Greene13
Transformers Covenant: The Novelization
Adapted from TFI Creations
In the midst of their fight, Optimus and Megatron looked up to see the Space Bridge beginning to become unstable. In the process, panels of the Ark began falling off and were sucked into the wormhole.
"No!" Megatron yelled, "The portal!"
"The vortex is tearing this ship apart!" Optimus yelled as the portal began to grow more and more violent.
"No!" Megatron screamed, lunging towards the Autobot leader, "I will not be denied!"
Deep inside the rapidly deteriorating Ark, Ultra Magnus scrambled to make sure everybot onboard was safe. He even had Teletraan-1 close any and all bulkheads to ensure no Autobot was sucked out into space.
"This is Ultra Magnus to all Autobots," Magnus cried out. "Secure a safe place on the Ark, immediately!"
Elsewhere, Jazz and several other 'Bots were dealing with the Combaticon gestalt, Bruticus who was making short work of any Autobot who got it in their processors that they could handle him head-on.
"Inside!" Jazz commanded. "Everybody!"
As everyone shifted into vehicle mode, Jazz gave the Combiner a mocking salute.
"Good luck, big guy," he told his much larger enemy before shifting into vehicle mode. "Yer gonna need it."
He then drove off just in time to avoid a laser bolt.
"Optimus Prime," Magnus cried out, trying to get a lock on his leader. "What's your location?"
No answer.
"Prime, where are you!?"
Still no answer, even as the Ark and Nemesis got closer and closer to the unstable Space Bridge. Both ships then connected with the portal's event horizon and vanished from Cybertron space. Moments after entering, Magnus made sure to run diagnostics on every active Autobot. Thankfully, with a few exceptions, a majority of the 'Bots onboard were still functioning. It wouldn't be long until the Ark was out of Cybertronian space. He then heard a whirring noise as well as attempts to speak; Bumblebee.
"You alright, Bee?" Jazz asked. "How's the voice box holdin' up?"
"I... -vvrrt- it hurts -rrrv-." Bee struggled to reply. "It r-really h-vvv-hur-hurts."
I'll say it does, Jazz thought. Primus-almighty, Megatron really did a number on ya.
Bumblebee had his voice box damaged beyond repair after Megatron nearly killed him back in Tyger Pax. He was lucky he could only speak single sentences.
"I know, Kid." Jazz told him. "I know."
He gave the Scout a sympathetic smile.
"Least Ratchet got yer wounds covered."
While this was happening, Magnus was trying to contact their missing leader.
"Optimus, come in!"
Nothing but silence answered him.
"For Primus' sake, tell me you read me!"
"Still nothin', huh?" Jazz asked, concern in his voice.
"His com-link went down when we entered the portal." Magnus replied, not taking his optics off the screen.
"Ugh, I... know... -vvrt-," Bumblebee struggled to say. "I... kn-know where... -vvrrrt-."
Just then, Jazz put a hand on his shoulder.
"No way," he told him. "Don't be usin' that voice a' yers."
Bumblebee just pushed on.
"Prime... and... M-Megatro-Megatron...-vvrrrt-"
"What did you see?" Magnus asked.
"Th-They were... pulled away... from the ship." Bumblebee stammered. "G-Got... -vvvrrt- sucked in."
"That portal led to multiple places at once." Magnus whispered.
"Yer tellin' me that the Boss Bot could be anywhere in this galaxy!?" Jazz cried out.
"I wish I was telling you that," Magnus replied solemnly. "However, a vortex as powerful as that could lead to anywhere in the universe."
Jazz paused before going to a monitor.
"Then we better get movin'." he said. "I'll try ta isolate his signal."
"That won't be necessary." Magnus told him. "Given our circumstances we must continue with our objective."
Jazz couldn't believe what he had just heard. Were they just abandoning their leader? They couldn't do that! Magnus had no right!
"Whoa now! Hold up!" Jazz cried. "We're not about ta do this without Optimus!"
"In his absence, command of the Autobots is granted to me." Magnus replied stubbornly. "I suggest you fall in line, soldier."
Jazz couldn't believe this.
"This ain't right, Magnus."
Magnus turned around with fury in his optics.
"You don't think I'm not affected this also!? Optimus was a brother to me, and if we had the resources to find him, I'd be more than willing!" Magnus roared before calming down. "But this is no longer about war. It's about survival."
Jazz raised his hands towards the leader of the Wreckers.
"Alright." he replied. "Chill."
Deep within the Ark a different conversation was going on.
"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Brawl all but roared.
"It was all your fault, Brawl." Vortex sneered with a roll of his optics.
"Maybe if you spent a little more time focusin' we wouldn't be havin' these kinds of issues." Onslaught scolded his hot-headed underling.
This garnered a chuckle from Blast Off.
"Yeah, you tell him, Onslaught."
"Shut up, Blast Off." snapped the Combaticon leader.
"Wow," Swindle commented. "We really are dysfunctional."
"When our neural nets are connected, we must focus," Onslaught continued to lambaste Brawl. "Work as a team."
"You guys might wanna speak a little louder," said Swindle sarcastically. "I think there's an Autobot that didn't hear you."
"I'm starting to wish I joined Megatron's brigade instead of you diode-guzzlers!" Brawl shouted. "He always liked me best!"
"Of course he likes the one who blows smoke up his exhaust!" Vortex sarcastically declared before laughing.
"Will you all cut it out!?" Onslaught snarled.
"UP HIS WHAT!?" Brawl screamed.
"Listen to me," Onslaught ordered his troops. "We're in the heart of their ship. We hide in here and take refuge wherever they're going."
"Have we at least been able to reach Megatron?" Blast Off asked.
