Disclaimer: Beast Wars, Beast Machines and all characters related to those series are the property of MainFrame Entertainment and Hasbro Incorporated. The Transformers and all characters related to that series are the property of Hasbro Incorporated. This fan fiction is dedicated to the cast and crew of all three Transformer generations.
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.
Beast Wars: Basic Program
Chapter 8; Tempus Desistit
Dinobot and Air Razor continued their march up the river banks, still in beast mode. As the glow in the river water intensified the sandy shore line receded until the meadow met the river.
"I thought you hated nature walks." Air Razor said
"Would you please keep you mind on the matter at hand." Dinobot snorted
"I am! I'm looking for Optimus! You're admiring the river!"
"There is nothing admirable about water. At least nothing worthy of my scrutiny."
"Then why do you keep glaring at it?"
Dinobot stopped and pointed to the glowing river, saying "Is that natural?"
"No," Air Razor said "but nothing on this planet is what we have been taught to consider natural."
"And that explanation satisfies your curiosity?"
"At the moment? Yes, it does."
Dinobot rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He would never understand the fairer frequency of the programs. Especially the fairer frequency of the Maximal program. Still, Air Razor had a point about nothing on the planet being natural. The energon, the animals, the geography, none of it followed nature's basic program; and this glowing river was yet another non sequentor.
But there had to be a reason the river glowed. There had to be an explanation to this phenomena as there had to be an explanation to everything else. Nothing ever lacks a purpose, nothing ever exists without a reason. The trick was finding that purpose or reason.
"I'm heading into the forest." Air Razor announced
Dinobot just snorted. Air Razor sighed in disgust and took off. As she swooped over Dinobot's head he stopped and watched her fly into the jungle. He watched until she disappeared, then started back down the river's edge. He only got a few klicks before he stopped, snarled at himself, and started after Air Razor.
As he glanced back at the river one last time, Dinobot's foot slipped out from under him and he nearly lost his balance. Dinobot quickly regained his composure and looked down. Something was glowing beneath his left foot. He lifted his foot slowly to reveal an energon crystal two nano-klicks longs, royal blue, and a perfect cylinder.
Against his better judgment, Dinobot transformed into robot mode and picked the crystal up, holding it by his talons. As he held it up to the sunlight, the crystal cast a neon rainbow onto ground and started to spark where his talons touched it. Energy flowed through his fingers, down his arm and into his generator. It wasn't enough to recharge him, but it was rather refreshing.
Dinobot lowered his arm and looked around the river bank. It was lined with crystals, some larger and some smaller than the one he had found, partially hidden in the grass. Dinobot narrowed his eyes and followed the bank as it disappeared into the river. Had he actually wadded into the river, it would only have come up to the joints where his legs met his hips, but Dinobot wasn't about to risk falling into that glowing liquid.
The bottom of the river was lined with similar crystals fragments. Dinobot knelt down at the river's edge and plunged his free hand into the ice cold water. He grabbed the nearest crystal and yanked it out. This one looked more like a crystals than a tube, though the edges were smooth and curved. It looked similar to the one Megatron had used to charge his cannon.
Could these crystals be the source of the river's glow? Of its power? Dinobot wasn't stupid. He remembered what happened after Cheetor blasted the crystal into the spring. The water began to glow, just like this river was, and after Rhinox rescued Optimus from the spring he complained about memory glitches. And Optimus? Optimus, as Air Razor had put it, had gone ape. And just moments ago, Dinobot had tasted of this river and had forgotten what Air Razor had just said to him.
"Could it be?" Dinobot asked out loud, looking the two crystals over "The River Lethe."
Dinobot held the two crystals up to the sunlight. The light refracted through the crystals and they started to charge, sending their energy through Dinobot's hands...then spark and send waves of energy pulsing from one crystal to the other. The crystals started to glow and the energy waves became more intense and more frequent.
Dinobot threw the crystals into the sky as hard as he could. The crystals raced through the air and nano-clicks later exploded, sending a double shock-wave out in the shape of a sphere. Three hundred and sixty degrees of raw energy sped towards the ground. A part crashed into Dinobot.
The first shockwave sent an energon surge pulsing through Dinobot's body. Dinobot roared in pain as his processors fried. Every nano-klick of his frame locked. His audio and optical sensors died. He flet as though he was going to go off-line.
Then the second wave hit, neutralizing the first and restoring Dinobot's systems to prime condition. Dinobot sank to the ground, gasping for air.
He managed a quiet "By the Pit." before he blacked out.
"That sounded like an explosion!" Rhinox said, as he and the others stopped dead in their tracks
"And it sounded close." Terrorsaur said, landing on a near by log.
