Happy Holidays folks! Little by little I'm working on these stories and making progress on them! Before long I'll finish up the For Honor story, and have this be the bigger focus. And I'm gonna go ahead and apologize for something. As I've gone back and re-read some of my old stories, I can't help but just note how terrible of a writer I am. How mary-sue I made Blackwolf. I can't promise a vast improvement, but I do promise to try and improve my depiction of Blackwolf if I can.
R & R
"Who's on this comm-link with me? How the frag did you get the code to access it?" a gruff voice responded to Grimlock's hail.
"Former ally, it's me, Kup." Grimlock spoke in return, knowing the one on the other end would recognize his voice.
"Grimlock…it's been a long time. Haven't heard from you since the Iodisus incident." the mech, revealed to be Kup, would finally respond after a short pause.
"Yeah, been a while. Killed a lot of Cons that day." Grimlock almost sounded cheery with the memory.
"How's the team? Lightning Strike Coalition Force still together?" he asked with a near mocking tone, the name was commonly made fun of by others...in private to the less brave, knowing the one leading the former team that went by that title was Grimlock.
A slow pause followed the question.
"...my brothers are gone. The team is dissolved." the Dinobot would respond.
"I'm sorry Grimlock...they were good mechs. Especially Snarl. Good kid." He'd offer more sincere words. "But...why are you contacting me? Are you nearby?"
"Near enough to be talking to you. Came to request you in Iacon." Grimlock states. "The current Prime in charge has something to offer you as we face a renewed war."
"Current Prime? What happened to Optimus?" he asked.
"Gone...not forgotten, but a new leader stepped forth and we follow him now. His name is Blackwolf."Grimlock
"So...a new Prime in power, eh? What's he want with me? I haven't been working with the Autobots since I retired from fighting. Too old to keep fighting every Prime's battle."
"This is different...Iacon's under threat of a potential siege. Blackwolf simply asks for you, saying it's a matter of the Autobot cause's survival." Grimlock's tone shifted, sounding more serious now.
"No scrap?" he asks.
"No scrap." Grimlock retorts.
Another long pause followed.
"Well...slag it. Guess I can at least hear him out. What's he want with me anyway?" Kup would ask sternly.
"Well...it's not a battlefield you've ever experienced before, that's for sure." Grimlock would cautiously answer his question vaguely.
(Iacon, Cybertron)
The doors to Autobot Military HQ opened to reveal a pair of mechs. One was Grimlock, obvious with his huge frame and build...the other next to him was a stranger to some.
He was a moderate size for a mech, light grayish-blue in armor-paint tones, a pair of connecting fins on his helm- and between his metal lips was a metal cy-gar - something many of them hadn't seen in ages. Once designed to provide relief to veterans of the long war for Cybertron...many suffering from flashbacks and the brutal conflict.
Kup was no exception to flashbacks.
Blackwolf and an entourage of Elite Guard Mechs – as well as Arcee, Jazz and Centurion.
"Here he is. Answered back immediately." Grimlock spoke gruffly. "I'm returning to the Knights headquarters, good luck." He turns to Kup.
"We'll catch up later." Grimlock nods sternly, and with that- the giant mech would depart from the gathering.
"Kup, welcome back to Iacon. It's an honor to welcome you in these dark times." Blackwolf spoke formally, but the gray-blue painted mech just puffed some smoke from his cy-gar.
"So, Prime...this is the new hope for the Autobots, hm? Primus help us..." He'd retrieve the cy-gar. "Looks like you've got more than one issue around here...such as the severe lack of an army."
Blackwolf hesitated, avoiding that slight jab at his Autobots. He knew Kup meant well- he was just...a mech from a bygone time for the Autobots.
Arcee however, wasn't Blackwolf, and had no trouble meeting such a comment. "I didn't know we were letting fossils into the Autobots. Or perhaps the Historical Archives just forgot to give us a memo." The Femme smirks. Blackwolf looked like he was about to fall over from the comment, Centurion and Jazz barely able to contain their sputtering laughter.
That earned a laugh from Kup. "Ha! I like you..." he'd put the cy-gar back in his mouth. "So...we gonna talk? I assume there'll be plenty before we're done. Let's get going then...I've got some new shoes to fill I hear."
Blackwolf would just quickly nod. "Yes, yes. We've got a lot to discuss." He'd gesture for them to all fall back into the base.
