Junkions had set up outposts in clearings on the planet. Ingeniously they simply looked like piles of junk, that passersby would mistake for such. Tali waited for the Junkions to finish repairs to her friends.
'It feels strange thinking of them as such,' Tali smiled underneath her mask.
A few weeks ago she was afraid of them. Now, she had fought beside them, struggled against the leader of the Decepticons and even touched their spiritual afterlife. Feeling the footsteps behind her, she looked up at Blaster. He had a fresh yellow plate on his chest, more streamlined shoulder armour and a new helmet that as well as having a grey visor, also included a plate across his nose.
"Were they able to do anything to help you transform?" Tali asked.
"I'm afraid not, but I'm far from useless," he tapped the scoped pistol on his hip. "Also, they had enough parts from broken minicons for me to make these guys," Blaster tapped his chest with a grin.
The yellow plate opened and a pair of boxes flew out, one red, the other yellow.
"Meet Steeljaw and Ramhorn, come on you two," he gave both boxes kicks, but they didn't make any kind of move.
Blaster lowered his head as two Junkions began to laugh at him.
"Well just you junkers wait, they'll work when they need to I swear to Primus," he said.
Tali and Blaster turned, seeing the other part of the team approach. Both were shocked by Arcee's new overhaul, she was smaller than she had been before, and was rolling with the others. She had shifted her legs into a pair of wheels that had been linked together. Jazz had a pair of wheels and doors on his back, but was largely unchanged. Sky Lynx however was reduced to a shuttle and lizard hybrid, long slender legs barely able to help him move around, whilst his cockpit shaped head no longer had its stretching neck.
"I'm glad to see you all safe and repaired," Tali said.
"We don't have upgrades, but we can at least get back into the fight," Jazz said.
"I agree!"
Arcee had a cold expression on her face as she looked at the two new comers. It was one Tali shared, a few days ago, Prowl and Warpath had been their enemies. Prowl had been undamaged, and required no new parts. Warpath on the other hand, whilst the cannon on his chest had been subtle before, it was now obvious and stuck outwards. Slowly, Arcee, Jazz and Blaster began to laugh.
"You look ridiculous," Blaster said, pointing at the cannon.
"It was the only thing they had left," Warpath muttered.
"You should have looked harder," a voice muttered from the distance.
The team looked towards the final members arriving. Hot Shot's and Bumblebee's armour designs very much resembled one another, Hot Shot's was blue though and Bumblebee kept his signature yellow. A face mask was also covering Bumblebee, whilst Hot Shot had a round helmet with an adjustable black visor, which he wasn't using to cover his eyes. Wreck-Gar came out of one of the junk huts, smiling at the repaired Autobots.
"It is great to finally be able to do something to help, we can't all be happy with simple survival," he said.
"Wreck-Gar, do you intend to help us fight the Fallen?" Jazz asked.
The Junkion crossed his arms, his face showing a rare severity. But he didn't seem to have had to think about his answer, it came almost instantly after Jazz's enquiry.
"We listened to your story, and the Reapers sound truly terrifying, like something we can't abide the existence of. It seems like you people truly are in the right, even when you make a compromise, it'll be for the benefit of stopping the Reapers. Even after suffering at the hands of 'necessity' we understand this. Perhaps there is some twisted logic that the Reapers follow, even so they are clearly the enemy of all sapient life in the galaxy. As callous and wasteful as organics are, that very same quality that destroyed this planet is the very thing that keeps us alive. If organics are culled, we won't have resources anymore.
"Having said that though, logistically speaking we cannot fight. If we were, we would be nothing more than cannon fodder, soldiers who will die only to put others in a position to achieve a victory. We don't want to die, and many of us don't want to be pawns to the hypocritical governments we tried to escape. And it may seem petty, but we can never forgive those who cast us aside!"
"How can you say that?" Arcee asked.
"You're a part of the universe too, it would only be a matter of time before the Reapers came for you," Prowl stated.
