Chapter 06
Metal spires and other completely mechanized structures scrolled beneath Skyfire. The ever nighttime, starlit sky remained unchanged above him as he traveled over the surface of the Cybertronian moon. He wasn't sure what he was searching for, but any sign of Autobot life would be comforting. So far, however, there was nothing. "What did you think?" he muttered to himself. "There was going to be a big sign with lights that said 'Autobots hiding here?'" He kept flying, though; he couldn't allow himself to get discouraged. The moon was small but not so small that he could search all of it. He was already running low on energy and he hadn't been looking for very long. The fight had drained him of most of his reserve.
The fight.
The images of the Autobot shuttle crashing wouldn't stop flashing through his mind. The thoughts of his friends and Optimus Prime dying kept infiltrating his thoughts no matter how he tried to focus on something else. Lost in thoughts as he was he did not see the attack coming.
An orange laser blast caught him on his right wing and sent him into a spin and the metallic ground rushed up to meet him. He hadn't been flying all that high, but he had been going rather fast. The speed sent him sliding across the surface of the moon for about a mega-mile. If he had been flying any higher he would have been finished. Slowly, painfully, he transformed into robot mode and inspected his surroundings, holding his head. He was lucky to be alive.
He had come to rest in the middle of a street, structures towering above him to either side. Higher up he saw walkways and overpasses crisscrossing between the buildings and leading to others. It was all a bit overwhelming and gave one the image of a construction engineer gone mad, then he thought of the Constructicons and figured that that assumption may not be far off. He was standing at the end of a long trench that he had dug during his crash. Even a Decepticon missing his eyes would be able to find him if he stayed where he was.
"Where did that attack come from?" he asked himself. He peered back the way he had come from and saw two figures approaching. Skyfire lacked the power to magnify his vision, but he didn't need to. The two figures were approaching, him, walking with caution. Good, that would give him a few moments to think. He was far too damaged to transform and there was no way he could outrun them on foot. He also didn't have enough energon to use for his weapons for more than a few micro-seconds. He was left with no choice, he would fight them hand-to-hand for as long as he could.
The two assailants were closer now and he could make out more details. First and foremost, he noticed one of them had his weapon drawn and the other pointed him arms toward him in a threatening manner-obviously he had a built-in weapon system.
The one with the gun was two shades of blue and it appeared as though he was holding himself back just to keep pace with the other. "Great," Skyfire mused. "This guy just can't wait to kick my tail wing." The other was red with orange-was it flames?-painted on his chest and a yellow sort of wing rising from his back.
Skyfire was filled with relief when he saw the Cybertronian symbol for industry and prosperity emblazoned on both of their chests. They were Autobots. He wouldn't have to fight after all, which was fine with him. He'd had enough fighting for today.
"On your feet, tiny," the red one said with a haughty demeanor. "Looks, like we caught ourselves a whopper this time, huh, Blurr?"
Skyfire spoke up, relief more apparent in his voice than he would have liked, "I thought you guys were Decepticons." The red Autobot cut him off again.
"You should be so lucky. Nope. No help from your pals this time, Deceptichump." He and the other one-Blurr-pulled him to his feet and forced him to begin walking forward.
"Look," Skyfire pointed to his chest, "I'm not a Decepticon. I'm an Autobot, just like you."
They stopped and glared at him. "You're not at all like me, Decepticon. You've tried this trick too many times to count. You must think us Autobots are a bunch of idiots to fall for this trick so many times. Changing you insignia is not that hard to do. Changing your nature is, though. Now let's get moving. I know some people who'll love to talk to you."
"But, I'm really not . . ."
He was cut off by the one that had been called Blurr, this time by pointing a gun in his face. He spoke quickly, very quickly, as though his voice modulator was over-torqued. "You listen to what Hot Rod says, because if you don't listen to what Hot Rod says you're going to get blasted and I don't think that's something you would like us to do. Now, please be quiet and don't say anything else, okay, okay, okay?"
Skyfire thought he made out the name or the red Autobot in that jumble of quickly spoken words-Hot Rod.
Hot Rod pulled out a device and pointed it at him and activated it. A pink ring of energy appeared around Skyfire's wrists and body, immobilizing his arms. From the ring around his chest a ray extended to a protrusion from the device-a leash. Hot Rod pulled on his end and Skyfire had no choice but to follow.
He was led down several streets and back alleys, all of which looked extremely similar, but he reminded himself that that was the way of Cybertron. Built to chaotic perfection. He decided it would be best if he kept quiet for a while, since it was doing him absolutely no good. Hot Rod was apparently too convinced of his guilt and Blurr seemed contented to go along with Hot Rod's assumption. His only choice now was to wait, and try to reason with whoever it was they were taking him to see. If they meant to kill him they would have done so already. For an instant he thought that they would torture him. No, he forced the thought away. That was not the way of the Autobots; they did not take and torture prisoners. The Decepticons did that; he was confusing his past with his present again. The fact that he had once been a Decepticon still haunted every so often, and this was turning out to be one of those times.
They eventually stopped at the end of a long street that dead-ended into a solid wall. Blurr kicked over some scrap that was piled rather conspicuously in the corner of the alley, conspicuous because the rest of the alley was spotless. Beneath the scrap was a control panel. With unbelievable speed Blurr keyed in a long and complicated code. When he was finished there was a sharp hiss as a small door opened in the previously blank wall in front of him.
Hot Rod and Blurr ducked inside and pulled Skyfire through after them. It was a very tight squeeze and he thought that he wasn't going to make it, but after some finagling he managed get himself inside. The area he entered was thankfully more spacious and Skyfire was even able to stand upright, though he couldn't see very far beyond the minimal lighting provided by the open doorway. The hatch slid shut behind them and darkness fell over the group for a moment. Horizontal cylinders placed along the walls slowly came to life, illuminating the mostly barren walls, floor, and ceiling of the corridor. The lights were placed every fifteen paces or so and continued around a bend in the distance. The hallway was very long and wide giving them enough room to walk abreast, which Hot Rod and Blurr found the need to do. They flanked Skyfire like a he was a prisoner-which he was of course-and began to herd him down the passage. Skyfire noticed there were skid marks all along the corridor from the tires of a transport-or possibly from racing.