…
"..the Ministry of Iacon...and you want this panel to handle the politics back here at home while...wait...you're leaving Iacon? In a time of war?" The age-old veteran cocked a metal brow, perplexed.
"I know it looks bad...but Ultra Magnus and Hound are handling the military affairs here. But Ironhide needs backup." He'd tap a button on the war table in between all of them. A holographic display would come up of a long defensive wall.
"This is the Bulwark...a three-kilometer long defensive wall that was constructed after the Battle of the Sea of Rust. We decided that should an attack come towards Iacon, we'd have a line of defense rather than needing to sally forth and face an attacker...at least for a time." green markers would spring up along the long wall.
"This is Ironhide's garrison currently there… only about a thousand troops. It's enough to keep it protected for now, but..." he then cuts to another holographic display of what looked like thousands of red formations. "...this is the Council's drone army. The Bulwark's currently outnumbered twenty-to-one. And that's just their first assault they have planned...we think." Kup looked over the terrible odds they faced.
"We've been preparing a force here in Iacon but we need some more time to train them. Luckily, just a week before your arrival here, an old military cruiser returned to Iacon, some of Magnus' best who he sent away from Cybertron near the end of the old war. A couple thousand fresh veterans have returned and are gunning for a fight to protect Iacon once again. A few days from now, they'll be ready to move. I'll leave with them to help support Ironhide's forces." he looks to Arcee.
"And he won't be alone." she approaches his side and melds into him some. "I won't see my sparkmate go off alone onto the front lines, not without me."
"So who's being left here with me? I know most of the war council's leaving as well to defend the Bulwark from how I understand everything...who's gonna be on the actual panel with me?" Kup didn't see how he benefited from taking such a position.
"Not everyone, there's a few roles already filled on the panel. Hound is gonna be your military affairs advisor, while Silverbolt remains here in Iacon to discuss the Aerialbot matters. But, this leaves a War-Council advisor- a member of the council on your panel." He'd display the roles on a display and their purposes.
"Technical development advisor, a scientific role meant for someone who can help design new things to give us an edge and provide their own know-how. Let's see...Analyst and Propaganda Expert. Someone who can get us support with words, hearts and minds back home to run the Decagon." Another question for Kup to ask.
"The Decagon?" he'd ask.
"Ah...yeah. It's something we got back up and running. It handles communication all across Iacon, Kalis, Crystal City, and the Bulwark. News, the status of the war, everything." he looks to Arcee.
"And finally, your Deputy Minister..." she looks to Jazz. "...which...we need to talk about that."
Jazz gave a confused look. "Wait...what are you talking about Cee?"
"Jazz...we need someone who's helped serve as a second in command before to help Kup and the Ministry panel. He needs someone experienced with the current state of Iacon and the Autobots." Arcee places a hand of hers on Jazz' shoulder.
"I...if Optimus were here, I'd be going out to fight beside him!" it was clear he wasn't taking this well. Just the idea of staying behind hurt Jazz.
"We need you here, Jazz." Arcee states firmly.
Kup stepped in. "May I?" Arcee would step aside and let Kup step into Jazz's view.
"Look kid...I know you wanna fight. You've got a hunger. But I could use someone who's had experience helping lead. I've never done this before but...if a Prime needs my help, I see that as a sign things must be real bad. I'm gonna do all I can, but I could use someone with some leadership experience by my side." his words rang true, looking sternly into Jazz's blue visor with his soft blue optics.
Jazz was silent for several long moments before speaking up again, an unhappy look on his face. "Alright, alright...I'll stay." he looks to Blackwolf. "But you owe me. Big time."
Blackwold would only nod. "I understand Jazz. You can hold me to it." he says with a sincere look.
"So then...shall we get you a list of candidates for the unfilled roles?" Blackwolf would look to Kup.
"Nah...I think I already know the right mechs for the job. Errrr...jobs. Just need to make a couple calls." Kup would just wave off the Prime's offer.
"Well then...We'd better be preparing to mobilize to the Bulwark. Get me Ultra Magnus on the line." he looks to Jazz, who'd go over to the terminal.
"Jazz to Magnus, you read me?" All they'd get was static from the established link.
Odd.
"Huh...perhaps there's a bug in the system?" Arcee would ask.