"Their point of view is reasonable. Why should they risk the remaining life they have left, to fight alongside those whom made them suffer in the first place?"
Wreck-Gar's statement made Arcee instinctively draw out her weapons. Bumblebee however raised his arm, stepping between Arcee and Wreck-Gar.
"I think Bee is trying to make a point, cool your servos down Cee," Jazz said.
"Wreck-Gar, you said 'their point of view' does that mean you don't agree with the other Junkions?" Tali asked.
"I don't, it is as I said earlier, our ability to continue living is dependent on organics continuing to exist. If they cease to exist or their wasteful ways change, we wouldn't have anything to mooch off of anymore. And as Prowl said, eventually our existence would be directly threatened by the Reapers. We would fall under their requirements for culling. And unlike my fellow Junkions, my memory is not as long as theirs. I also realise that those whom banished us are either gone because of the war on Cybertron, or now share our fate of no longer having a home," Wreck-Gar explained.
"So you'll help us?" Sky Lynx asked.
"Of course, you all need a ship right?"
The smile returned to Wreck-Gar's face, alongside the more humorous tone to his voice. He broke off into a run towards one of the junk buildings, leaving the team to another issue. They looked at Prowl and Warpath, the judgmental aura returning to Arcee in particular.
"So, we're just going to take them with us? After they betrayed the Autobots? After they hunted us? After they killed Cup?" she asked.
"We cannot use 'we were following orders as an excuse' ," Prowl said.
Warpath looked at his fellow traitor, seeing something different in his optics, hearing that difference in his voice. It wasn't the discipline and self righteousness he had before, but an acceptance and humility some never believed he would have.
"I had dedicated myself to the law. Since the moment my spark formed and found a body, my singular purpose has been in enforcing the law. Whether it was morally right or not was irrelevant. But then civil conflicts escalated into full blown civil war, our planet was literally ripped apart by our wars. All of my dedication, all of my effort, the judgements I helped create against both bad sparks and good sparks. It was all for nothing, if anything it only led Cybertron to its end. The need for law enforcement became secondary, I was reduced to the life of a soldier. Still, I threw myself to the mercy of the chain of command and trusted in the orders I was given. Whether I was right or wrong didn't matter, because I believed in the order of law.
"Yet, there was a point when I stopped and looked at what the war was costing us. For as good as a leader Ultra Magnus was, we still couldn't claim any kind of significant victory against Megatron, we who fought to preserve the old ways of our world, simply didn't have the numbers. With Rodimus I believed we had a chance, if not winning the war, then at least being able to serve someone who fought for something I came to value more than law, justice!"
"You joined Rodimus for such a thing?" Sky Lynx asked.
"I had realised that law itself would always be held back by the politics of those whom made those laws, that there would come days that though the law is the law, it would not do what the intention of law is, to create order. Justice however is different, unbiased, cruel at times, but it sets the balance," Prowl explained.
"Justice is an idea," Tali said. "I heard it once said that it makes sense in a world of ideas, not in our world!"
"I wanted there to be justice, just as you all did," Prowl snarled.
"What do you mean?" Arcee asked.
"You wanted to believe that there was a reason for our betrayal, that there was a reason for Cup dying. Well we needed to believe it too, we all did. Rodimus was our leader, we believed in him, we believed that he would lead us to a better galaxy. A galaxy of law and order, of justice and equality, and kindness. As impossible as the dream seemed, we truly believed that he could achieve such a thing," Prowl continued explaining.
"Prowl at least has the excuse of saying he had his initial doubts. Though I questioned Rodimus at times, I truly believed in following his orders," Warpath said. "And not for any kind of ideal or anything complex. It was simply easier trusting in another. In a way I suppose I was no better than some indoctrinated minion."
"I know of only one bot worth following," Jazz said.
"Optimus," Tali said.
The former racer nodded his head. Bumblebee gave a thumbs up and Blaster smiled in agreement.