As they walked, he saw that the corridor sloped gently downward. Wherever they were leading him it was beneath the surface of the moon. They walked for a long while, through the seemingly endless hallway, the surroundings unchanging. The walls stayed a uniform metallic blue and the lights remained at the same level at the same intervals. Only three times did another hall branch off of the one they were in, but these were ignored. He tried to see down these side-passages, but the lighting that was present along their current course didn't appear active in the other hallways. Hot Rod and Blurr did not speak to him or even each other at all during the entire long trip, though they did keep passing worried glances between them. The only noise was the echoes of their own metallic footsteps.
On a more positive side of things, the walk gave Skyfire the time he needed to think of what he could do to escape, but every time he tried to come up with a plan the shuttle crash entered his mind and he had to start over again. In short, he was getting nowhere fast in regards to a breakout.
Finally, the small group came to a large door that looked better suited to a warehouse, but a closer inspection revealed it to be thick and reinforced enough to be an entrance to a bomb shelter. This time Hot Rod keyed the lock controls, but the door did not open, at least not immediately. After a few moments there was the loud "thunk" of a magnetic lock was released and the door slid open from a split in the middle on a diagonal, revealing another thick door just behind the first with the same characteristics. This secondary door then slid open as the first had only, at the opposite angle. Beyond was a large room that, for some reason he couldn't place, filled Skyfire with hope. The first feeling of hope he had felt since arriving. Blurr and Hot Rod pushed him inside.
The walls inside were covered with various monitors, computer terminals, and blinking technology. There were several large consoles standing in the center of the room and some against the far walls. Wiring draped down from several loose panels in the ceiling and large knots of cable snaked across the floor. At the far end of the chamber there was a raised platform with a large semicircle of computer terminals upon it. This was obviously the central hub of controls for the whole room, and possibly the entire complex.
Standing on the platform behind the terminals was a large Autobot who was clearly the leader of this group judging by how he carried himself. His large red, white, and blue figure was imposing; his presence carried a weight that could be felt. Overall he was one of the most impressive figures Skyfire had seen next to Optimus Prime. All of the force behind his powerful gaze was being directed at Skyfire at the moment. He felt the illogical urge to flee rather than have this Autobot displeased with him.
The lead Autobot moved out from behind the computer banks and approached the trio. When he spoke, Skyfire was astounded to find his voice was smooth, gentle, and unhurried. He did not sound menacing and foreboding as he originally thought it might be. "What have you brought home with you this time, Hot Rod?"
"Nothing much. I don't think I'll be too disappointed if you tell me I can't keep it," Hot Rod answered sarcastically.
The large Autobot approached Skyfire and inspected him closely, his gaze lingering on the Autobot insignia. The edges around it were raised from when he switched sides and Wheeljack had to replace it-the seams were still visible. That was not a good thing, he thought. He feared the worst; clearly they were going to think him a fraud-a spy for the Decepticons. Therefore he very was surprised when the big robot looked to Hot Rod and said, "Deactivate the containment unit."
Hot Rod and Blurr gasped audibly. "I don't know if you've thought about this enough, because if you've thought about it you would know that this is a Decepticons and Decepticons aren't very good news and good news is just the kind of news we need now!" Blurr rattled off.
"Do you really think that's such a good idea?" Hot Rod asked.
He received a nod in response. Hot Rod looked up at his leader and with an uneasy look, sighed in exasperation, and pressed a sequence of keys on the hand held device. In an instant the restraining energy rings winked out of existence. The leader figure circled Skyfire once more before stopping in front of him. He noticed that the Autobot was as tall as he was, and he was being looked in the eye, something few Autobots had the stature to do.
"What are you doing around here?" Skyfire was asked.
He thought a moment on how to respond, sensing that his answers were critical. Finally, he decided to go with the truth. "I'm looking for a way to stop a new Decepticon weapon."
Skyfire was scrutinized for a moment, as if they were having a hard time believing. "That seems an enormous task for just one Autobot."
He sighed. "I did come here with several others, but we were attacked and our ship was shot down. It crash landed on the moon."
Hot Rod quickly jumped in, pointing a finger right at Skyfire's chest. "There was no crash! It would have come up on the seismic monitors! The game's over, Decepticon!" He swiveled his head to his leader. "You're not going to believe this guy are you, Ultra Magnus?"
Ultra Magnus. At the mention of the name Skyfire knew he had found what he was looking for. Optimus Prime had mentioned this name with a great deal of respect. Ever since the Autobots crashed on Earth so long ago his fate was unknown. But any friend of Optimus was surely a friend of his. He hoped.
"Calm down, Hot Rod. He didn't even say the was this moon." Ultra Magnus addressed Skyfire once again. "What happened to the others?"
Feeling he found a safe haven an overwhelming sense of relief came over Skyfire. These Autobots would help him; they would be able to find a way to destroy the Decepticon Swarm and save the Earth. In his relief Skyfire forgot himself momentarily, and his words came in a surge. "Ultra Magnus! I came here from Earth with Optimus Prime! We were looking for a way to stop a powerful new weapon the Decepticons have just received, but when we arrived we were attacked and our ship crashed. I was the only Autobot with the ability to fly so I-"
He was cut off once again by Hot Rod. "Pretty convenient that you're the only survivor. It gives your story no loose ends. If you're such the heroic Autobot how is it that you didn't save any of the others?"
"I left the ship to defend it before it was shot down. By the time I drew the enemy fire off the Decepticons had called in reinforcements. I was too far from the ship because of my own fight when they were shot down. All I could do is watch or be destroyed." He looked down at Hot Rod with a cruel expression. "If you want to condemn me so badly why even ask me any questions." He looked back to Ultra Magnus. "If you think I'm a Decepticon just kill me and get it over with!"
"I never said I thought you were a Decepticon," Ultra Magnus said gently before turning to address Hot Rod in a more gruff voice. "That's enough out of you. Why don't you and Blurr go and get Arcee from the Ops Center and bring her down here."
Blurr looked up at Ultra Magnus with a look of relief, probably because this little incident was finally resolved. Or so it seemed. "If you think you're going to be all right Ultra Magnus then I believe you're going to be all right, because if you can trust yourself then who can you trust? I trust your judgment every time, Ultra Magnus so I'll go get Arcee and be back here before you know it!"
Hot Rod grabbed Blurr and began to herd him out the door. "Come on motor mouth, let's get up the Ops Center." The two Autobots left through a door opposite where the three of them had entered.
After they had gone Ultra Magnus asked, "What is your name?"