"Not since the portal collapsed." Onslaught replied solemnly. "We're on our own for now."
In the void of space, unbeknowest to either Autobot or Decepticon, their respective leaders floated among the asteroids, the glow of the collapsed Spacebridge gleaming behind them like a second sun.
"So," Megatron sneered. "The Circle comes to a close, Optimus."
Optimus' optics opened to see Megatron floating beside him, his face twisted into a mocking growl.
"How does it feel," the Bot he once called 'brother' asked. "To know that your lifeless husk will drift endlessly? Never to rest on Cybertron?"
"I pictured the end of time shared with those I care for." Optimus replied.
"And now here you are," Megatron jeered. "Surrounded by the infinite darkness. Alone."
"On the contrary, Megatron," Optimus answered. "At this moment, my final hour should be shared with the one I trust the most."
"Your vulnerability makes you weak!"
"In your moment of rage and anger, I see more than vulnerability."
With a growl, Megatron aimed his Fusion cannon at the Last Prime. Optimus could see glowing, purple energy beginning to develop within its muzzle.
So, Optimus thought. This is how it ends. Then so be it.
He closed his optics, waiting for the blast to be shot. However, it never came. He opened his optics again... and saw Megatron's vehicular mode flying out of sight. Perhaps there was some remnants of his brother after all. Maybe, just maybe. It still didn't change how he was left floating alone.
With the full force of a dying star, Optimus mentally declared, I will find you.
Onboard the Nemesis
"Triangulate our position in this galaxy," Starscream ordered. "Immediately."
"I take my orders from Megatron." one of the Vehicons replied.
Megatron. Even in death, his soldiers still refused to accept the Air Commander's newfound leadership.
"Megatron. Is. Gone." hissed Starscream, making sure each of his words was spoken as slowly as possible.
"Then that leaves Soundwave in command."
Starscream sneered as he looked toward Megatron's right hand 'Bot. "Oh, is that right?"
The Seeker walked towards the Decepticon communications officer and got in his face plate.
"Well then," he snarled. "Have something to say, Soundwave?"
Soundwave replied with absolute silence. This elicited a laugh from Starscream.
"Oh, that's right. You wouldn't want to break your vow of silence."
"Words are wasted on you, Starscream," said the Vehicon. "Maybe I should take the cue."
Starscream scoffed. "Pretty brave for a servant class. Such words would be the death of you."
Just then, the Vehicon looked over Starscream's shoulder.
"Well," it replied, the sign of a smirk in its tone. "It's easy when Megatron is right behind you."
Starscream chortled with laughter. As if he could fall for the oldest trick in the book. "How stupid do you think I am!?"
"Incredibly so."
Starscream's Spark almost froze right then and there as the growling voice of Megatron came up behind him.
"Wait, WHAT-!?"
Before he could react, he was backhanded into a wall. Megatron walked past the unmoving body of his treacherous Air Commander.
"We are just beyond the gravitational orbit of Velocitron," he announced. "We'll have many a planet to call our own."
"And, what of Optimus Prime?" a Vehicon asked.
Megatron scoffed, "I highly doubt we'll be seeing much of him."
As the Leader of the Decepticons turned to face the monitor, Optimus' words still rang in his processor.
"At this moment, my final hour should be shared with the one I trust the most."
Still the fool as ever, Optimus. Megatron thought bitterly. Even long after you've been granted the Matrix.
"A small part of me hoped that day was my last. There can be no greater sorrow than losing what you hold dear to your Spark."
Optimus watched as Air Raid raced towards him, shifting into robot mode and extending his hand to his leader.
"What you have put me through is a fate worse than death."
Optimus' hand folded into Air Raid's as the two sped off towards the Ark.
"But, I have allowed myself to suffer through this to prevent this poison from reaching others."
Optimus and his fellow Autobots watched as the towers of Velocitron and its people fell before the might of Megatron.
"Our pursuits lead us to worlds we can only dream of. One after the other, I watched your war consume them."
Megatron and Optimus stood back to back, surrounded by Cybertron's most ancient of enemies; the tentacled, multifaced Quintessons.
"Even in times of extraordinary crisis, our moments of truce were simply there to fulfill your own goals."
Earth, 2011
"When will I learn," Optimus asked, as his Autobots battled Megatron's forces in the outlands of Jasper. "When will I learn to accept that my brother died eons ago?"
"He died the day Orion Pax stood against me." Megatron snarled.
"I have replayed our moments time and time again, wondering who truly is to blame for this war."
"You have fooled your soldiers to the bitter end!"
On the battlefield, Bumblebee tried desperately to avoid Vehicon fire. Fortunately, his attackers were shot down by a laser blast courtesy of Arcee.
"You drain your reserves faster than you can recover," Megatron said. "Pushing yourselves beyond your limits. How long will it be until death consumes you all!?"
Bulkhead's optics widened in panic as he saw Bruticus looming down on them, a plume of fire erupting from his right hand. He dodged just in time for Ratchet and Arcee to concentrate their firepower on the lumbering gestalt.
"My Autobots fight for the freedom they once had," Optimus retorted. "How many more of them must be sacrificed before you see the truth?"
"Your attempts at prolonging this battle only shows your continued weakness." Megatron mocked.
"Of course, Megatron," Optimus sighed. "If the safety of the Human race depends on your death, it must be done!"
"Then I suppose, we are done talking."
Megatron's blade extended from beneath his Fusion Cannon while Optimus' sword and Ion Blaster appeared in place of his hands.
"The Covenant's pages will portray you for what you truly are," Optimus declared. "A crucible of malevolence. An enemy of the free!"
And with that, the former brothers charged at each other and began their battle for the fate of Earth.