"I admit, he has taught me somewhat to believe in something, beyond cold logic," Sky Lynx said.
"I can't completely believe in him," Arcee admitted.
"This bot, Optimus, what is he like?" Hot Shot asked.
"I don't think I would do him justice," Jazz said.
"You're to come with us, we'll meet up with Optimus and the others at the Citadel, then squish Saren and kick the Fallen's tin can," Blaster said.
Hot Shot nodded, grateful for their acceptance. Junk was suddenly thrown aside, and the noise of an engine echoed through the air. Tali felt the rush of air push against her, making her hood flutter. She looked up at the rocket that had materialised from the junk. From the cockpit canopy she saw Wreck-Gar waving at them to come in.
"It looks like we have our transport, what do you say we go and update Optimus?" Jazz asked.
The team spoke no words, they simply walked towards the rocket. Their mission was already set.
Citadel
"Roger Normandy, you are cleared for landing," Joker listened to the port authority.
Gone was his usual sense of humour. He couldn't think of anything to say. Shepard shared his conflicted expression. But she simply shook her head, whatever would happen would happen. Everything was out of their hands now. They landed the ship at a privately secured hanger. Anderson, Udina and a squad of C-Sec agents were already waiting. They were soon joined however by Ultra Magnus, Grimlock and his team, and Autobot soldiers. The grand elevator behind them opened, revealing the council.
"Finally, I knew there was something we couldn't trust about it," Udina said.
"I would suggest not making comments like that in front of Shepard's team, this will be difficult for them to accept," Anderson said.
Anderson had the same hesitance as Shepard. Udina however seemed almost gleeful . The main hatch for the Normandy's cargo area opened, Shepard and the main ground team walked off of the main landing bridge. Optimus, Ratchet and Ironhide walked out of the cargo area, and were immediately faced by armed weapons both from Autobots and C-sec.
"Stay right where you are, raise your hands above your heads," one of the Autobot soldiers said.
"What's going on here?" Optimus asked.
"You step this way now," Optimus looked towards Utra Magnus and Grimlock's team.
Everyone of Grimlock's team mates had the same conflicted expressions. Grimlock's face though was a mask, but there was a shine on his visor that betrayed some of his true feelings. He was following orders he didn't want to.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ratchet asked.
"You are under arrest Ratchet," Ultra Magnus said.
He stepped forward, easily taller than the other Autobots. Even Optimus was shorter by a few inches, meeting Magnus's optics with the same cool and commanding stance the grand commander had.
"On what grounds are you arresting Ratchet?" Optimus demanded.
"His charges will be discussed when he is in custody. As for you, override code: Latta 1949-1994," Magnus said.
Optimus lowered his head, his arms going limb as he leant forward. Ironhide looked at his leader in shock, before drawing his gun and aiming it at Ultra Magnus.
"What in the name of Primus have you done?" he seethed, even as all the guns turned on him.
"What's going on commander?" Kaidan asked.
"Stand down," she said.
"But they've done something to Optimus," Liara said.
"Optimus, so that is the designation it was given, what happened to using Orion Ratchet?" Magnus asked, turning to the medic.
"I'm complying, Ironhide lower your weapon," Ratchet said.
"How dare you point your guns at me, at Optimus, we've been fighting the Decepticons here and pursuing the Reapers, not you," Ironhide seethed.
"Lower...your...guns," a voice strained out of Optimus's speakers.
Ratchet and Ultra Magnus looked at Optimus in shock. He had raised his head, which trembled as he looked at Ironhide.
"Stand...down...Ironhide," he said.
"This is impossible," Magnus said.
"Yet it has happened, do not cast him aside, please," Ratchet said, a pleading expression on his face.
Ultra Magnus nodded at two of his subordinates, who both slammed the butts of their rifles into Optimus's back, slamming him against the floor.
"HEY!" Ironhide yelled at them.
"Stand down Ironhide, you are ignorant in this, which is why you aren't in cuffs too, report to the G2 for debriefing, you will receive an explanation for this I promise you," Magnus explained.