"Skyfire."
"And you came here from Earth with Optimus Prime?"
Skyfire indicated it was so.
Ultra Magnus fell silent for a time, seemingly lost in thought. When no other questions were forthcoming Skyfire asked, "Why didn't you think I was a Decepticon, like the others did?"
"I know Decepticon work and that," he said pointing at the Autobot emblem on Skyfire's chest, "is not it."
Perplexed he asked, "How can you tell?"
"The Decepticons would have done the job much more perfectly than that. It looks like you were butchered or the materials to do it properly were not available."
Skyfire nodded in understanding, but somewhat in awe at the reasoning. Hesitantly he decided to ask, "Does this mean that you'll help me?"
Walking back behind the set of computer banks he sat back down. "Yes. Or at least we'll try." Then after a moment he added, "Oh, and don't worry about Hot Rod, he's just overeager. He's not really all that bad once you get to know him. There is, however, the more urgent matter of your friends in the shuttle and Optimus Prime. We're going to have to go after them."
"What? How can we do that? We'd get atomized before we got close enough," Skyfire said.
Ultra Magnus shook his head. "We have a space bridge to the other moon set up so that we could evacuate in an emergency. We can get to the other moon and back without the Decepticons even knowing we were there. But first, what is this problem that brought you to Cybertron?"
Skyfire related the story of the Decepticons' new weapon and how it nearly defeated them. Based on the small amount of information they had learned from Teletraan One it was decided that it was likely of Cybertronian origin, so the solution had to lie there was well.
"That sounds like Optimus Prime all right," Magnus said proudly. "That's even more proof that you're on the right side. A Decepticon couldn't have described Prime so exactly."
"So you really did know Optimus Prime."
Magnus's smile widened. "Of course. We fought side by side for a very long time before he left Cybertron to look for a new source of energy all those years ago. We had given up hope on him, although we did learn that he had been back to Cybertron a few times since then. His main priority, though, is to protect the Earth so the Decepticons don't gain a new source of power. You know the rest. The Decepticons, under Shockwave's command, were sent out to find another supply of energy and they succeeded. The energy was brought back and they Decepticons took control of Cybertron."
Ultra Magnus was right. Skyfire knew all of this and it made him furious. Furious that at one time he had been part of their twisted schemes. If the Decepticons were not stopped they would spread through the universe like a virus and conquer everything. No planet would be safe from their threat.
A door opened to the left of Ultra Magnus and three Autobots came through. Skyfire recognized Blurr and Hot Rod but the third he did not. It was all the more surprising that the third was a female.
Almost all of the female Autobots had been destroyed, only a precious few remained, and they were on Cybertron itself-or so Skyfire had thought. Arcee was a sleek pink and white Autobot with gentle, caring features. She studied him for a moment before asking, "This is the Decepticon that Hot Rod captured?"
Hot Rod grimaced under the reproachful look that Ultra Magnus gave him, but nothing more was said about the issue. "Arcee, this is Skyfire," Magnus said. Skyfire nodded a respectful greeting to her, recognizing her as the rarity she was. "He's from Earth and came here with Optimus Prime, himself." She looked shocked at the mention of Optimus, but she quickly composed herself. "They were shot down by Decepticons over the other moon. We have to go and locate the crash site immediately."
"What are you talking about, Magnus? Have you rewired yourself?" Hot Rod burst out. "What about rescuing Kup and Springer? Why would we need to go to the crash site?"
Ultra Magnus answered in an even tone, apparently he was used to such outbursts from Hot Rod. "For two reasons. First, we have to see if we can help anyone who may be left alive. Any crash survivors will be in desperate need for repairs."
Skyfire felt a pang of anger toward himself for not even allowing for the possibility that they were alive, he just assumed that the crash destroyed them all.
"Second, and most importantly," Magnus continued, "if Optimus Prime is indeed dead we need to secure the Autobot Matrix of Leadership before it gets into Decepticon hands."
Yet another possibility that he had not thought of was the Matrix being taken. If the Decepticons managed to open it, no matter how unlikely, they would have a highly concentrated source of power with which to rule. Even worse, the Autobots would not have the wisdom and guidance it provided in the most desperate of times. Now things became more critical. They had to get to the moon and find the Matrix, if nothing else.
"You can go if you want to, Magnus," Hot Rod still insisted. "I'm going to rescue Kup and Springer. We've been planning this for too long to back out at the last astro-second. I'm not turning my back on my friends on the word of a Decepticon spy."
Ultra Magnus began to respond before Skyfire cut in. "For the last time, Hot Rod, I am not a Decepticon! I was at one time, yes, but I realized the cruelty of their ways. I sought Optimus Prime and converted. I want to help you set your friends free, but we need the Matrix. If Optimus Prime and the others that arrived with me are still alive they will help you on your rescue mission, I promise. I'm sure the extra help will increase your chances of success, just like your help will get the Matrix back and save lives."
Hot Rod stood with his eyes flicking back and forth between Skyfire and Ultra Magnus, confusion and indecision plaguing his expression. Finally he gave in. "Are you sure you didn't know Ultra Magnus before now?" Skyfire smiled, but Hot Rod wasn't finished. "I still don't trust you entirely, but I respect Ultra Magnus's judge of character so I'll tolerate you . . . for now." He walked toward the door that they had brought Arcee through. "If you need me I'll be getting supplies for the trip. C'mon, Blurr, I'm going to need help."
As the door slid shut behind them Skyfire asked, "What was that supposed to mean?"
Magnus smiled back at him. "It means you did a good job explaining things to him." He still wasn't sure he was clear on things, but he accepted it just the same. "Let go get some weapons, Skyfire. We'd better be prepared for the worst. Arcee, you go get the space bridge ready for transport, we'll catch up in a little while."
The female Autobot left the command room through the same door Blurr and Hot Rod had. Magnus moved to a small panel on the opposite wall and keyed a sequence. There was a hiss and a wall of computer monitors and consoles swung open, revealing a high and wide corridor beyond. "This way," Skyfire was instructed.
Ultra Magnus transformed into a large transport of sorts. Nothing that Skyfire was used to from Earth. A large sleek, formed "cab" was inserted into a large trailer bed that closed up around like a trailer. Several weapons were mounted on the outside of the blue "trailer." All in all he looked like a bulkier alien version of Optimus Prime, Skyfire decided. With a whirring of gears the sides of the trailer folded down and formed a flat-bed that could be used to transporting cargo that was just too large to fit inside. "Hop on," Magnus said. "For you to transform in here would be useless. Besides, where we're going it's a little too far to walk."