The jungle began to shake. Suddenly a wall of blue energy washed over the jungle and raced towards the Maximals and their new ally.
There was not time to react.
The first wave crashed into the three "allies", sending them flying. The three crashed to the ground, their ears ringing like mad and their frames sore from the impact; their beast modes had saved them from a worse fate. The jungle yielded to the waves' pressure, bending towards the ground in submission. The second wave raced over the Maximals. The ringing stopped and the soreness disappeared. The jungle rose and straightened to its full height, no longer afraid.
"Wow." Rhinox said "What was that?"
"Beats me." Rattrap groaned, rubbing the back of his neck
A thunderous roar ripped through the jungle, for the waves were traveling faster than the speed of sound, and sent chills down Terrorsaur's back. He knew that roar.
So did Rattrap.
"Choppa-Face!" Rattrap shouted
"Now THAT can't be good." Rhinox said "Let's go!"
Air Razor stopped and looked back towards the river.
"Did you hear that, Dinobot?" she called down, but there was no answer.
"Dinobot?" Air Razor landed on a tree branch and looked down at the path below, but Dinobot was no where to be seen. She scanned the area, trying to find his energy signature.
"Dinobot!" she called one last time "Stop it! You're not scaring me! Dinobot?"
Air Razor looked back towards the sound of the explosion. A wave of engergy was racing towards her. Air Razor lept off the branch and was about to fly off when the wave slammed into her back. She was sent sprialing in the air before crashing into a tree. She fainted.
As she crumpled to the ground the second wave hit and restored her, healing the damage the impact inflicked on her. Air Razor got to her feet slowly, shocked and frightened.
"What in the world?" she asked as she watched the Gemini waves faded into thin air.
A murderous roar echoed through the jungle. Fear grabbed Air Razor's heart and froze her frame. She trembled as the roar faded into a whisper and then disappeared. Air Razor swallowed hard as she slowly turned around.
"Dinobot?" Air Razor asked. When no answer came, she lept into the air and flew as fast as she could towards the explosion's origin. She had a very bad feeling about what had happened.
"Yikes." Cheetor said, as he watched the shockwaves pierce the jungle below "Either that was some weird breed of fireworks or somebody just got vaped."
Tigatron stopped and turned towards Cheetor. They had picked up Optimus' scent a few moments ago and were now following it up a grassy trail along a mighty mountain. Tigatron came up on Cheetor's left just as the sound of the weakened waves rushed passed them, as gentle as the ocean breeze...followed by a howl of pain!
"What the slag!" Cheetor gasped
"Looks like some one was 'vaped'." Tigatron said sadly
"Should we go check it out?"
"And abandon the trail?"
"But what if that was Optimus?"
Tigatron shock his head and said "I doubt that was, Little Cat. Optimus does not howl like a wounded Sharkicon when damaged."
"You don't think...!"
"I do not know, but to satisfy my natural curiosity; Tigatron to Rattrap, what is the situation?"
"Situation?" Rattrap voice came over the comlink "Wha' ya talkin' 'bout, Stripes?"
"We have just witnessed an explosion not far from where Dinobot and Air Razor were heading. Can you fill us in?"
"Jist witnessed? Where da slag are you two?"
"There's no time, Rattrap," Cheetor snapped "just answer the question!"
"Bolts if I know, Spots." Rattrap said, trying to keep up with Rhinox "Buh listen, sumtin's come up en we need ya ta drop whatya doin' en follow our signals!"
"But what about Optimus?" Cheetor asked
"Kid, if we don' take care a dis we may naht be 'round long enough ta enjoy Fearless Leada's leadaship! Rattrap out!"
"Do you think Megatron got Dinobot and Air Razor?" Terrorsaur asked
"Like I wuz jist tellin' da Kid; Bolts if I know."
"Less talk, more speed!" Rhinox growled as he barreled through the forest, clearing a path with his horn.
"Ah man," Rattrap groaned "dis day kin't git any worse."
"What the slag was that?" Black Arachnia demanded as the force and sound of the explosion faded into the rushing wind.
"An explosion." Tarantulus said sourly, not bothering to look up from his scanners
"Can't you work any faster!" Megatron boomed. He hovered over Tarantulus like a thunder cloud.
"I am working as fast as I can, Megatron," Tarantulus said, a hint of defiance in his voice "but these things take time. This energon is like nothing we've ever encountered. I want to study and document it properly!"
"We don't have time for 'properly'! No!"
"If we have time to wait for Waspinator and Scorpinok then we have time for 'properly'."
Megatron growled and stomped into the crystal clearing, switching on his comlink.