Ironhide hesitantly lowered his head, looking at Optimus as Snarl and Sludge loaded him onto a stretcher. The weapons expert glared at Ratchet before he was guided away by Wheeljack and the other guards. Ultra Magnus turned to Shepard and her crew, many of whom stood their ground as he approached the platform they were standing at. To their surprise Magnus lifted his hand into a salute and bowed his head.
"On behalf of the Autobots and the Cybertronian government, I apologise for this incident and for the deception you have all been put through," he said.
"Commander, can you please explain what is going on?" Liara asked.
"I'm sorry Liara, everything will be made clear at the ambassador's office," Shepard said.
The crew grouped together, Liara, Kaidan and Garrus went with Shepard in an air cab whilst Ashley and Wrex shared one. Over the radio they received a small catch up on the latest events.
"The testimony provided by Dr Wayne has provided the alliance with numerous locations for Cerberus projects."
"Citadel history today was made when military leaders of the Autobot faction of Cybertron met with council representatives. Grand commander of the Autobot forces, Ultra Magnus has pledged technological and diplomatic support to the citadel species and in particular the Systems alliance. Council representatives assure us that the first meeting between the two governments has been positive and remains confident that the Cybertronians can be formally welcomed as a member of Citadel space."
"Protests from Quarian migrants however have broken out, claiming that the council is hypocritical in its treatment of the synthetic refugees over them. A diplomatic representative of the fleet stated 'that the council may as well open the Citadel to the Geth.'"
"In other news, the alliance reported the liberation of colonists taken by..."
"There's the first explanation, while we were stuck in Noveria, Ultra Magnus met with Udina and the council and learnt about our mission against Saren as well as the other Autobots," Shepard explained, turning off the radio.
"That doesn't tell us much about why they arrested Ratchet or what they did to Optimus," Kaidan said.
"I know, but don't worry, you'll all have answers soon, trust me this is something we all need to be together for," Shepard said.
Thundercracker, Sky Warp, and Thrust landed on the planetoid the Constructicons resided on. The green and purple machines were gathering materials and building a ship. Scrapper landed carrying numerous tons of platinum. Scavenger loaded them into Mixmaster, whom began to melt the metal.
"You were called here as well?" Thundercracker asked.
"Yeah, Lord Megatron had us switch from scouting to material gathering, how did things go in the Terminus systems?"
"They possess the same military might as the Citadel, they simply lack the fighting spirit to use it, it seems this Blitz broke both factions," Skywarp said.
"However if pushed, they will possess the savagery to put up a better fight than them," Thrust added.
"I disagree, I believe they'll fight just as hard, the citadel systems have greater numbers at least," Bonecrusher stated.
"Boss, I've picked up an IFF on radar, shape looks like Starscream, but a little different," Hook said.
The seekers and Constructicons looked up, as Starscream landed in front of them. He spread his arms, fluttering the cloak attached to his shoulders. A crown was on top of his head, and the Decepticons looked at him for a moment, before they began to laugh.
"What in the name of Primus are you wearing, what possible purpose could such things serve?" Mixmaster asked.
"I am the new leader of the Decepticons, Megatron has fallen and command now falls to me," Starscream said.
Again the Decepticons laughed, filling Starscream with incomparable levels of anger. He opened his chest plate, removing the matrix from it.
"Behold, the Autobot matrix of leadership, one of the great artefacts of our people, I survived battles to claim it, I defeated my opponents to keep it. Through enduring the trials and holding it today, it proves my undying..." Starscream stopped, seeing that the Decepticons were no longer paying attention to him.
He cautiously turned away and looked up, his optics expanding in horror. Floating in front of the planetoid was Sovereign and a fleet of Geth ships. The Fallen flew off of the Reaper and landed in front of the Decepticons, focusing on the matrix in Starscream's hand.
"Stop right there Fallen one," Starscream raised the matrix over his head, gripping the handles with both hands.