Ultra Magnus sank a bit lower on his wheels when Skyfire climbed up onto the trailer, but he could tell that his weight wasn't anywhere near his capacity. He Magnus know that he was ready and they sped off down the passageway. After a drive though a maze of passages that Skyfire estimated would have been about fifteen miles, using Earth measurement they came to another large door, this one even more heavily sealed than the one he had been led to upon his arrival. He was beginning to get a scope of the complex's size and scope. The Autobots we're really entrenched here, able to take on just about anything.
After a quick transformation a switch was pulled and the heavy door opened. The lights slowly came up to full in the warehouse beyond, revealing weapons- weapons of every conceivable size and shape, of every purpose and design. He looked to Magnus questioningly.
"Every time we raid a Decepticon power base or are attacked we see to it that we bring a little something back for ourselves. Just in case." Magnus smiled darkly.
They began to gather items off of the various shelves and stockpiles. They went for guns and cannons, as well as bombs and other nasty explosives. Skyfire noted a device that stood out from the others. It was a small, spherical device and completely white, there was not visible trigger as no markings appeared on its surface. What made it stand apart from all of the other devices was it did not look gruesome. Most of the other guns and explosive devices had a sinister look to them, covered in spikes or made to eject shrapnel for extra damage. This one looked benign next to the others, almost friendly, in fact, gleaming in the soft lights of the room.
Ultra Magnus came up behind Skyfire as he studied the mechanism. "Be careful with that particular one," he said cautiously taking it from Skyfire's hands. He gently set it back on the shelf where it was found.
"What is that thing, anyway?"
"It's an electromagnetic bomb. If that thing is set off and you're within range, you're done for. If the explosion itself doesn't get you the resulting electromagnetic shock wave will."
"What would the shock wave do to you?"
"Fry every micron of your circuitry and erase all of your programming, right down to your BIOS. You would be an empty shell, devoid of life. We would have to start from scratch and even then you would be a different Autobot and never know anything happened. It's pretty bad. Luckily, that's the only one we have and we've never had enough call to use it. Even the Decepticons think twice about using that thing." Ultra Magnus finished grimly.
Skyfire looked at the seemingly innocent weapon's exterior that beguiled it's insidiousness. Finally he moved on and began to take other weapons from the shelf, leaving the electromagnetic weapon where it lie; he didn't think they would need something as deadly as that for this mission. After a short time he was informed they were stocked enough and they should be on their way. As they walked back to the entrance he fleetingly thought how satisfying it would be to stick that bomb up Megatron's . . .
"Skyfire! Are you coming?" With a start he looked up at Magnus who was waiting for him at the door. He hadn't even realized he had stopped.
"Uh, yeah. Lets go." They loaded the weapons onto Ultra Magnus and drove back to the command center. Arcee, Blurr and Hot Rod were waiting for them when they got back. The other three Autobots had a small pile of boxes and computer equipment in front of them, apparently the supplies for the journey.
"Are we ready to go now?" Hot Rod asked impatiently.
Skyfire realized that Hot Rod's anger only came from being young and out of his concern for his friends. Not out of callousness. "Yes, I think we're ready. Ultra Magnus?"
They passed out the weapons to the others who strapped them onto shoulders, around their waists or placed them into packs. Soon they all stood, bristling with weaponry and looking ready for just about anything the Decepticons could throw at them. Ultra Magnus pulled a lever on the side of the large gun he held and let it snap back. A high-pitched whine filled the air and faded as the weapon powered up. "Let's go."
The group left the room by the far door and walked down several winding halls. Skyfire was overwhelmed by the complexity of the structure and after a short time all of the halls began to look identical, the only difference being doors were placed in different locations. He wished they had something of this caliber on Earth.
They came to a small, dark room with a half-sphere standing upright so that the hollow of it faced them and the convex side faced the wall. It was constructed of a kind of crisscrossing of thin, dark blue, metal beams, somehow woven together. The entire thing rested on a square base. There was a small console to the left of the entrance, but otherwise the room was empty.
"Blurr," Magnus said. "Did you bring your portable SBC?"
"Of course I did Ultra Magnus, if you asked me to get the SBC then I got the SBC, I haven't let you down yet, have I Magnus, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm?" Blurr quickly pulled out a small rectangular device covered in various colored buttons and a small monitor at the top.
"What's that?" Skyfire asked Arcee.
"It a portable SBC, just like Ultra Magnus said."
A little confused he went on. "Yes, but what's a portable SBC?"
Arcee suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I forgot that you were from Earth. It's a portable space bridge control unit. It allows all of us to go and then remotely bring us back. With our numbers as small as they are, we can get spread out pretty thinly. So, we need to have as many Autobots as possible for most of our missions or energy raids. This way we all can go to help instead of having someone stay behind to work the controls of the destination space bridge."
Skyfire thought Arcee's description of their missions sounded a lot like Decepticon activity. Suddenly, it hit him. These Autobots were struggling for survival on their own homeworld in the form of a rebellion. They had been reduced to the same position as the Decepticons had been on Earth. The difference being, here the Autobots of Cybertron had a right to the energon they took. It was their home too, after all.
Blurr stood in front of the console and activated the space bridge control. The area in the hollow of the half-sphere began to shimmer and deep violet ripples appeared within its confines, as though the sphere was now filled with liquid and a pebble had just been dropped into the center. The expanding concentric ripples stopped as if frozen and then, in what looked like a trick of perspective, appeared to pull back into the distance, forming a grid work funnel. The bridge was opened.
"The coordinates are set, Ultra Magnus," Arcee said.
Skyfire began to feel an uneasiness about doing this. He was apprehensive to see what lay on the other side of the bridge, but some part of him did not want to know the fate of the Autobots that had crashed on the other moon. He realized that this type of thinking was not doing any good and if he kept it up his logic circuits would need maintenance.
"It's about time," Hot Rod said as he ran forward and jumped headfirst into the vortex. Blurr followed in a blue flash and Arcee went through after him. Ultra Magnus waited, gesturing to the portal.
"After you," he said.
"Thanks," Skyfire said with only the slightest hint of sarcasm and stepped into the space bridge.