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron bellowed
"Ooooo, pretty!" Scorpinok mused as the shockwaves ballooned out. He was in his beast mode, one clawed hand over his eyes to block the sun, being carried by his tail by Waspinator, also in beast mode. They flew about three klicks above the jungle canopy.
"Hey, Waspinator, do you see that?" Scorpinok asked, motioning towards the energy waves
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron's voice boomed over the comlink.
"No sign of Terrorsaur." Scorpinok said "But there's this energy wave that~"
"Did I ask you?" Megatron asked, dryly
"Waspinator." Waspinator gasped, straining to stay in the air and keep his grip on Scorpinok's tail "Can not. Find. Terror~"
The first wave hit, sending Waspinator and Scorpinok tumbling towards the rushing river below, both of them screaming. They were two klicks above the water when the second wave forced them up into the sky. The waves passed and as the roar ripped through the air the two began to fall.
Waspinator flapped his wings as hard as he could, trying desperately to slow their decent. Scorpinok covered his eyes with his claws and screamed Finally, when Scorpinok was a nano-klick from hitting the water, they jerked to a stop.
"Wow, that was close." Scorpinok sighed, lowering his claws into the water "What was that, anyway?"
"Big explosion." Waspinator answered
Scorpinok's claws began to tingle, as though they were falling asleep, and the water around them began to bubble. Scorpinok quickly pulled his claws out of the water and shock them dry.
"What are you two doing?" Megatron demanded "Report at once and stop fooling around!!!"
"Waspinator and Scorpinok cannot find Terrorsaur." Waspinator sighed into his comlink
"Then look harder." Megatron said gently, then bellowed "I want him back here before sun down! Megatron out!"
Waspinator was shaken to his spark chamber and almost lost his grip on Scorpinok.
"Don't drop me! I had a bath two days ago!" Scorpinok shouted
Waspinator sighed and flew over to the shore, where he put Scorpinok down and promptly crashed.
"Waspinator tired." Waspinator sighed
"We can't rest now!" Scorpinok said "We have to find Terrorsaur!"
"Terrorsaur big bot. Can look after himself."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
"Maybe..." Waspinator started, looking in the direction of the explosion, but he stopped himself
"Maybe? Maybe what? What are you muttering about?"
"Maybe explosion...Terrorsaur?"
Scorpinok looked Waspinator over with narrowed eyes, then turned towards the dying echoes of the explosion.
"Oh, by the Cunning of Galvatron, I hope not." he moaned
Silverback's clan rose their heads as the energy waves collapsed at the edge of their forest. The roar that followed was nothing but a gentle whisper in the wind.
Spike's sister snorted at the wind and called to the others to move out. Something was wrong and their forest was no longer safe. The gorilla clan rose and began to lumber off towards their Haven, a deep rift in the earth only a few miles off. If they stuck to the trails it shouldn't take them too long to get there.
Spike's sister cast her eyes towards the mountains and sighed. She hoped Silverback would be able to find them. Even though he was the strongest amoung them, he was old and a bit forgetful. Yes, he could take out a dozen lions with no problem, but he tired easily and his mind was always on something other than the present.
Everyone was beginning to worry about the Old Keeper. Spike's sister was especailly concerned about him, for he was her father and it was her job to worry about family and their survival.
* * * * *
The sunlight struck the crystals that surrounded Optimus. The crystals started to glow and picked up a charge, sending bolts of energy flying from one crystal to another. The carved lines began to glow, brighter and brighter, sending out multi-colored sparks of energy. Optimus wanted to run! He wanted to race off the stone tower and hide with Spike in the bushes outside!
Insteed, Optimus stood perfectly still and watched the energy dance and race around him.
Suddenly each crystal shot a bolt of energy towards the center of the disk, where Optimus stood. The bolts struck! Optimus let out a horrible howl of pain! The carvings became three dimensional walls that trapped Optimus in their web.
Silverback, who watched the whole thing from a few feet way, nodded his head gravely.
As the energy raced through Optimus, it twisted his mind. It opened doors and broke mental barriers. Optimus' memory came flooding back to him in a jumble of images, sounds, scents, and sensations! But the most important thing the energy bolts did was they opened Optimus' mind to the past, present and future...to non-linear and cylindrical time.
It took him to another universe.
* * * * *
The VOK are an ancient people. A proud people. Once as mortal as any living creature, they tapped into the Essence, the Universal Power, and were filled with it's knowledge. They found a plain of existence where the powers of the Essence were the purest. The VOK called this place the Vortex and from their ranks they chose the most enlightened of their people to live in there and become the guardians of all living things.
War destroyed those VOK left behind, but those in the Vortex never knew of their people's destruction until it was too late to revive them with the Essence.