The Fallen tilted his head, seeing no real threat. He kept on walking, even as Starscream held the matrix out in front of him.
"Keep back, you and your masters fear the matrix don't you?" Starscream asked and warned. "That's why you asked Rodimus to retrieve it didn't you?"
"You are correct, my master does fear it, the Reapers do fear it, but why should we fear you? If you were half the leader you believed you were, then you would have used it on me by now wouldn't you?" the Fallen asked.
"I will not waste power, and that is what that ship and that fleet of yours is," Starscream said.
"True, it is foolish to waste it, but you cannot control the Reapers and you are still a fool," the Fallen shrugged his shoulders.
"And why is..."
Suddenly, the Fallen threw his lance. The weapon imbedded itself in Starscream's chest. He stepped back, dropping the matrix. His attacker rushed forward, dodging a blast Starscream fired in defence. Panic swept across the former air commander's face as the Fallen grabbed the lance. Swinging the weapon over his head, he slammed Starscream against the ground, breaking his crown. Starscream gasped as he felt the lance penetrate his chest armour, and breach his spark.
"Greater bots than you have tried fool," the Fallen snarled, pulling the lance out.
Then for good measure he stabbed the lance through the same spot twice, then two more times in anger. He flexed his fingers, and magnetically drew the matrix towards him. As the Fallen analysed the device, Starscream's armour turned grey, cracked and the light left his eyes. So passed Starscream before he could so much as beg for mercy, and none of the Decepticons doubted he would have begged.
"Besides, this isn't even the matrix," the Fallen said.
"What?" Thundercracker asked.
The Fallen raised his head, as if he hadn't noticed the other Cybertronians.
"The Matrix of leadership is the wisdom of all the great leaders of Cybertron formed into energy. This device was a container of that energy, only a slither of it remains," the Fallen said.
He slammed the contained into his chest, and the blue light at its centre began to glow. The glow however turned into a purple colour, purple lines spreading across the Fallen's armour. From Sovereign, Saren leant forward on his chair, intrigued by the Fallen's actions. The Decepticon yelled as the energy swept across his body. That body then began to change, transforming into a new form. Instead of his original sleek form, his body became bulky, more like the other Decepticons. His previously ancient form was modernising, plates of grey and black armour forming over his frame. The stretched head shrank for a moment before forming a purple helmet, blade curved shapes formed on his forehead, all of them able to slide into a mask that would cover his face. Even his lance changed, turning grey and sleeker, purple energy blades forming on either end. Cannons popped out of his wrists for a moment, before sliding back in. Tracks formed on his armour legs and heavier armour appeared on his back.
"Is that reformation?" Skywarp asked.
"Reformation," the Fallen said, his voice tone softer as he looked at his hands and the Decepticon symbol on his chest. "Yes, I suppose it is in a way," he chuckled as he approached the Decepticons, opening his arms.
"Your worthy leaders are gone, join them, or join me, I am the first falsely accused, the first of those labelled Decepticon. No longer will I be judged by the false Primes, no longer will I be called the Fallen. I am risen again a true Prime, Megatronus Prime!"
Scavenger frowned at that declaration, taking a step forward before Thundercracker touched his arm. The new air commander shook his head, before he knelt. Understanding his point, Scavenger also bowed. They all would bow to their 'true leader' for now.
When they arrived at the human embassy, Shepard had to resist the urge to punch Udina. The ambassador still had that smug look on his face, one he hadn't even tried to hide as Optimus and the other Autobots were dragged away. It took a few minutes of self restraint before the rest of Shepard's group arrived and the debriefing began. She told Udina and Anderson everything that had occurred when rescuing Liara, saving Feros and the encounter with the hybrids, tracking Cerberus and the rescue of Toombs and Wheelie. For now though, she left out some of Wheelie's statements and the accusations against the Asari. Udina suspected nothing, but Anderson had enough military and life experience to know that Shepard was omitting some things.