Teletraan One would respond. "Reporting: no system errors found after initial scan. Unit 'Ultra Magnus, rank: General', is not appearing on any radars over Iacon's reach." It spoke in it's monotone and robotic voice.
"What? That can't be right. Ultra Magnus wouldn't leave without reporting in. The thing must have a screw loose or something." Jazz would smack the terminal.
Blackwolf could only frown. "I've got a bad feeling about this...something's wrong. He's up to something and doesn't want us finding out."
He looks to the console, then to Arcee. "And whatever it is...it's not going to end well for us."
(Knights of Cybertron HQ, Iacon)
Bumblebee looked over the war-table in the center of the millennia-old fortress the Knights of old used to plan and strike from. Across from him was Jetfire and Mirage, to the right was Nitalia, and on the left was Grimlock.
"Two solar-cycles ago, our probes picked up movement heading past the Sea of Rust and into the Celenium Plains. Further scans revealed this." He taps a key and the signals turned into Decepticon insignias.
"Cons..." Mirage spoke lowly.
"Yea...don't like that. Cons poking around one of the less charted regions followin' the start of our war with the Council." Jetfire would lean closer. "Any idea what they might be doing there?"
"None..." he looks to each of them. "We're gonna check it out. Us, gathered here will investigate and see what they're up to. If they're poking around that region and taking advantage of Blackwolf's attention being on the war, we need to be there to stop whatever they're planning."
"Grimlock, you'll lead our forces there. You know how to navigate the Sea of Rust. Get the Knights to the Plains. Jetfire and our fliers will go ahead of the rest of us. Myself, Nitalia and Mirage will go in on the ground ahead of our strike forces." he places his hands on the table.
"Any questions?" he looked around to those gathered.
"Yes, actually." Nitalia spoke up. "Skilled as our force is, what happens if this proves to be more than we can handle? If something bigger is happening, what's the plan?" she'd raise a metal brow.
"We handle it then. We're the Knights of Cybertron, a scalpel force. We need to handle our missions ourselves. And if it proves too much, we have Blackwolf's support." Bee's answer sat well with Nitalia at least for the moment.
"If that's all, report back here in three cycles for deployment. Dismissed."
(Iacon Facility of Scientific Research and Development)
Three mechs stood in a large room filled with advanced tech and what looked like research equipment, recording devices- the kind of thing one could expect from a place such as this.
Gathered around the room was several mechs and femmes, these weren't soldiers. They were medics and scientists, engineers, and other technical minds.
In the room, it was revealed to be Ratchet, Jack in his new Cybertronian body, and a large red and lightly blue painted mech. Far larger and more built than anyone else there bar Jack. He looked more in league with some mechs like Warpath or Bulkhead...yet he was here.
Jack was sitting on a medical berth, several wires and other various attachments extending from him and wiring him to various machines.
"Perceptor," Ratchet looks to the larger mech. ", we're ready." he nods.
Nitalia would rush in, quickly looking around before mixing in with the crowd to observe. This was her sparkmate they had hooked up to these machines and being tested on.
Today was supposedly the day they pulled off something never before seen.
"My fellow colleagues, students, and scientists alike," Perceptor spoke up, his voice rising in level- a properly eloquent accent. "-today we see a scientific marvel. This lone mech, Jackson Darby of planet Earth, did something none thought possible and was turned into a Cybertronian." He'd let that sit for dramatic flair.
"But what he lost was his ability to live on his own homeworld normally ever again...but no longer! Today, we pull off the impossible, by splicing the Human DNA within him and the Cybertronian CNA into one...to grant him his humanity back, as well as enable him to survive such a transformation unlike any other!"
"Witness the genius work of countless hours- your research and work finally bearing fruition!" He looks to Ratchet. "Do it..."
Ratchet would look to Jack. "Are you ready?" he asks softly, offering Jack the chance to turn back. Truth be told, this technology was extremely experimental…one wrong calculation on their part, and Jack would become a blank.
It was a fate many considered worse than death on Cybertron. Blanks lost all sense of core consciousness and became little more than oil-drooling drones unable of intelligent thought. A human equivalent of being brain-dead.
Jack simply nods, a nervous look on his golden faceplate. "Let's do it...I'm ready." Ratchet placed a hand on his large white and red-striped shoulder.
"I promised your mother I'd fix my mistake. My accident. I'm not going to let her down."