Metal spires and other completely mechanized structures scrolled beneath Skyfire. The ever nighttime, starlit sky remained unchanged above him as he traveled over the surface of the Cybertronian moon. He wasn't sure what he was searching for, but any sign of Autobot life would be comforting. So far, however, there was nothing. "What did you think?" he muttered to himself. "There was going to be a big sign with lights that said 'Autobots hiding here?'" He kept flying, though; he couldn't allow himself to get discouraged. The moon was small but not so small that he could search all of it. He was already running low on energy and he hadn't been looking for very long. The fight had drained him of most of his reserve.
The fight.
The images of the Autobot shuttle crashing wouldn't stop flashing through his mind. The thoughts of his friends and Optimus Prime dying kept infiltrating his thoughts no matter how he tried to focus on something else. Lost in thoughts as he was he did not see the attack coming.
An orange laser blast caught him on his right wing and sent him into a spin and the metallic ground rushed up to meet him. He hadn't been flying all that high, but he had been going rather fast. The speed sent him sliding across the surface of the moon for about a mega-mile. If he had been flying any higher he would have been finished. Slowly, painfully, he transformed into robot mode and inspected his surroundings, holding his head. He was lucky to be alive.
He had come to rest in the middle of a street, structures towering above him to either side. Higher up he saw walkways and overpasses crisscrossing between the buildings and leading to others. It was all a bit overwhelming and gave one the image of a construction engineer gone mad, then he thought of the Constructicons and figured that that assumption may not be far off. He was standing at the end of a long trench that he had dug during his crash. Even a Decepticon missing his eyes would be able to find him if he stayed where he was.
"Where did that attack come from?" he asked himself. He peered back the way he had come from and saw two figures approaching. Skyfire lacked the power to magnify his vision, but he didn't need to. The two figures were approaching, him, walking with caution. Good, that would give him a few moments to think. He was far too damaged to transform and there was no way he could outrun them on foot. He also didn't have enough energon to use for his weapons for more than a few micro-seconds. He was left with no choice, he would fight them hand-to-hand for as long as he could.
The two assailants were closer now and he could make out more details. First and foremost, he noticed one of them had his weapon drawn and the other pointed him arms toward him in a threatening manner-obviously he had a built-in weapon system.
The one with the gun was two shades of blue and it appeared as though he was holding himself back just to keep pace with the other. "Great," Skyfire mused. "This guy just can't wait to kick my tail wing." The other was red with orange-was it flames?-painted on his chest and a yellow sort of wing rising from his back.
Skyfire was filled with relief when he saw the Cybertronian symbol for industry and prosperity emblazoned on both of their chests. They were Autobots. He wouldn't have to fight after all, which was fine with him. He'd had enough fighting for today.
"On your feet, tiny," the red one said with a haughty demeanor. "Looks, like we caught ourselves a whopper this time, huh, Blurr?"
Skyfire spoke up, relief more apparent in his voice than he would have liked, "I thought you guys were Decepticons." The red Autobot cut him off again.
"You should be so lucky. Nope. No help from your pals this time, Deceptichump." He and the other one-Blurr-pulled him to his feet and forced him to begin walking forward.
"Look," Skyfire pointed to his chest, "I'm not a Decepticon. I'm an Autobot, just like you."
They stopped and glared at him. "You're not at all like me, Decepticon. You've tried this trick too many times to count. You must think us Autobots are a bunch of idiots to fall for this trick so many times. Changing you insignia is not that hard to do. Changing your nature is, though. Now let's get moving. I know some people who'll love to talk to you."
"But, I'm really not . . ."
He was cut off by the one that had been called Blurr, this time by pointing a gun in his face. He spoke quickly, very quickly, as though his voice modulator was over-torqued. "You listen to what Hot Rod says, because if you don't listen to what Hot Rod says you're going to get blasted and I don't think that's something you would like us to do. Now, please be quiet and don't say anything else, okay, okay, okay?"
Skyfire thought he made out the name or the red Autobot in that jumble of quickly spoken words-Hot Rod.
Hot Rod pulled out a device and pointed it at him and activated it. A pink ring of energy appeared around Skyfire's wrists and body, immobilizing his arms. From the ring around his chest a ray extended to a protrusion from the device-a leash. Hot Rod pulled on his end and Skyfire had no choice but to follow.
He was led down several streets and back alleys, all of which looked extremely similar, but he reminded himself that that was the way of Cybertron. Built to chaotic perfection. He decided it would be best if he kept quiet for a while, since it was doing him absolutely no good. Hot Rod was apparently too convinced of his guilt and Blurr seemed contented to go along with Hot Rod's assumption. His only choice now was to wait, and try to reason with whoever it was they were taking him to see. If they meant to kill him they would have done so already. For an instant he thought that they would torture him. No, he forced the thought away. That was not the way of the Autobots; they did not take and torture prisoners. The Decepticons did that; he was confusing his past with his present again. The fact that he had once been a Decepticon still haunted every so often, and this was turning out to be one of those times.
They eventually stopped at the end of a long street that dead-ended into a solid wall. Blurr kicked over some scrap that was piled rather conspicuously in the corner of the alley, conspicuous because the rest of the alley was spotless. Beneath the scrap was a control panel. With unbelievable speed Blurr keyed in a long and complicated code. When he was finished there was a sharp hiss as a small door opened in the previously blank wall in front of him.
Hot Rod and Blurr ducked inside and pulled Skyfire through after them. It was a very tight squeeze and he thought that he wasn't going to make it, but after some finagling he managed get himself inside. The area he entered was thankfully more spacious and Skyfire was even able to stand upright, though he couldn't see very far beyond the minimal lighting provided by the open doorway. The hatch slid shut behind them and darkness fell over the group for a moment. Horizontal cylinders placed along the walls slowly came to life, illuminating the mostly barren walls, floor, and ceiling of the corridor. The lights were placed every fifteen paces or so and continued around a bend in the distance. The hallway was very long and wide giving them enough room to walk abreast, which Hot Rod and Blurr found the need to do. They flanked Skyfire like a he was a prisoner-which he was of course-and began to herd him down the passage. Skyfire noticed there were skid marks all along the corridor from the tires of a transport-or possibly from racing.