"Can you finally tell us what has happened to Optimus?" Ashley asked.
"If I may commander, perhaps it is better if Ultra Magnus takes over," Anderson said.
"Like he has everything else," Wrex muttered.
The hologram pads usually reserved for the council activated, each one doing its part to form the gigantic form of Ultra Magnus.
"Captain Anderson," the Autobot commander saluted the military man first.
Shepard wasn't in the mood for smiling, but she respected that Magnus held more respect for soldiers before politicians.
"Ambassador Udina, Commander Shepard, is this your entire team?" Magnus asked.
"We have a Quarian who went with the rest of the Autobot crew," Shepard said.
"I see, I will have my teams keep their optics and audio processors maintained. Now understandably you have many questions!"
"Just one really," Garrus said.
"Indeed, well the version of this story that doesn't involve redaction is that you have been carrying faulty equipment and an insubordinate maintenance bot," Magnus said.
"That is a lie for the public," Liara said.
"True, there are certain things we must redact from official records. If we didn't, then I would say that you have, unintentionally, had on your crew the most dangerous Cybertronian criminal and worst traitor to our kind since the Fallen."
"You can't mean Optimus," Kaidan shook his head.
"That isn't his real designation," Magnus let out a sigh as he rubbed his forehead. "You will be the only organics, other than your council to know this. Only myself, the destroyed Longarm Prime and Ratchet know this. Orion Pax, the one you called Optimus, is not a record clerk, but a gladiator from the arena of Kaon."
Liara shook her head in denial as Shepard frowned. The other team members were equally as shocked, even Wrex and Garrus's alien features showed horror.
"Spectators called him 'Contender' and later 'Champion'. The downtrodden in Kaon and the rebellion called him 'Hero'. But there was another name that stuck better, used by someone who would later take command of that rebellion and name them Decepticons. Nemesis!"
Cybertron-Kaon-Thousands of Years ago
He slammed his sword into the helpless head of his opponent. The ground shook as the crowd cheered for him. Walking away from the dead bot, he raised his arms. Arms covered by purple and black armour. A black helmet covered his head, the yellow panels on his purple chest armour glowed as he raised his arms, taking in the roar of the crowd. The gate opened and bigger bots stepped out, carrying tech axes and maces. Raising his sword over his head, the gladiator charged. Oil and metal spread across the floor, and the gladiator roared as if possessed. Jumping onto his bigger opponents, he drove his sword through one's chest, before ripping his head off and using it to bludgeon another to the ground. He rolled, avoiding the axe of another, then ran and tackled, until he took out the legs of another opponent.
"Initially he fought with the same savagery others of the arena did, his skill a match only for our champion, the bot you would later know as Megatron!"
Nemesis tore the head off of the last opponent, raising it high for the crowd. They clapped their hands together, called out the name Nemesis, 'a Prime amongst the lowers'. For he was one of the lowest of the low, too savage for the military, fit only to entertain with his strength. The crowd became a distant echo to him as he lowered the head and actually looked at the frozen look of fear across it. His red eyes wavered, and he lowered his gaze in regret.
"Eventually however, he began to despise what he was and what our caste system had done to create him. There came a day, the most important of his career, when he was finally able to challenge the champion."
Megatron and Nemesis walked towards one another, the former with a mace, the latter with an axe. Both stopped inches apart, the crowd freezing, waiting for one to attempt to kill the other. Instead they slammed their fists together. However it was not a clash of force or killing intent. Rather it was a declaration to one another, one that evolved into a sign of defiance against the crowd and the arena itself. Megatron and Nemesis's eyes were soft that day, as they declared their brotherhood.
"Nemesis, Megatron had called him, yet he was the first ally Megatron had. Perhaps the one whom would ultimately inspire Megatron's choice to rebel. For Nemesis was a charismatic individual, he knew what to say to get people to fight with him!"
The gladiator roared, slamming his sword into the ground.
