Chapter Five: Faded Memories – Part One
AutoBase, Earth
Overload looked around at all the opponents. There were three of them. Each and every one of them wanted to take him down, but he wasn't going to let that happen… Not today.
"So that's how you're going to play." He said, looking into his enemy's golden optics. "Very well…" He cast a glance to each of his foes, before reaching into subspace, and pulled out from his arsenal, three red chips.
"I raise you thirty credits." Overload challenged.
"Bah!" Scavenger threw down his Poker hand. "I fold."
"Yeah, I think I will, too." Sideswipe laid his hand down as well.
"Well…" Rodimus looked over his hand -- two Leaders, a Scout, and two Voyagers. That's gotta be a good hand! "I see your thirty credits, and I raise you ten." The future Prime threw in three red chips and one green.
Overload tossed in a green chip.
The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, as the two Autobots stared each other down. Neither would show their nervousness to the other, and they kept their hand close to their optics. With his Poker face on, Rodimus held back a grin that was eating away at his face.
"What'cha got?" He asked.
The amnesia-stricken Autobot laid out his hand. "As the humans sa, 'dos deuces'." He grinned, as he showed his two Leaders, two Supremes, and Mega.
"That doesn't count!" Rodimus objected, slamming his fists, and hand, down onto the table. "You were supposed to take out the Supremes before the cards were dealt!"
"That was never said." Overload grinned as he collected his winnings.
"It shouldn't have to be because, it's in the rules!"
"Hey guys, do you hear that?" Overload said, looking around. "I think I hear the sound of a looser whining!"
"I'm not whining!"
"Yeah you are. Just cut your losses and call it a day." Scavenger said, leaning back in his seat and folding his arms.
"But the rules say-"
"Sorry to interrupt your game," The Autobots at the game table turned to look at Optimus standing in the doorway. "But I have something I want some of you to check out."
"And that is?" Overload was responded with Prime tossing a data pad onto the table.
"Two cycles ago we detected an Autobot signature approaching Earth." Prime said as the Autobots looked over the data pad, complete with a holographic, three dimensional showing of the occurrence. "It'll land on Earth shortly, and I'm sure that Jhiaxus also picked up on this." Optimus paused. "Maybe even Unicron… We have to make sure the landing is safe, and is without interference." He shook his head in the direction of the door. "Let's go!"
Yukon, United States
He flew over the empty space of the United States known as the Yukon. The rotor engines on his beast mode's hips kept him in the air seamlessly, though he paid no attention to his 'third' mode's additions, as he scanned the ground below with his optics.
Predacon sighed. He was assigned to retrieve the supposed Autobot space craft, and imprison whoever was inside. The reason he was selected, and not someone more fitting, was because Unicron expected the Autobots, and or the Decepticons, to be there in large numbers.
He was let down however, as when Predacon arrived at the drop zone, there was no one. No Autobots, no Decepticons, not even humans. The behemoth landed, and shifted into his robot mode. He suddenly turned still, almost like a statue, and quickly got lost in his thoughts.
Lately he had been having a reoccurring dream… He saw life through the optics of another. He saw a hologram of Optimus Prime… He was talking to it. Then he was walking through a blue forest, with four mechs following him… Then he saw Razorclaw… He then saw three of the Transformers with him get killed, while one was disabled… Then Razorclaw captured him.
Predacon shook his head. He wasn't sure if the dream was his own, or if Nemesis Prime was just having his own twisted fun. He remembered the faces on the four mechs in his dream so well. As if they were memories. His dreams weren't normally so specific, which was one reason why he was dwelling on it… Maybe it had a meaning…
His head snapped upward as his optical scanner came to life. It pointed up towards the sky, and Predacon looked up at it. "Bingo." He said as he spotted the Autobot craft burn up in the atmosphere. He watched as it soared overhead, and crash land several yards away. The monster stood his ground as he, and everything around the crash, was showered in debris.
Predacon turned, and faced the crash site. Stalking towards it, he peered down into the small crater. "That's not a ship…" He said to himself. "That's a pod for one…" He jumped down into it, and landed next to the pod. The beast peered into the viewing glass, and narrowed his optics to see through the tint. He gasped.
It was the mech from his dreams.
Flash!
"Maybe you should go easier on Skydive." The medic said. "He's still a rookie, after all."
"Yeah…" Silverbolt smiled slightly at Ratchet. "You're right."
Predacon stumbled backwards, hunched over, and holding his head. These visions… They hurt! By the unholy name of Unicron they hurt!
Flash!
Silverbolt looked over, and saw Roulette walking into the room. "Welcome back." He said.
She smiled at him. "Thanks, Silverbolt." She replied. "Everything good here?"
"Yeah, though I wonder, why do you always hang out in the shooting gallery?"
"I just like to hone in on my skills." She replied.
Predacon fell onto his knees next to the pod, fighting the urge to cry out in mental anguish.
Flash!
Silverbolt chuckled, and looked over to Fireflight. "Alright buddy, turn it down a little bit."
Fireflight proceeded to thwap the jukebox, effectively turning it off.
"Hey!" Silverbolt said, with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I said down, not off!"
Predacon's optics snapped open, as he glared up at the pod beside him… This is what is bringing the visions…
Flash!