The medic would go over to the control panel which maintained all the connections going into Jack's form. "Perceptor, begin DNA infusion." Ratchet would say aloud, his optics were laser focused on his board to monitor Jack's vitals.
Perceptor would go to his own controls and hit the first button of three. A third of the cables connected to Jack would light up and the human DNA strands left within him would begin assembling for the process.
"Vitals normal...proceed with CNA infusion." Ratchet would nod for the Scientist to proceed.
Perceptor would hit the second button, and another third of the cables would light up, CNA gathering on the display alongside the DNA.
Jack would close his optics.
"Disengaging stasis lock...locking down all vital systems." Upon that, Jack would deactivate and go limp on the table.
"Perceptor...begin compound splicing now!" Ratchet ordered, and Perceptor hit the final switch. The largest of the cables connecting to Jack would light up in a blaring white as energy flowed through it.
"Ten percent...compound splicing at twenty percent." Jack's vitals would begin spiking and falling.
"Vitals abnormal! Keep the grid steady!" Ratchet would administer medical energon to flow into Jack's system to keep him stable.
Nitalia clutched her hands together as she watched- praying to Primus.
"Thirty...forty...fifty percent." Perceptor would be working to help keep Jack's vitals stable.
"Vitals still abnormal but stabilizing for now." Ratchet said aloud. Closer and closer the measurement bars would rise to show their progress.
"Sixty...seventy...eighty-" Perceptor would be cut off by a red alert from their terminals.
"Vitals suddenly dropping! I'm losing him!" Ratchet was in a panic in the instant he said it, working to rapidly re-stabilize Jack. "Come on damn you! Don't you die on me!" he tried to keep it stable but it seemed to be getting too dangerously close to a flatline.
"Scrap- kill the power Perceptor! Shut it down NOW!" He yelled, Perceptor would quickly try to cut the power only for a flashing light on the machines to appear.
"Too late! One-hundred percent! I can't stop it!" the scientist beat at the machine to shut it off.
Nitalia was on her pedes in a moment! "JACK!" she yells in a panic, running to the door of the demonstration room, desperately slamming her fists on it to try and gain access.
A flash and spark of power would sizzle out in the room and it looked as if a flashbang had went off, all of the mechs and femmes in the room near blinded by it.
A cloud of smoke was contained in the room...but the power had seemingly cut itself out and the door swung open. Nitalia slowly stumbled into the room, trying to refocus her optics.
The smoke would clear, and Ratchet would immediately focus on Jack's vitals...they were...normal?
"Someone get the power back on. Perceptor-" he looks to the scientist. "-reactivate the subject." Perceptor would disengage the lock down on Jack's core processor. Nitalia held his hand, silently hoping to Primus he was alright.
Silence ensured for several long moments until Jack's optics opened. But...they were no longer blue. But instead, a bright vibrant neon green! Even...a tinge of yellow in the center of his optics. He was still connected to her.
Curiously, Nitalia would raise an arm and flip a rear-view mirror to observe something...greeted to the sight of the once just barely there blue which had mingled with her electric yellow optics swirl and change to green which contrasted in her eyes.
"What the-" he cuts her off.
"Am...am I back?" he'd slowly- slowly – get up, groaning some. "Did it work?" he looks between Ratchet, Perceptor and Nitalia.
"That depends...transformers not used to having an alt-form need to use a command phrase to activate it usually…" Perceptor would slowly approach Jack, Ratchet right behind him.
"Jack...say 'maximize'. It's an old phrase which hasn't been used since the dawn of the Autobots...but it serves the purpose here." Ratchet would tell the young mech.
"Alright...Maximize!" Jack would say aloud, and in an instant, a flash of light again appeared…the hand Nitalia was gripping began to rapidly shrink...and become less metal!
When the light dissipated...there stood Jackson Darby. In the flesh. Literally! Nitalia had almost forgotten what her human sparkmate had looked like after his unfortunate transformation.
"Woah...it worked! Nitalia, I'm human again!" he cheers, but this wave of happiness faded and he suddenly blushed...realizing he was stark naked in the midst of a whole room and crowd. "...and naked." he says awkwardly, no clothes to be seen...they were on Cybertron after all.
Nitalia also had a blush cross her. Ratchet and Perceptor just looked back to the crowd.
"Say it again, Jack!" Ratchet would order him. And Jack would just not, eager to just not be naked.