As they walked, he saw that the corridor sloped gently downward. Wherever they were leading him it was beneath the surface of the moon. They walked for a long while, through the seemingly endless hallway, the surroundings unchanging. The walls stayed a uniform metallic blue and the lights remained at the same level at the same intervals. Only three times did another hall branch off of the one they were in, but these were ignored. He tried to see down these side-passages, but the lighting that was present along their current course didn't appear active in the other hallways. Hot Rod and Blurr did not speak to him or even each other at all during the entire long trip, though they did keep passing worried glances between them. The only noise was the echoes of their own metallic footsteps.
On a more positive side of things, the walk gave Skyfire the time he needed to think of what he could do to escape, but every time he tried to come up with a plan the shuttle crash entered his mind and he had to start over again. In short, he was getting nowhere fast in regards to a breakout.
Finally, the small group came to a large door that looked better suited to a warehouse, but a closer inspection revealed it to be thick and reinforced enough to be an entrance to a bomb shelter. This time Hot Rod keyed the lock controls, but the door did not open, at least not immediately. After a few moments there was the loud "thunk" of a magnetic lock was released and the door slid open from a split in the middle on a diagonal, revealing another thick door just behind the first with the same characteristics. This secondary door then slid open as the first had only, at the opposite angle. Beyond was a large room that, for some reason he couldn't place, filled Skyfire with hope. The first feeling of hope he had felt since arriving. Blurr and Hot Rod pushed him inside.
The walls inside were covered with various monitors, computer terminals, and blinking technology. There were several large consoles standing in the center of the room and some against the far walls. Wiring draped down from several loose panels in the ceiling and large knots of cable snaked across the floor. At the far end of the chamber there was a raised platform with a large semicircle of computer terminals upon it. This was obviously the central hub of controls for the whole room, and possibly the entire complex.
Standing on the platform behind the terminals was a large Autobot who was clearly the leader of this group judging by how he carried himself. His large red, white, and blue figure was imposing; his presence carried a weight that could be felt. Overall he was one of the most impressive figures Skyfire had seen next to Optimus Prime. All of the force behind his powerful gaze was being directed at Skyfire at the moment. He felt the illogical urge to flee rather than have this Autobot displeased with him.
The lead Autobot moved out from behind the computer banks and approached the trio. When he spoke, Skyfire was astounded to find his voice was smooth, gentle, and unhurried. He did not sound menacing and foreboding as he originally thought it might be. "What have you brought home with you this time, Hot Rod?"
"Nothing much. I don't think I'll be too disappointed if you tell me I can't keep it," Hot Rod answered sarcastically.
The large Autobot approached Skyfire and inspected him closely, his gaze lingering on the Autobot insignia. The edges around it were raised from when he switched sides and Wheeljack had to replace it-the seams were still visible. That was not a good thing, he thought. He feared the worst; clearly they were going to think him a fraud-a spy for the Decepticons. Therefore he very was surprised when the big robot looked to Hot Rod and said, "Deactivate the containment unit."
Hot Rod and Blurr gasped audibly. "I don't know if you've thought about this enough, because if you've thought about it you would know that this is a Decepticons and Decepticons aren't very good news and good news is just the kind of news we need now!" Blurr rattled off.
"Do you really think that's such a good idea?" Hot Rod asked.
He received a nod in response. Hot Rod looked up at his leader and with an uneasy look, sighed in exasperation, and pressed a sequence of keys on the hand held device. In an instant the restraining energy rings winked out of existence. The leader figure circled Skyfire once more before stopping in front of him. He noticed that the Autobot was as tall as he was, and he was being looked in the eye, something few Autobots had the stature to do.
"What are you doing around here?" Skyfire was asked.
He thought a moment on how to respond, sensing that his answers were critical. Finally, he decided to go with the truth. "I'm looking for a way to stop a new Decepticon weapon."
Skyfire was scrutinized for a moment, as if they were having a hard time believing. "That seems an enormous task for just one Autobot."
He sighed. "I did come here with several others, but we were attacked and our ship was shot down. It crash landed on the moon."
Hot Rod quickly jumped in, pointing a finger right at Skyfire's chest. "There was no crash! It would have come up on the seismic monitors! The game's over, Decepticon!" He swiveled his head to his leader. "You're not going to believe this guy are you, Ultra Magnus?"
Ultra Magnus. At the mention of the name Skyfire knew he had found what he was looking for. Optimus Prime had mentioned this name with a great deal of respect. Ever since the Autobots crashed on Earth so long ago his fate was unknown. But any friend of Optimus was surely a friend of his. He hoped.
"Calm down, Hot Rod. He didn't even say the was this moon." Ultra Magnus addressed Skyfire once again. "What happened to the others?"
Feeling he found a safe haven an overwhelming sense of relief came over Skyfire. These Autobots would help him; they would be able to find a way to destroy the Decepticon Swarm and save the Earth. In his relief Skyfire forgot himself momentarily, and his words came in a surge. "Ultra Magnus! I came here from Earth with Optimus Prime! We were looking for a way to stop a powerful new weapon the Decepticons have just received, but when we arrived we were attacked and our ship crashed. I was the only Autobot with the ability to fly so I-"
He was cut off once again by Hot Rod. "Pretty convenient that you're the only survivor. It gives your story no loose ends. If you're such the heroic Autobot how is it that you didn't save any of the others?"
"I left the ship to defend it before it was shot down. By the time I drew the enemy fire off the Decepticons had called in reinforcements. I was too far from the ship because of my own fight when they were shot down. All I could do is watch or be destroyed." He looked down at Hot Rod with a cruel expression. "If you want to condemn me so badly why even ask me any questions." He looked back to Ultra Magnus. "If you think I'm a Decepticon just kill me and get it over with!"
"I never said I thought you were a Decepticon," Ultra Magnus said gently before turning to address Hot Rod in a more gruff voice. "That's enough out of you. Why don't you and Blurr go and get Arcee from the Ops Center and bring her down here."
Blurr looked up at Ultra Magnus with a look of relief, probably because this little incident was finally resolved. Or so it seemed. "If you think you're going to be all right Ultra Magnus then I believe you're going to be all right, because if you can trust yourself then who can you trust? I trust your judgment every time, Ultra Magnus so I'll go get Arcee and be back here before you know it!"
Hot Rod grabbed Blurr and began to herd him out the door. "Come on motor mouth, let's get up the Ops Center." The two Autobots left through a door opposite where the three of them had entered.
After they had gone Ultra Magnus asked, "What is your name?"