"I will not fight for their entertainment, there is no honour in the arena. It is a mere grinder of metal, a means to control the population of Kaon, to save the higher classes from having to raise up lowers," he explained, receiving cheers from his fellow slaves.
"Our lives are our own, we should take them back, fight for them, KILL FOR THEM IF WE MUST!" he threw up a fist and shook the cells with the screams of defiance and inspiration.
"None came into this world chained, none should be chained, for freedom is the right of all sentient beings!"
"They were the final words spoken by Nemesis as a gladiator. He led a rebellion, turned Kaon into a chaotic slum, the bots whom lived their constantly defying the security forces. For years Nemesis incited anti-government riots and propaganda, 'inspiring' people to rise up. He murdered state officials, military leaders, all this whilst Megatron was trying to build Kaon into a independent state. At this point, Megatron seemed to want peace in Kaon. Nemesis however desired the complete breakdown of Cybertron's government. To achieve this, he made a deal with the greatest enemies of our planet!"
Nemesis kept his arms crossed as he witnessed the proceedings. A lone bot was standing on a bridge, other bots cheering and jeering as he looked up helplessly at the judges of this proceeding.
"After careful deliberation, we have come to a verdict," the judge floated towards the platform, mechanical tentacles twirling and whipping around it.
It was an orb of metal, five unique masks floating around it. As it deliberated, the creature bore a blue and yellow mask on its dominant side. Suddenly, the mask rotated, replaced by a fierce faced green and white one.
"Guilty!" it said.
The bridge suddenly collapsed, dropping the bot into the waters below. He screamed as swarms of metallic Sharkticons began to chomp on his chasis. Nemesis looked down at the execution, his hands trembling as he narrowed his optics.
The Quintessons, traders, criminals, Nemesis preached of the corruption of the Primes. But he wasn't above working with the corrupt to achieve his goals. His very methods were deplorable.
Dead Sharkticons had littered their floor, and their Quintesson masters floated to the far wall in fear. Nemesis walked towards them, sword in hand, armour stained by oil. He levelled his blade towards the Quintessons, eyes glowing red.
"You will provide me with the means, to entreat your version of justice on the council of Primes!"
They changed his identification codes, his armour, even gave him a few implanted memories. Enough for him to convince security in the capital that he was Orion Pax, a simple records clerk.
"I remember," Optimus said, his head low as Q and Wheeljack scanned him.
Several other bots had their weapons levelled on the Autobot team leader. Or rather, the Decepticon inspiration. He looked from Wheeljack to Q, seeing the doubt in their optics.
"My intention had been to find information I could use to discredit the council. To ensure their downfall so that more worthy bots could take the mantels of Prime," he explained.
"Of course he'd say that," one of the security bots said.
Then the Prothean attack occurred. 'Orion' as he was known joined the defence and even proved himself a hero. The council of Primes were so impressed they demanded to see him.
"Rare is it to find such might in the capital, kneel, identify yourself," the Primes bore helmets much like Optimus's.
But there was no sincerity in their eyes, they had cloaks and silver armour, all for show. None had joined the fighting, none were even armed. Nemesis looked up at the council, and struck.
He massacred every last member of the council of Primes. No quarter was offered, no mercy. He didn't kill them, he destroyed them, ripped them apart and from what the security feed showed us, he even enjoyed it.
"Commander Magnus, I wish to see that security footage," Liara said.
"What possible reason could you have for wanting that?" Magnus asked.
Liara cast her eyes to the floor and Magnus shook his head.
"You have befriended a lie, nothing more," he said.
It took the combined might of myself and Longarm Prime to stop him. Though it was barely, Nemesis's rage only had Megatron's as an equal. I was prepared to execute him.
"Wait," Longarm extended his arm, grabbing Magnus's wrist.
"He executed the council," Magnus snarled.
"Yes, he is a criminal and should be punished. On the other hand he saved the city from the Protheans. He has been what we have missed Magnus, a hero. Someone who inspires the troops, we should use that," Longarm explained.