The VOK became watchers. They rejoiced as civilizations studied and researched the great beyond as they had once done. They mourned when war, hate, fear and greed destroyed the civilizations just as they were moments away from tapping into the Essence.
Then, one VOK went against everything ever taught and held dear by the surviving VOK. Using the Essence, this VOK created a solar system and seeded the third planet with everything it would need to give rise to intelligent life. Life that would find and tap into the Essence...so the VOK would no longer be alone. To ensure the creatures' discovery of the Essence and the VOK, the Renegade covered the planet in monumental puzzles, signal devises, and powerful crystals.
There were other VOK who believed that assuming the role of creator was what they were destine to do, and so the broke from the Vortex and existed in an unstable branch they called the Realm. From the Realm these rebel VOK members watched the planet, which they named The Project, with pounding hearts and clenched fists. If this failed then the VOK would forever be alone and soon fade from existence.
"...Placed in strategic locations along The Project's surface, are seven challenges hooked to seven signal devices. From what we have learned from observing other civilizations, I have created these challenges according to how the creatures of this planet should evolve if they are ever to find the Essence. Three of these devices are visible to the naked eye, out in the open and obstructed by nothing. The remaining four are hidden and can only be found once certain technologies are reached and perfected by the Project's creatures...."
"...When one of the challenges is reached we will be signaled. When its mystery is solved, we will be signaled. When the challenge is mastered, we will be signaled ..."
"...Evolution is too slow, my Brothers and Sisters, and very unpredictable. So, to ensure The Project will not be a waste of our precious time, I have placed on The Project crystals that will aid in the evolution of The Project creatures. Each crystal has a certain color and each color will affect the genetics of the creatures differently. Green crystals will increase speed while white will increase intelligence and blue the amount of energy a creature can have on reserve. Thus limiting how many times it needs to consume food. These are just a few of the many crystals found on The Project..."
"What is the point of having advanced intelligence when there is nothing to test it, to challenge it? Foolish Atronai, you are trying to make what nature has declared impossible. Very well, I will end your folly! I add to your Gift a curse. The Curse of Power, of Rage, of Lust, of Greed, of Insanity. May those who come in contact with my crystal be dominated with my curse till the end of their days, and may their hearts never be satisfied with out the raging red of Chaos."
"Is not the point of The Project to see how a species will use the knowledge of the VOK and Essence? If it is, then why force evolution?"
"The Project is not to see how a species will exist or use knowledge of our kind or of the Essence, but to create a species capable of evolving into creatures similar to the VOK and join us here in the Vortex and Realm. If we are to survive, others must join us here. We are not immortal, my Brothers and Sisters, and our proud people are starting to vanish...."
"...This will take some time, my Brothers and Sisters, and I can assure you that none of us who sit in this council room will ever see the perfect form of our creatures, nor will we ever see the first challenge's discovery, but I have faith in The Project. The VOK will not die out, so long as The Project is in our command."
Time passed and soon the VOK encountered a new threat, The Swarm. Members of many species from every inch of the galaxy had united through tainted energy to become a living virus, a mass bent on destruction and enslavement. They attack the VOK and absorbed them into their ranks. Time continued and soon the VOK took control of the Swarm. A few rebel VOK continued to fight off the Swarm, whose target was The Project. The Swarm intended on using The Project as a breeding ground for the ultimate warrior race, a race that would serve them and enslave the universe. The battle raged on even as Optimus saw their history.
But little did the VOK or the Swarm know, they were merely digging their own graves. For something higher than themselves had summoned help, summoned mighty warriors to stop the VOK, and soon the VOK would taste and be destroyed by the bitter tonic they were currently brewing.
A tall, slender Transformer possessing traits of the Earth beast known as the cheetah was flanked by several other robots with Earth animals traits. Here was a spider and a bat, there a wolf and a vulture. A moth and horse, a rat and chameleon. To the cheetah-bot's right stood a fembot with the attributes of a velosa-raptor and to his left a bot that had traits from three different animals; a snake, an eagle and a lion. There were also a few bots that possessed the traits of plants. There were others, several others, that were purely technological.
All stood ready, facing an army of super-charged tanks, helicopters, motorcycles and jets...all of which had the capability of transforming into lifeless, destructive robots.
These drones, relics from a past war, were being controlled by a renegade Swarm member of VOK decent, who was seeking revenge for The Project's contamination.
The out-come of this battle was unclear, for this battle was to take place in the future, but it was destine to happen. Nothing could be done to stop it, not even self-sacrifice or time travel. For the point of no return had all ready been passed. The event that secured this futuristic battle had all ready happened...
....four million years ago.
The following story, the personal histories of the characters, portions of the history of Cybertron both past and future, and the briefly mentioned Valnatron are all my creation.