"Skyfire."
"And you came here from Earth with Optimus Prime?"
Skyfire indicated it was so.
Ultra Magnus fell silent for a time, seemingly lost in thought. When no other questions were forthcoming Skyfire asked, "Why didn't you think I was a Decepticon, like the others did?"
"I know Decepticon work and that," he said pointing at the Autobot emblem on Skyfire's chest, "is not it."
Perplexed he asked, "How can you tell?"
"The Decepticons would have done the job much more perfectly than that. It looks like you were butchered or the materials to do it properly were not available."
Skyfire nodded in understanding, but somewhat in awe at the reasoning. Hesitantly he decided to ask, "Does this mean that you'll help me?"
Walking back behind the set of computer banks he sat back down. "Yes. Or at least we'll try." Then after a moment he added, "Oh, and don't worry about Hot Rod, he's just overeager. He's not really all that bad once you get to know him. There is, however, the more urgent matter of your friends in the shuttle and Optimus Prime. We're going to have to go after them."
"What? How can we do that? We'd get atomized before we got close enough," Skyfire said.
Ultra Magnus shook his head. "We have a space bridge to the other moon set up so that we could evacuate in an emergency. We can get to the other moon and back without the Decepticons even knowing we were there. But first, what is this problem that brought you to Cybertron?"
Skyfire related the story of the Decepticons' new weapon and how it nearly defeated them. Based on the small amount of information they had learned from Teletraan One it was decided that it was likely of Cybertronian origin, so the solution had to lie there was well.
"That sounds like Optimus Prime all right," Magnus said proudly. "That's even more proof that you're on the right side. A Decepticon couldn't have described Prime so exactly."
"So you really did know Optimus Prime."
Magnus's smile widened. "Of course. We fought side by side for a very long time before he left Cybertron to look for a new source of energy all those years ago. We had given up hope on him, although we did learn that he had been back to Cybertron a few times since then. His main priority, though, is to protect the Earth so the Decepticons don't gain a new source of power. You know the rest. The Decepticons, under Shockwave's command, were sent out to find another supply of energy and they succeeded. The energy was brought back and they Decepticons took control of Cybertron."
Ultra Magnus was right. Skyfire knew all of this and it made him furious. Furious that at one time he had been part of their twisted schemes. If the Decepticons were not stopped they would spread through the universe like a virus and conquer everything. No planet would be safe from their threat.
A door opened to the left of Ultra Magnus and three Autobots came through. Skyfire recognized Blurr and Hot Rod but the third he did not. It was all the more surprising that the third was a female.
Almost all of the female Autobots had been destroyed, only a precious few remained, and they were on Cybertron itself-or so Skyfire had thought. Arcee was a sleek pink and white Autobot with gentle, caring features. She studied him for a moment before asking, "This is the Decepticon that Hot Rod captured?"
Hot Rod grimaced under the reproachful look that Ultra Magnus gave him, but nothing more was said about the issue. "Arcee, this is Skyfire," Magnus said. Skyfire nodded a respectful greeting to her, recognizing her as the rarity she was. "He's from Earth and came here with Optimus Prime, himself." She looked shocked at the mention of Optimus, but she quickly composed herself. "They were shot down by Decepticons over the other moon. We have to go and locate the crash site immediately."
"What are you talking about, Magnus? Have you rewired yourself?" Hot Rod burst out. "What about rescuing Kup and Springer? Why would we need to go to the crash site?"
Ultra Magnus answered in an even tone, apparently he was used to such outbursts from Hot Rod. "For two reasons. First, we have to see if we can help anyone who may be left alive. Any crash survivors will be in desperate need for repairs."
Skyfire felt a pang of anger toward himself for not even allowing for the possibility that they were alive, he just assumed that the crash destroyed them all.
"Second, and most importantly," Magnus continued, "if Optimus Prime is indeed dead we need to secure the Autobot Matrix of Leadership before it gets into Decepticon hands."
Yet another possibility that he had not thought of was the Matrix being taken. If the Decepticons managed to open it, no matter how unlikely, they would have a highly concentrated source of power with which to rule. Even worse, the Autobots would not have the wisdom and guidance it provided in the most desperate of times. Now things became more critical. They had to get to the moon and find the Matrix, if nothing else.
"You can go if you want to, Magnus," Hot Rod still insisted. "I'm going to rescue Kup and Springer. We've been planning this for too long to back out at the last astro-second. I'm not turning my back on my friends on the word of a Decepticon spy."
Ultra Magnus began to respond before Skyfire cut in. "For the last time, Hot Rod, I am not a Decepticon! I was at one time, yes, but I realized the cruelty of their ways. I sought Optimus Prime and converted. I want to help you set your friends free, but we need the Matrix. If Optimus Prime and the others that arrived with me are still alive they will help you on your rescue mission, I promise. I'm sure the extra help will increase your chances of success, just like your help will get the Matrix back and save lives."
Hot Rod stood with his eyes flicking back and forth between Skyfire and Ultra Magnus, confusion and indecision plaguing his expression. Finally he gave in. "Are you sure you didn't know Ultra Magnus before now?" Skyfire smiled, but Hot Rod wasn't finished. "I still don't trust you entirely, but I respect Ultra Magnus's judge of character so I'll tolerate you . . . for now." He walked toward the door that they had brought Arcee through. "If you need me I'll be getting supplies for the trip. C'mon, Blurr, I'm going to need help."
As the door slid shut behind them Skyfire asked, "What was that supposed to mean?"
Magnus smiled back at him. "It means you did a good job explaining things to him." He still wasn't sure he was clear on things, but he accepted it just the same. "Let go get some weapons, Skyfire. We'd better be prepared for the worst. Arcee, you go get the space bridge ready for transport, we'll catch up in a little while."
The female Autobot left the command room through the same door Blurr and Hot Rod had. Magnus moved to a small panel on the opposite wall and keyed a sequence. There was a hiss and a wall of computer monitors and consoles swung open, revealing a high and wide corridor beyond. "This way," Skyfire was instructed.
Ultra Magnus transformed into a large transport of sorts. Nothing that Skyfire was used to from Earth. A large sleek, formed "cab" was inserted into a large trailer bed that closed up around like a trailer. Several weapons were mounted on the outside of the blue "trailer." All in all he looked like a bulkier alien version of Optimus Prime, Skyfire decided. With a whirring of gears the sides of the trailer folded down and formed a flat-bed that could be used to transporting cargo that was just too large to fit inside. "Hop on," Magnus said. "For you to transform in here would be useless. Besides, where we're going it's a little too far to walk."
