26- One Shall Rise (Part 3).
The Autobots and Megatron continued their way through the tunnels or veins of Unicron. Suddenly, Megatron clutched his head in pain, having another vision: cracks formed all across Planet X as dark energon flowed through it, until the planet's surface changed into some kind of metallic planetoid.
"At last, I am free!" Unicron proclaimed in his vision.
"Unicron grows even stronger." Megatron communicated before continuing leading the group.
"How do we know Unicron isn't using Megatron to lead us all into a trap?" Arcee asked.
"We do not." Optimus simply answered, making Arcee pull out her weapons.
They continued their way, without realizing that they were being followed by something. Meanwhile, the storm in Naboo was getting worse, launching lots of lightning. The volcano continued launching ashes to the sky, increasing both the climatic and geological instability. Inside the Autobot base, everyone was watching the Holonet's news.
"More than 60 volcanos had appeared on Hoth and are erupting at the same time worldwide. And Sullust is under six inches of snow. Scientists continue to devise theories connecting these unprecedented global natural disasters with a galactic-level planetary alignment which…" The Holonet rebroadcasted, until the signal was lost. "Connection lost. The Holonet is not available on this moment. Please, try it again later."
"So, who wants to play a game?" Padmé suggested, trying to cheer up the mood since the kids were scared, but it didn't have much effect.
"Ah, I don't think that's going to help, mom." Luke said.
"That's enough!"
"Anakin, where are you going?" Ahsoka asked.
"I can't just sit here while the galaxy spins out of control."
"And what exactly is it that you intend to do?" Ratchet asked.
"Anything. Meet with our troops at the fleet and figure out a way to bury that monster for good."
"Please, dad. Don't go outside, its too dangerous." Leia begged.
"In the event Optimus can't?" Ratchet reminded.
"Don't you mean Optimus and Megatron?"
"No one here is thrilled about this arrangement, master Kenobi. Myself included. But with Optimus and Megatron together again…"
"Whoa, wait. Again?" Luke stopped.
"Megatron was an Autobot?" Sky asked.
"Optimus was a Con?" Han asked.
"No, on either count. But there was a time, back on Cybertron, in the twilight hours of the Golden Age, when Optimus and Megatron were not sworn enemies." Ratchet started to tell. "Do you recall when I mentioned that Optimus wasn't always a Prime? Well, he wasn't always Optimus either. He was once a clerk, in the Iacon Hall of Records, named Orion Pax. But as he learned more about Cybertron's past, he grew increasingly concerned about the present corruption in high places and inequality among the masses. Orion became inspired by the words and ideas of a gladiator. One who had named himself after one of the 13 original Primes: Megatronus. Megatronus vowed to challenge Cybertron's leadership and demand that all cybertronians be treated as equals. This gladiator turned revolutionary rapidly, gathered a loyal following, Soundwave chief among them. Orion began corresponding with Megatronus, who came to be something of a mentor to him. As Megatronus left the gladiatorial arena for the political, he saw fit to shorten his name. Before long, Megatron appeared before the High Council to propose his vision for a just society, and it was here that he began to reveal his true colors. Proclaiming the need to overthrow the old guard with force and arrogantly demanding to be named the next Prime. But Orion did not believe in violence as a mean of achieving justice. The sparks and minds of the council were moved by Orion's words. Here, for the first time since Cybertron's Golden Age, stood someone worthy of being a Prime. But that honor could only truly be achieved by earning the legendary Matrix of Leadership. His ambitions thwarted, Megatron spitefully severed all ties with Orion and the council, and came to wage war on all who opposed him, through his growing army of followers, which he named Decepticons. He bowed to claim the matrix for himself, wherever it might lie. In time, warfare consumed Cybertron, poisoning the planet to its core. Orion journeyed there, hoping to reverse the ill effects, and found himself before the very spark of our life giver: Primus himself. The ailing Primus sensed the unique nobility within Orion and bestowed the matrix upon him. It was thus that a surprised and humbled Orion Pax, came to be Optimus, the last of the Primes."
"Whoa, that's quite a story." Han said surprised.