Special thanks goes out to Ben Yee of www.bwtf.com for the use of his "Cybertroninan Dictionary" and reviews of the episodes of Beast Wars and Beast Machines; to Gemini83 for his persistence in making sure I stayed on my schedule; to the talented voice actors who brought the characters to life and the people who worked behind the scenes to give those voices a frame to dwell in and adventures to endure.
Beast Wars: Basic Program
Chapter 8; Tempus Desistit
Dinobot and Air Razor continued their march up the river banks, still in beast mode. As the glow in the river water intensified the sandy shore line receded until the meadow met the river.
"I thought you hated nature walks." Air Razor said
"Would you please keep you mind on the matter at hand." Dinobot snorted
"I am! I'm looking for Optimus! You're admiring the river!"
"There is nothing admirable about water. At least nothing worthy of my scrutiny."
"Then why do you keep glaring at it?"
Dinobot stopped and pointed to the glowing river, saying "Is that natural?"
"No," Air Razor said "but nothing on this planet is what we have been taught to consider natural."
"And that explanation satisfies your curiosity?"
"At the moment? Yes, it does."
Dinobot rolled his eyes and continued on his way. He would never understand the fairer frequency of the programs. Especially the fairer frequency of the Maximal program. Still, Air Razor had a point about nothing on the planet being natural. The energon, the animals, the geography, none of it followed nature's basic program; and this glowing river was yet another non sequentor.
But there had to be a reason the river glowed. There had to be an explanation to this phenomena as there had to be an explanation to everything else. Nothing ever lacks a purpose, nothing ever exists without a reason. The trick was finding that purpose or reason.
"I'm heading into the forest." Air Razor announced
Dinobot just snorted. Air Razor sighed in disgust and took off. As she swooped over Dinobot's head he stopped and watched her fly into the jungle. He watched until she disappeared, then started back down the river's edge. He only got a few klicks before he stopped, snarled at himself, and started after Air Razor.
As he glanced back at the river one last time, Dinobot's foot slipped out from under him and he nearly lost his balance. Dinobot quickly regained his composure and looked down. Something was glowing beneath his left foot. He lifted his foot slowly to reveal an energon crystal two nano-klicks longs, royal blue, and a perfect cylinder.
Against his better judgment, Dinobot transformed into robot mode and picked the crystal up, holding it by his talons. As he held it up to the sunlight, the crystal cast a neon rainbow onto ground and started to spark where his talons touched it. Energy flowed through his fingers, down his arm and into his generator. It wasn't enough to recharge him, but it was rather refreshing.
Dinobot lowered his arm and looked around the river bank. It was lined with crystals, some larger and some smaller than the one he had found, partially hidden in the grass. Dinobot narrowed his eyes and followed the bank as it disappeared into the river. Had he actually wadded into the river, it would only have come up to the joints where his legs met his hips, but Dinobot wasn't about to risk falling into that glowing liquid.
The bottom of the river was lined with similar crystals fragments. Dinobot knelt down at the river's edge and plunged his free hand into the ice cold water. He grabbed the nearest crystal and yanked it out. This one looked more like a crystals than a tube, though the edges were smooth and curved. It looked similar to the one Megatron had used to charge his cannon.
Could these crystals be the source of the river's glow? Of its power? Dinobot wasn't stupid. He remembered what happened after Cheetor blasted the crystal into the spring. The water began to glow, just like this river was, and after Rhinox rescued Optimus from the spring he complained about memory glitches. And Optimus? Optimus, as Air Razor had put it, had gone ape. And just moments ago, Dinobot had tasted of this river and had forgotten what Air Razor had just said to him.
"Could it be?" Dinobot asked out loud, looking the two crystals over "The River Lethe."
Dinobot held the two crystals up to the sunlight. The light refracted through the crystals and they started to charge, sending their energy through Dinobot's hands...then spark and send waves of energy pulsing from one crystal to the other. The crystals started to glow and the energy waves became more intense and more frequent.
Dinobot threw the crystals into the sky as hard as he could. The crystals raced through the air and nano-clicks later exploded, sending a double shock-wave out in the shape of a sphere. Three hundred and sixty degrees of raw energy sped towards the ground. A part crashed into Dinobot.
The first shockwave sent an energon surge pulsing through Dinobot's body. Dinobot roared in pain as his processors fried. Every nano-klick of his frame locked. His audio and optical sensors died. He flet as though he was going to go off-line.
Then the second wave hit, neutralizing the first and restoring Dinobot's systems to prime condition. Dinobot sank to the ground, gasping for air.
He managed a quiet "By the Pit." before he blacked out.