Ultra Magnus sank a bit lower on his wheels when Skyfire climbed up onto the trailer, but he could tell that his weight wasn't anywhere near his capacity. He Magnus know that he was ready and they sped off down the passageway. After a drive though a maze of passages that Skyfire estimated would have been about fifteen miles, using Earth measurement they came to another large door, this one even more heavily sealed than the one he had been led to upon his arrival. He was beginning to get a scope of the complex's size and scope. The Autobots we're really entrenched here, able to take on just about anything.
After a quick transformation a switch was pulled and the heavy door opened. The lights slowly came up to full in the warehouse beyond, revealing weapons- weapons of every conceivable size and shape, of every purpose and design. He looked to Magnus questioningly.
"Every time we raid a Decepticon power base or are attacked we see to it that we bring a little something back for ourselves. Just in case." Magnus smiled darkly.
They began to gather items off of the various shelves and stockpiles. They went for guns and cannons, as well as bombs and other nasty explosives. Skyfire noted a device that stood out from the others. It was a small, spherical device and completely white, there was not visible trigger as no markings appeared on its surface. What made it stand apart from all of the other devices was it did not look gruesome. Most of the other guns and explosive devices had a sinister look to them, covered in spikes or made to eject shrapnel for extra damage. This one looked benign next to the others, almost friendly, in fact, gleaming in the soft lights of the room.
Ultra Magnus came up behind Skyfire as he studied the mechanism. "Be careful with that particular one," he said cautiously taking it from Skyfire's hands. He gently set it back on the shelf where it was found.
"What is that thing, anyway?"
"It's an electromagnetic bomb. If that thing is set off and you're within range, you're done for. If the explosion itself doesn't get you the resulting electromagnetic shock wave will."
"What would the shock wave do to you?"
"Fry every micron of your circuitry and erase all of your programming, right down to your BIOS. You would be an empty shell, devoid of life. We would have to start from scratch and even then you would be a different Autobot and never know anything happened. It's pretty bad. Luckily, that's the only one we have and we've never had enough call to use it. Even the Decepticons think twice about using that thing." Ultra Magnus finished grimly.
Skyfire looked at the seemingly innocent weapon's exterior that beguiled it's insidiousness. Finally he moved on and began to take other weapons from the shelf, leaving the electromagnetic weapon where it lie; he didn't think they would need something as deadly as that for this mission. After a short time he was informed they were stocked enough and they should be on their way. As they walked back to the entrance he fleetingly thought how satisfying it would be to stick that bomb up Megatron's . . .
"Skyfire! Are you coming?" With a start he looked up at Magnus who was waiting for him at the door. He hadn't even realized he had stopped.
"Uh, yeah. Lets go." They loaded the weapons onto Ultra Magnus and drove back to the command center. Arcee, Blurr and Hot Rod were waiting for them when they got back. The other three Autobots had a small pile of boxes and computer equipment in front of them, apparently the supplies for the journey.
"Are we ready to go now?" Hot Rod asked impatiently.
Skyfire realized that Hot Rod's anger only came from being young and out of his concern for his friends. Not out of callousness. "Yes, I think we're ready. Ultra Magnus?"
They passed out the weapons to the others who strapped them onto shoulders, around their waists or placed them into packs. Soon they all stood, bristling with weaponry and looking ready for just about anything the Decepticons could throw at them. Ultra Magnus pulled a lever on the side of the large gun he held and let it snap back. A high-pitched whine filled the air and faded as the weapon powered up. "Let's go."
The group left the room by the far door and walked down several winding halls. Skyfire was overwhelmed by the complexity of the structure and after a short time all of the halls began to look identical, the only difference being doors were placed in different locations. He wished they had something of this caliber on Earth.
They came to a small, dark room with a half-sphere standing upright so that the hollow of it faced them and the convex side faced the wall. It was constructed of a kind of crisscrossing of thin, dark blue, metal beams, somehow woven together. The entire thing rested on a square base. There was a small console to the left of the entrance, but otherwise the room was empty.
"Blurr," Magnus said. "Did you bring your portable SBC?"
"Of course I did Ultra Magnus, if you asked me to get the SBC then I got the SBC, I haven't let you down yet, have I Magnus, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm?" Blurr quickly pulled out a small rectangular device covered in various colored buttons and a small monitor at the top.
"What's that?" Skyfire asked Arcee.
"It a portable SBC, just like Ultra Magnus said."
A little confused he went on. "Yes, but what's a portable SBC?"
Arcee suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I forgot that you were from Earth. It's a portable space bridge control unit. It allows all of us to go and then remotely bring us back. With our numbers as small as they are, we can get spread out pretty thinly. So, we need to have as many Autobots as possible for most of our missions or energy raids. This way we all can go to help instead of having someone stay behind to work the controls of the destination space bridge."
Skyfire thought Arcee's description of their missions sounded a lot like Decepticon activity. Suddenly, it hit him. These Autobots were struggling for survival on their own homeworld in the form of a rebellion. They had been reduced to the same position as the Decepticons had been on Earth. The difference being, here the Autobots of Cybertron had a right to the energon they took. It was their home too, after all.
Blurr stood in front of the console and activated the space bridge control. The area in the hollow of the half-sphere began to shimmer and deep violet ripples appeared within its confines, as though the sphere was now filled with liquid and a pebble had just been dropped into the center. The expanding concentric ripples stopped as if frozen and then, in what looked like a trick of perspective, appeared to pull back into the distance, forming a grid work funnel. The bridge was opened.
"The coordinates are set, Ultra Magnus," Arcee said.
Skyfire began to feel an uneasiness about doing this. He was apprehensive to see what lay on the other side of the bridge, but some part of him did not want to know the fate of the Autobots that had crashed on the other moon. He realized that this type of thinking was not doing any good and if he kept it up his logic circuits would need maintenance.
"It's about time," Hot Rod said as he ran forward and jumped headfirst into the vortex. Blurr followed in a blue flash and Arcee went through after him. Ultra Magnus waited, gesturing to the portal.
"After you," he said.
"Thanks," Skyfire said with only the slightest hint of sarcasm and stepped into the space bridge.