"So Optimus got the matrix from Cybertron's core and now he's gonna give it to Planet X's?" Leia asked.
"What is to stop Megatron from claiming the matrix for himself this time around?" Aris added.
"Only his greater desire to save this galaxy so that he may in turn conquer it, as he so compellingly argued. Provided the lord of the Decepticons can't ever be fully trusted." Ratchet replied.
Back inside Unicron, the group was about to cross another bridge.
"Unicron's spark is near." Megatron sensed.
"After you." Arcee told him.
The Autobots continued following Megatron. Then, Bulkhead started to groan as he clutched his head.
"(Bulkhead, are you okay?)"
"Fine, Bee. Just woozy."
"The dark energon, is starting to affect him." Cliffjumper deduced as he and Bee helped their friend.
"Steady as you go, Bulk." Arcee advised.
Suddenly, Megatron stopped as his emblem started to glow.
"He's preparing to expel us." He said.
They started to hear a loud screeching noise. While they looked, they spotted a swarm of some weird flying creatures, coming right at them. Everyone readied their weapons.
"What are those things?" Bulkhead asked.
"As we are within Unicron's body, it stands to reason they are some sort of antibody." Optimus deduced as he pulled out his cannons.
The creatures started to fire lasers at the group, which fired back. Because some ones passed them so close, Optimus decided to use his sword too. One of the creatures tried to slam into Arcee, but she managed to jump above it and shot it down. The explosion sent her out of the bridge, but after hitting another antibody, she managed to land on other bridge below the first one. Bulkhead smashed two beings with his wrecking balls, but his situation was getting worse: his vision was starting to blur, which made him to slip and fell. Fortunately, he grabbed the edge and Bee saw him.
"(Bulkhead! Hang on!)"
Bee managed to grab his hand before he lost his grip on the edge.
"(Cliff, Bulkhead needs an assist!)"
"I'm coming."
Both Autobots grabbed Bulkhead's hand, but they were unable to get him back on the bridge since he was too heavy.
"Guys, let me go. I'll only take you down with me."
"No way. We never leave any Bot behind." Cliff answered.
Meanwhile, Optimus and Megatron were fighting together, guarding each other's blind spots as they attacked in sync, firing and slicing, even ended back to back for a brief moment. After finishing another foe, Arcee spotted Bee and Cliff trying to hold Bulkhead.
"Just let go, pals!" Bulk insisted as his hand was slipping through theirs.
"Bulkhead!" Arcee shouted.
At the end, Bulkhead's hand slipped completely, but another one bigger caught him: Optimus's.
"I got ya." He grunted as he pulled Bulkhead onto the bridge.
With everyone safe again, the group continued their way to the other side of the bridge.
"Arcee!" Optimus called.
Arcee ran to the other side until she saw a chance and jumped on an antibody and used it to fly back with the others. Meanwhile, inside the Nemesis, Airachnid was making an important announce.
"Fellow Decepticons, while our loyalty to Megatron's command has always remained steadfast, our leader's recent behavior has been questionable at best, and it would seem as though Planet X has become nothing short of a failed experiment. The same as the rest of this galaxy."
"Commander Airachnid, you're not suggesting that we abandon Lord Megatron?" Knock Out asked.
"Despite Soundwave's efforts we have been unable to detect our master's signal. Megatron is either permanently offline or in the thrall of Unicron. Neither is in the best interest of the Decepticons. So, I am deeming an exodus to be the most prudent course of action. Unless anyone has a problem with that." Airachnid said looking at the troops, but no one said anything, which made her smirk. "Then let's get out of this fallen galaxy. Set course for Regulon 4."
For her surprise, Soundwave was no more on the terminal. He stood between Airachnid and the bridge's controls.
"You have something to say, Soundwave?" Airachnid demanded, but he remained silent, so she changed to her spider mode and walked at him. "I command this vessel. You will resume your post." Soundwave continued still and quiet. "Step aside."
Tired of not getting answers, Airachnid started to attack Soundwave with her spider claws, but he blocked them perfectly. Next, he grabbed Airachnid and lift her above the ground, and threw her back.