Against every instinct I had, I agreed to Longarm's proposal. He was one of the last Primes after all. We decided that Nemesis would live. His punishment to lose his identity. He valued his freedom above all else, we simply had to alter his programming. So we found a doctor with wavering morals. And despite how disgusting I found it, Ratchet did what we wanted of him. He altered Nemesis's processors, implanting within him a firm belief in the Autobot faction. But also the personality and traits he had shown during the battle against the Protheans. Ratchet took the body of Nemesis, the cycles of combat tested parts and data, and created the persona of Orion Pax. The ideal hero to fight the wars we needed him to fight.
"You created a soldier, sent him into battle against his will?" Shepard asked.
"Worse, you implanted commands into him, hence why he massacred the mercenaries on Noveria, Ratchet had implanted some kind of berserker mode into him," Garrus explained.
"That part I did not agree to, but I couldn't deny it was effective. And perhaps what you needed at the time," Magnus stated.
"Everything was a lie," Ashley said.
"I always thought he was too good to be true," Wrex muttered.
"What are you going to do to Optimus?" Liara asked.
"I believe he should be imprisoned as a war criminal, but some of my inner council believe he should be executed. You see there is a great debate going on, about whether this 'Optimus' as you know him is truly a sentient being. You see as something that has acted for years under a program, as something that has a designed personality, legally speaking he cannot be considered sentient. Thus he is not entitled to the same rights sentient beings may have," Magnus explained.
"So he's just a piece of equipment to you?" Shepard pointed a defiant finger at Magnus.
"You heard that part where I said he should be imprisoned right?" Magnus huffed. "We have done our best to create a democracy out of what was left of our government, a government that 'Optimus' had put on the brink of collapse. A vote was made, Optimus/Orion/Nemesis is to be decommissioned. What is left of him will be used to create drones capable of fighting like him, that and the data concerning these Reapers will be added to Teletraan one," Magnus explained.
"Execution, when the last thousand years of his existence was dedicated to doing good," Liara said, glaring at Ultra Magnus.
"Doctor T'Soni," Udina said, voice sharp and warning, but ignored.
"You say he was programmed with a dedication to the Autobots, but that isn't true. He did so many things he didn't have to, protecting Eden Prime, protecting Feros, he didn't have to do any of that. Protecting us, the none Autobots he had picked as his comrades. Even comforting us when we were exhausted," Liara explained.
"Liara stop," Shepard said, touching Liara's shoulder.
Magnus tilted his head, seeing the tears in the Asari's eyes.
"For what it is worth, I am sorry for the loss your team has suffered. I understand that it has been some time since any of you have rested outside of your ship..."
"Yes, twenty four hour shore leave, effective immediately Shepard," Anderson said, interrupting Magnus.
"Yes captain Anderson," Shepard delicately turned Liara, whispering to her not to make things harder than they were.
She stopped, looking over her shoulder at Magnus.
"I am no scientist sir, and I don't consider myself to be any great philosopher either. But something Optimus said about freedom wasn't wrong...I think deep down you agreed with him Ultra Magnus. Even so, we fight to uphold the laws of our way of life too, and he broke those laws and to a degree I think you know that you did too when you agreed to turn him into your weapon," Shepard explained.
"You are right commander, I did break sapient right laws. And in return, I only created a monster," Magnus lowered his head and sighed.
"Monster is relative Magnus," Shepard huffed. "To the people of Kaon, the honest soldiers like yourself, following the orders of the council of Primes, were probably monsters too!"
Ultra Magnus nodded his head in agreement, before he cut communications. The rest of Shepard's team, weighed down by the revelation, wordlessly left the embassy.
'Damn it,' Shepard thought.
She really needed a drink.
Next Chapter 27: Fractured
There it is, the revelation, shocked? Discuss please, we haven't reached the end yet.
Next time a break from the fighting, the team reacts to the revelation and opinions fly around the Citadel, not just of the Autobot alliance but the news of Decepticon movements too.