"Maximize!" he repeats himself. In another flash of light, the large mech who had once sat there returned as if he hadn't just changed forms! He quickly looked over himself, noting the return to his large body, still painted white with red stripes all along his powerful form.
"Behold! My fellow colleagues! The first Human-Cybertronian hybrid shifter!" Perceptor announced, receiving an outcry of cheers and applause.
Nitalia could only smile and lean in, pressing her lips against Jack's own. And Jack would just return the kiss, closing his optics as they just relished in the victory of this scientific success. Now, Jack could live his old life once again, and his new one as well. On Earth, and here on Cybertron.
Nitalia would lead Jack out, Perceptor and Ratchet shaking hands with their fellow scientific officials.
Ratchet would look to Perceptor. "Shall you remain here and celebrate with us?" He asks curiously.
"I'm afraid not, I've received a message from command...they wish for my presence at Autobot Headquarters, specially requested by Blackwolf as well as our supposed new Minister of Iacon." Perceptor would just smile. "But you stay...this was as much a victory due to your work as well as mine."
"Of course. We'll be here if you find free time to rejoin us." he smiles. Perceptor would turn to leave, leaving Ratchet alone in the midst of the other scientists in the room.
Something caught his gaze though, and the medic would glance up and spot something which made his smile fade some.
From an observation above, stood Longarm, all alone and simply watching it all unfold from his high ground view of the room.
"Fascinating..." he says softly, folding his hands behind his back. "I'll need to log this..."
"That would be the most logical course of action after all..."
(The Bulwark)
Ironhide was alerted when a perimeter alert had gone around, rallying it's defenders to a stance of defense and readiness.
A soldier would wave to Ironhide. "Sir! Perimeter triggers have been set off...something's approaching our lines."
Ironhide simply looked around at the forces he had to spare. If an attack was coming, they needed reinforcements, soon.
"Send an alert to Autobot High Command, tell Blackwolf he needs to get our reinforcements into fifth gear, cause the Bulwark wont hold long without him." the mech he'd instructed would simply nod and run off.
"Someone get me Warpath out here. I need to know the status of our minefields!" he shouted.
"Recall our scouts, tell them to fall back to their second position, tell them to keep out of sight!" the red painted mech would yell out.
He looked over to a pair of mechs carrying some equipment up the steps leading onto the wall. "Slag it! I told you men to have those turrets mounted and ready five cycles ago! Get them mounted, NOW!" he yelled, scaring them to more quickly climb the stairs.
Ironhide and his men may have been outnumbered, but he'd be dammed if they wouldn't put up a fight, with or without reinforcements.
But he severely hoped those reinforcements would be en-route. Soon.
(Kaon, Cybertron)
Astraea stood simply before her command table, hands behind her back as she just processed the information coming to her.
The door behind her would open to reveal Knockout, as well as Blitzwing.
"My illustrious and beautiful overlord, I've got news finally!" he'd bow to her some, not wishing to be thrown across the room again like last time, as he'd painfully discovered just how strong she was despite her subtle appearances.
"Report." She says simply, having nothing more to say for the moment.
"Our scouts in the Celenium Plains have found something and are recommending the refiner be deployed." he smirks.
"Is the report legitimate?" she looks to Blitzwing who just nods.
"Very well...deploy it and whatever mechpower they need to operate it." she simply states.
"Yes my liege! I shall oversee-" Blitzwing's heavy hand had already gripped his shoulder.
"No, I will oversee the operation!" he growled, earning an angry glare from Knockout.
They'd be interrupted by an 'ahem', immediately their focus would be brought back to their leader.
"Neither of you shall be taking lead on this mission." She states as a matter-of-fact.
"It shall be -I- who leads the mission...to finally announce my place as leader, to be seen finally." She speaks firmly.
"Of course, Warlord Astraea." Knockout would simply say, dryly if anything, but he fell into line.
Blitzwing just bowed his head simply as a response.
"Good...now watch over the deployment and report to me when we're ready to move." She turned back to the command table.
"Dismissed." she says with finality.
When she was alone, she'd simply think to herself in the silence of it all.
'Piece by piece...the plan is ever falling into place, and we shall hurt the Autobots...and see to our master's return.'
AN Closer: Happy Holidays folks, try not to make yourselves too miserable on food with the family. Above all else, I hope you all enjoy your holidays!