"I'll tear out your spark for that." Airachnid swore.
Then, she saw that a piece of Soundwave's torso was missing: Laserbeak. He flew right at Airachnid and fired at her. She tried to dodge it jumping, but one of the shots hit her, making her lay right in front of Soundwave, who put a foot on her before Laserbeak returned to him.
"I yield." Airachnid admitted.
With all settled, Soundwave, returned to the terminal to continue his job. Knock Out and Breakdown were surprised by what happened.
"Watch out for the quite ones." Knock Out said.
At the same time, Ratchet was also trying to figure out if the team was okay.
"Communication links are down, as expected. But we've lost their signal." Ratchet reported.
"Doesn't that mean…?" Leia started worried.
"Usually. But a more likely explanation would be the severe interference caused by these electromagnetic anomalies." Ratchet theorized.
"So, if we can't track them and they can't contact us…?" Aris started.
"How are we gonna know when they're ready for pickup?" Luke ended.
Before Ratchet could answer, he heard a typing sound, and turned around to see Sky touching very curious the small device.
"Where did you get that?" Ratchet asked in shock.
"Optimus gave it to me. But I don't know why he gave me the key to the ground bridge power supply."
"Sky, there is no key to the ground bridge."
"No?" He asked, earning a nod from Ratchet. "Then, what is this?"
"That is the key to Vector Sigma."
"The what?"
"You are holding one of Cybertron's most important relics."
"What? Then I shouldn't have this." He said as he was about to give it to Ratchet.
"Optimus entrusted it to you, Sky."
"But that doesn't make any sense. So why?"
"Because he doesn't plan on coming back." Ratchet realized.
Inside Unicron, the group continued making its way as it continued fighting the antibody swarm. Now they were in an intersection, which allowed the antibodies to fly all around them and attack from all directions. Megatron showed his great combat skills in close combat slicing some bugs with his sword. Until he heard Unicron's voice.
"Megatron, do as I command. Destroy the Prime."
Megatron groaned in pain as he felt Unicron's influence on his body.
"Megatron!" Optimus called.
Megatron clutched his head in pain before he grabbed Optimus's shoulder and moved him out of the way, blasting another antibody.
"Unicron's spark, lies just beyond." Megatron announced, pointing at a wall.
"How do we get inside?" Optimus asked.
"By fooling Unicron's defenses into believing we're not a threat." Megatron answered as his emblem started to glow purple.
While the group covered him, Megatron approached his chest to the wall, making a secret door open, revealing a path.
"Autobots, I will need you to keep our attackers at bay for as long as you can." Optimus ordered before he went inside with Megatron before the door closed.
"We gotta hold fast. For Optimus!" Cliff encouraged as they continued firing.
The path led Megatron and Optimus to a huge room with a giant purple glowing core of pure energy: Unicron's Anti-Spark. Both cybertronians stood before it.
"Optimus, swiftly!" Megatron told him.
Optimus nodded, and started to approach the spark. But suddenly, the energy core started to shake and send energy waves, which hit both Optimus and Megatron. Prime stood on his knees, but Megatron felt Unicron's influence getting stronger on him as his eyes started to emit purple smoke.
"Megatron, destroy the Prime. I command you."
Megatron pulled out his sword and advanced toward Optimus. Once near to him, Megatron was about to strike him down, until he stopped his sword with his other hand and retrieved his sword, resisting himself.
"Megatron is commanded by NO ONE!" He said before continuing to keep his willpower strong, roaring in pain.
The volcano of Planet X started to erupt more violently, the same as earthquakes started to happen. Those quakes were felt even on Naboo, inside the Autobot base.
"Earthquake!" Obi Wan yelled.
"Oh no, we're doomed!" 3PO lamented.
"Take cover!" Ratchet warned covering everyone.
Back into Unicron's core, his face showed on his Anti-Spark. The effort of resist made Megatron to fall unconscious.
"Matrix of Leadership, I call upon you!" Optimus summoned.
Inside Optimus, the matrix started to glow.