"That sounded like an explosion!" Rhinox said, as he and the others stopped dead in their tracks
"And it sounded close." Terrorsaur said, landing on a near by log.
The jungle began to shake. Suddenly a wall of blue energy washed over the jungle and raced towards the Maximals and their new ally.
There was not time to react.
The first wave crashed into the three "allies", sending them flying. The three crashed to the ground, their ears ringing like mad and their frames sore from the impact; their beast modes had saved them from a worse fate. The jungle yielded to the waves' pressure, bending towards the ground in submission. The second wave raced over the Maximals. The ringing stopped and the soreness disappeared. The jungle rose and straightened to its full height, no longer afraid.
"Wow." Rhinox said "What was that?"
"Beats me." Rattrap groaned, rubbing the back of his neck
A thunderous roar ripped through the jungle, for the waves were traveling faster than the speed of sound, and sent chills down Terrorsaur's back. He knew that roar.
So did Rattrap.
"Choppa-Face!" Rattrap shouted
"Now THAT can't be good." Rhinox said "Let's go!"
Air Razor stopped and looked back towards the river.
"Did you hear that, Dinobot?" she called down, but there was no answer.
"Dinobot?" Air Razor landed on a tree branch and looked down at the path below, but Dinobot was no where to be seen. She scanned the area, trying to find his energy signature.
"Dinobot!" she called one last time "Stop it! You're not scaring me! Dinobot?"
Air Razor looked back towards the sound of the explosion. A wave of engergy was racing towards her. Air Razor lept off the branch and was about to fly off when the wave slammed into her back. She was sent sprialing in the air before crashing into a tree. She fainted.
As she crumpled to the ground the second wave hit and restored her, healing the damage the impact inflicked on her. Air Razor got to her feet slowly, shocked and frightened.
"What in the world?" she asked as she watched the Gemini waves faded into thin air.
A murderous roar echoed through the jungle. Fear grabbed Air Razor's heart and froze her frame. She trembled as the roar faded into a whisper and then disappeared. Air Razor swallowed hard as she slowly turned around.
"Dinobot?" Air Razor asked. When no answer came, she lept into the air and flew as fast as she could towards the explosion's origin. She had a very bad feeling about what had happened.
"Yikes." Cheetor said, as he watched the shockwaves pierce the jungle below "Either that was some weird breed of fireworks or somebody just got vaped."
Tigatron stopped and turned towards Cheetor. They had picked up Optimus' scent a few moments ago and were now following it up a grassy trail along a mighty mountain. Tigatron came up on Cheetor's left just as the sound of the weakened waves rushed passed them, as gentle as the ocean breeze...followed by a howl of pain!
"What the slag!" Cheetor gasped
"Looks like some one was 'vaped'." Tigatron said sadly
"Should we go check it out?"
"And abandon the trail?"
"But what if that was Optimus?"
Tigatron shock his head and said "I doubt that was, Little Cat. Optimus does not howl like a wounded Sharkicon when damaged."
"You don't think...!"
"I do not know, but to satisfy my natural curiosity; Tigatron to Rattrap, what is the situation?"
"Situation?" Rattrap voice came over the comlink "Wha' ya talkin' 'bout, Stripes?"
"We have just witnessed an explosion not far from where Dinobot and Air Razor were heading. Can you fill us in?"
"Jist witnessed? Where da slag are you two?"
"There's no time, Rattrap," Cheetor snapped "just answer the question!"
"Bolts if I know, Spots." Rattrap said, trying to keep up with Rhinox "Buh listen, sumtin's come up en we need ya ta drop whatya doin' en follow our signals!"
"But what about Optimus?" Cheetor asked
"Kid, if we don' take care a dis we may naht be 'round long enough ta enjoy Fearless Leada's leadaship! Rattrap out!"
"Do you think Megatron got Dinobot and Air Razor?" Terrorsaur asked
"Like I wuz jist tellin' da Kid; Bolts if I know."
"Less talk, more speed!" Rhinox growled as he barreled through the forest, clearing a path with his horn.
"Ah man," Rattrap groaned "dis day kin't git any worse."
"What the slag was that?" Black Arachnia demanded as the force and sound of the explosion faded into the rushing wind.
"An explosion." Tarantulus said sourly, not bothering to look up from his scanners
"Can't you work any faster!" Megatron boomed. He hovered over Tarantulus like a thunder cloud.
"I am working as fast as I can, Megatron," Tarantulus said, a hint of defiance in his voice "but these things take time. This energon is like nothing we've ever encountered. I want to study and document it properly!"
"We don't have time for 'properly'! No!"
"If we have time to wait for Waspinator and Scorpinok then we have time for 'properly'."
Megatron growled and stomped into the crystal clearing, switching on his comlink.
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron bellowed
"Ooooo, pretty!" Scorpinok mused as the shockwaves ballooned out. He was in his beast mode, one clawed hand over his eyes to block the sun, being carried by his tail by Waspinator, also in beast mode. They flew about three klicks above the jungle canopy.
"Hey, Waspinator, do you see that?" Scorpinok asked, motioning towards the energy waves
"Waspinator, report!" Megatron's voice boomed over the comlink.
"No sign of Terrorsaur." Scorpinok said "But there's this energy wave that~"
"Did I ask you?" Megatron asked, dryly
"Waspinator." Waspinator gasped, straining to stay in the air and keep his grip on Scorpinok's tail "Can not. Find. Terror~"
The first wave hit, sending Waspinator and Scorpinok tumbling towards the rushing river below, both of them screaming. They were two klicks above the water when the second wave forced them up into the sky. The waves passed and as the roar ripped through the air the two began to fall.
Waspinator flapped his wings as hard as he could, trying desperately to slow their decent. Scorpinok covered his eyes with his claws and screamed Finally, when Scorpinok was a nano-klick from hitting the water, they jerked to a stop.
"Wow, that was close." Scorpinok sighed, lowering his claws into the water "What was that, anyway?"
"Big explosion." Waspinator answered
Scorpinok's claws began to tingle, as though they were falling asleep, and the water around them began to bubble. Scorpinok quickly pulled his claws out of the water and shock them dry.
"What are you two doing?" Megatron demanded "Report at once and stop fooling around!!!"
"Waspinator and Scorpinok cannot find Terrorsaur." Waspinator sighed into his comlink
"Then look harder." Megatron said gently, then bellowed "I want him back here before sun down! Megatron out!"
Waspinator was shaken to his spark chamber and almost lost his grip on Scorpinok.
"Don't drop me! I had a bath two days ago!" Scorpinok shouted
Waspinator sighed and flew over to the shore, where he put Scorpinok down and promptly crashed.
"Waspinator tired." Waspinator sighed
"We can't rest now!" Scorpinok said "We have to find Terrorsaur!"
"Terrorsaur big bot. Can look after himself."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
"Maybe..." Waspinator started, looking in the direction of the explosion, but he stopped himself
"Maybe? Maybe what? What are you muttering about?"
"Maybe explosion...Terrorsaur?"
Scorpinok looked Waspinator over with narrowed eyes, then turned towards the dying echoes of the explosion.
"Oh, by the Cunning of Galvatron, I hope not." he moaned
Silverback's clan rose their heads as the energy waves collapsed at the edge of their forest. The roar that followed was nothing but a gentle whisper in the wind.
Spike's sister snorted at the wind and called to the others to move out. Something was wrong and their forest was no longer safe. The gorilla clan rose and began to lumber off towards their Haven, a deep rift in the earth only a few miles off. If they stuck to the trails it shouldn't take them too long to get there.
Spike's sister cast her eyes towards the mountains and sighed. She hoped Silverback would be able to find them. Even though he was the strongest amoung them, he was old and a bit forgetful. Yes, he could take out a dozen lions with no problem, but he tired easily and his mind was always on something other than the present.
Everyone was beginning to worry about the Old Keeper. Spike's sister was especailly concerned about him, for he was her father and it was her job to worry about family and their survival.
* * * * *
The sunlight struck the crystals that surrounded Optimus. The crystals started to glow and picked up a charge, sending bolts of energy flying from one crystal to another. The carved lines began to glow, brighter and brighter, sending out multi-colored sparks of energy. Optimus wanted to run! He wanted to race off the stone tower and hide with Spike in the bushes outside!
Insteed, Optimus stood perfectly still and watched the energy dance and race around him.
Suddenly each crystal shot a bolt of energy towards the center of the disk, where Optimus stood. The bolts struck! Optimus let out a horrible howl of pain! The carvings became three dimensional walls that trapped Optimus in their web.
Silverback, who watched the whole thing from a few feet way, nodded his head gravely.
As the energy raced through Optimus, it twisted his mind. It opened doors and broke mental barriers. Optimus' memory came flooding back to him in a jumble of images, sounds, scents, and sensations! But the most important thing the energy bolts did was they opened Optimus' mind to the past, present and future...to non-linear and cylindrical time.
It took him to another universe.
* * * * *
The VOK are an ancient people. A proud people. Once as mortal as any living creature, they tapped into the Essence, the Universal Power, and were filled with it's knowledge. They found a plain of existence where the powers of the Essence were the purest. The VOK called this place the Vortex and from their ranks they chose the most enlightened of their people to live in there and become the guardians of all living things.