"You cannot defeat me, Disciple of Primus. I have transcended physical being. Very soon I will be free, at last. By my will alone, all upon this galaxy shall fall into chaos!" Unicron declared, speaking through Megatron's body, glowing in purple flames.
"Not while I still function, Unicron. The power of the matrix, will light our darkest hour!" Optimus retorted.
"NO!"
Megatron's body aimed the fusion cannon at Optimus, who was covered by a blue aura before launching a blue energy beam directly at Unicron's spark. That caused an energy wave that launched Megatron backwards, while Optimus stood on his feet until the matrix energy was completely released into Unicron. The cybertronian god screamed in pain, and in only a few seconds, his spark was no more. That caused that all the antibodies fell dead, giving the Autobots a break. The entire Planet X finished glowing in dark energon and launching asteroids into space. The meteors which landed on multiple planets disintegrated, reversing the catastrophic effects. Naboo was not an exception, the lava rivers turned into rock, the volcano collapsed and the sky cleared. In the base, they noticed when the tremors ended.
"There could be aftershocks." Padmé warned.
"Do you think…?" Luke started.
"I do." Ratchet said before the screen showed the life signals of all the Autobots, even Megatron's.
Everyone cheered happy and ended hugging their families, including the droids. Surprisingly, Leia ended hugging Han, but both broke up the hug when they realized it, smiling nervously. Even Soundwave detected Megatron's signal, and started to prepare his pick-up. Inside Unicron, Optimus was on the floor unconscious, while Megatron went back to his feet. His eyes were red again, so he was free from Unicron's control. He saw Optimus starting to recover.
"Teamwork, hum."
Seeing it as his great chance, Megatron pulled out his sword. As Optimus looked up, he saw Megatron coming at him with a bizarre vision.
"Where are we, Megatronus?" He asked.
That surprised Megatron. No one else knew his previous name, except Optimus. Or better said, the Bot Optimus was before being a Prime. That made him change his mind, and offered him his hand. Optimus took it, and Megatron helped him get up.
"Don't you remember, old friend?" Megatron asked him.
Optimus removed his battle mask, and in that moment, they heard hitting noises from behind them. It was Bulkhead, who managed to make their way to them.
"Optimus, are you okay?" He asked jumping into the room.
"Why did he call me that?" Optimus asked confused.
"What did you do to him?" Arcee asked suspicious.
"Who are they?" Optimus asked again, just before a ground bridge appeared next to him and Megatron.
Megatron knew that was his ground bridge.
"Our mortal enemies. We're outnumbered. Go! I'll cover you!" Megatron told him before firing at the Autobots.
The Autobots were forced to find cover as Optimus ran to the portal. He gave a last view on Bumblebee.
"(Optimus, no!)"
He entered the portal, and Megatron followed him before it closed. The Autobots were completely in shock: their leader was gone. Ratchet activated the ground bridge while everyone waited for the Autobots to arrive. The four Autobots arrived back safe and sound, but not exactly happy, unlike their friends, who went with them.
"Arcee." Sky called.
"Thanks the Force, Cliff." Aris said.
"I was so worried, Bulk." Han told him.
"Are you alright, Bee?" Leia asked.
"We'll make sure you're fine. Right BB-8?" Luke asked, earning a nod from the little droid.
"And Optimus?" Ratchet asked. "Is he…?"
"Dead? No." Arcee answered.
"But he looked right at us without recognizing us." Cliffjumper explained.
"Didn't even know his own name." Bulkhead added.
"When Optimus surrendered the Matrix of Leadership, he lost more than the collective wisdom of the Primes. He lost his own memories." Ratchet realized.
Meanwhile, Megatron entered the bridge of the Nemesis, and all the Decepticons bowed to him.
"Welcome back, Lord Megatron." Knock Out saluted.
Megatron stepped aside, and Optimus entered too. That caused Breakdown to pull out his hammer and start charging at him, but Megatron stopped him.
"At ease, Breakdown. That is no way to welcome a long-lost comrade." Megatron said looking at Optimus. "Orion Pax…is one of us."
To be continued…