War destroyed those VOK left behind, but those in the Vortex never knew of their people's destruction until it was too late to revive them with the Essence.
The VOK became watchers. They rejoiced as civilizations studied and researched the great beyond as they had once done. They mourned when war, hate, fear and greed destroyed the civilizations just as they were moments away from tapping into the Essence.
Then, one VOK went against everything ever taught and held dear by the surviving VOK. Using the Essence, this VOK created a solar system and seeded the third planet with everything it would need to give rise to intelligent life. Life that would find and tap into the Essence...so the VOK would no longer be alone. To ensure the creatures' discovery of the Essence and the VOK, the Renegade covered the planet in monumental puzzles, signal devises, and powerful crystals.
There were other VOK who believed that assuming the role of creator was what they were destine to do, and so the broke from the Vortex and existed in an unstable branch they called the Realm. From the Realm these rebel VOK members watched the planet, which they named The Project, with pounding hearts and clenched fists. If this failed then the VOK would forever be alone and soon fade from existence.
"...Placed in strategic locations along The Project's surface, are seven challenges hooked to seven signal devices. From what we have learned from observing other civilizations, I have created these challenges according to how the creatures of this planet should evolve if they are ever to find the Essence. Three of these devices are visible to the naked eye, out in the open and obstructed by nothing. The remaining four are hidden and can only be found once certain technologies are reached and perfected by the Project's creatures...."
"...When one of the challenges is reached we will be signaled. When its mystery is solved, we will be signaled. When the challenge is mastered, we will be signaled ..."
"...Evolution is too slow, my Brothers and Sisters, and very unpredictable. So, to ensure The Project will not be a waste of our precious time, I have placed on The Project crystals that will aid in the evolution of The Project creatures. Each crystal has a certain color and each color will affect the genetics of the creatures differently. Green crystals will increase speed while white will increase intelligence and blue the amount of energy a creature can have on reserve. Thus limiting how many times it needs to consume food. These are just a few of the many crystals found on The Project..."
"What is the point of having advanced intelligence when there is nothing to test it, to challenge it? Foolish Atronai, you are trying to make what nature has declared impossible. Very well, I will end your folly! I add to your Gift a curse. The Curse of Power, of Rage, of Lust, of Greed, of Insanity. May those who come in contact with my crystal be dominated with my curse till the end of their days, and may their hearts never be satisfied with out the raging red of Chaos."
"Is not the point of The Project to see how a species will use the knowledge of the VOK and Essence? If it is, then why force evolution?"
"The Project is not to see how a species will exist or use knowledge of our kind or of the Essence, but to create a species capable of evolving into creatures similar to the VOK and join us here in the Vortex and Realm. If we are to survive, others must join us here. We are not immortal, my Brothers and Sisters, and our proud people are starting to vanish...."
"...This will take some time, my Brothers and Sisters, and I can assure you that none of us who sit in this council room will ever see the perfect form of our creatures, nor will we ever see the first challenge's discovery, but I have faith in The Project. The VOK will not die out, so long as The Project is in our command."
Time passed and soon the VOK encountered a new threat, The Swarm. Members of many species from every inch of the galaxy had united through tainted energy to become a living virus, a mass bent on destruction and enslavement. They attack the VOK and absorbed them into their ranks. Time continued and soon the VOK took control of the Swarm. A few rebel VOK continued to fight off the Swarm, whose target was The Project. The Swarm intended on using The Project as a breeding ground for the ultimate warrior race, a race that would serve them and enslave the universe. The battle raged on even as Optimus saw their history.
But little did the VOK or the Swarm know, they were merely digging their own graves. For something higher than themselves had summoned help, summoned mighty warriors to stop the VOK, and soon the VOK would taste and be destroyed by the bitter tonic they were currently brewing.
A tall, slender Transformer possessing traits of the Earth beast known as the cheetah was flanked by several other robots with Earth animals traits. Here was a spider and a bat, there a wolf and a vulture. A moth and horse, a rat and chameleon. To the cheetah-bot's right stood a fembot with the attributes of a velosa-raptor and to his left a bot that had traits from three different animals; a snake, an eagle and a lion. There were also a few bots that possessed the traits of plants. There were others, several others, that were purely technological.
All stood ready, facing an army of super-charged tanks, helicopters, motorcycles and jets...all of which had the capability of transforming into lifeless, destructive robots.
These drones, relics from a past war, were being controlled by a renegade Swarm member of VOK decent, who was seeking revenge for The Project's contamination.
The out-come of this battle was unclear, for this battle was to take place in the future, but it was destine to happen. Nothing could be done to stop it, not even self-sacrifice or time travel. For the point of no return had all ready been passed. The event that secured this futuristic battle had all ready happened...
....four million years ago.