The Autobot medic quickly pulled out twin blasters, and snapped his fingers onto the triggers, resulting in a torrent of blasts launching towards the giant. The discharges struck Razorclaw, and he either ignored the pain, or didn't acknowledge it, as he continued to lumber towards Ratchet. The ground shook more and more as Razorclaw drew nearer, until he was standing right in front of the somewhat-smaller mech.
"Move it, Ratchet!" Silverbolt yelled out. Unfortunately, his calls were once again unanswered.
Predacon finally stopped fighting his urges, and flew up into the air with his turbine jets. Taking aim with his cannon, he charged it up with no hesitation. His optics dangerously narrowed, he glared at the pod down at the ground. He could always say the Autobot didn't survive the crash.
"Die."
CRACK!
Predacon immediately recoiled from the orange fist colliding with his face. Catching and up righting himself in the air, he looked at his assailant. The red, silver, and blue mech, with orange, blue, yellow, and white limbs… Optimus Prime.
"Predacon…" Prime began. "I don't know why Unicron sent you, but I can assure you that you'll be returning empty-handed!"
"Prime…" Predacon looked over to the Matrix Bearer, returning to his floating position in the air. "I was given a mission to recover your Autobot soldier… But…" He let loose a sharp, toothy grin. "No one said I couldn't have some fun, first."
Optimus balled his fists, as Overload, Scavenger, and Rodimus arrived by ground.
"Tell me, Optimus Prime…" Predacon began. "Where are Jetfire and Hot Shot? Shouldn't they be with your little group?"
Prime frowned behind his faceplate. Predacon only knew about the Autobots because he had taken and devoured Blurr's spark. With that, he gained all of Blurr's skills and memories, along with anything the deceased Autobot kept to himself.
"They're… Taking a break." Prime replied.
Predacon grinned. "So the Prototype was a success, I take it. Good."
"Prototype?" Optimus asked. The Autobots below transformed and aimed their weapons at Predacon.
"Oh yes, the Prototype. Big thing about my size, based off an Earthling arachnid… A scorpion, I believe."
It hit Optimus like a Cybertronian Semi. Right before Scorponok was released, he saw something launch from Unicron's hull… "That thing is a Prototype?"
"Yes." Predacon folded his arms before his chest, and grinned. "But like most first drafts…"
Unknown Town, United States
"… It has some flaws."
"Move, move, MOVE!" Six Shot screamed as he and his twin brother flew through the air franticly as Scorponok pursued them mercilessly.
"Shut up!" Shockblast called back to his brother. "He's right on my aft! I don't need you to tell me that!"
"KILL!" Scorponok bellowed. From the sides of his cockpit flipped out twin cannons, and fired off countless rounds of energy blasts. The twin Decepticons swerved through the air as if they over-dosed on Energon, and by some Primus-given miracle, managed to evade the attack.
Six Shot looked over Scorponok as he began chasing Shockblast. This thing couldn't be invincible… It had to have a weakness somewhere… It had to be vulnera-
"HEY!" Shockblast screamed out. "Stop daydreaming and help me you mecha-fragger!"
"Hold on just a sec!" Six Shot called back. He observed Scorponok's movements, and even scanned his frame. His body had suffered heavy damage. Over 50. His Energon levels were depleting rather quickly. They had only been fighting him for fifteen cycles, and he was already down to 30. But why did he battle like he just started fighting…?
Then it hit Six Shot. The most obvious weakness of Scorponok. It was right before them, and they were too blind to see it… Untill now.
"Shockblast!" Six Shot called out. "He can't attack us physically in this form! He's stuck in jet mode until he lands!"
"Gee, I feel so much better having your high intelligence with me." Six Shot's twin replied dryly. "What good does that do us!" He dodged another blast of Scorponok's.
"Just keep him busy!"
"What do you think I've BEEN doing while you're daydreaming!"
"Shut up and keep his optics on you!"
Six Shot shifted into his robot mode, and proceeded to trail Scorponok. He quickly caught up with the beast, and rose up higher into the air. The black and yellow Cyclops swooped downwards, and landed feet-first onto the back of Scorponok.
The beast grunted, and finally noticed Six Shot. "GET OFF!" He screamed out. "KILL!"
"You aren't gonna be doing much of that." Six Shot replied. With his right cannon arm, he charged up a blast, and pointed it down at Scorponok's cockpit. Scorponok's vulnerable cockpit. With a mental command, the powerful weapon of Six Shot's fired, and the blast tore through the cockpit as if it were tissue paper. Scorponok screamed out loudly as he immediately began to plummet from the air.
Leaping off of the beast, and landing on the ground gracefully, the yellow and black Cyclops watched as the once-airborne mech crash loudly onto the ground. Six Shot's example was followed by Shockblast, and the twins raised their weapons, ready for any attack Scorponok could perform.
And for what felt like forever, he didn't move. But in one, swift motion, Scorponok launched into the air, and landed in robot mode. He growled at the Decepticons, and slowly began to stalk over towards them.
"What th-… How can he still stand after that!" Shockblast all but screamed.
"I… I don't get it." Six Shot said as he and his brother started stepping away from Scorponok. "I destroyed his cockpit, his control center… He shouldn't even be able to move!"
Scorponok grinded his teeth, as a mix of energon and mech fluids started trailing down his chin. "Kill…" He groaned. "Kill!... KI- " It was then that the beast's optics rolled into the back of his head, and he fell limply to the ground.
"…"
"…"
"… Is he dead?" Six Shot asked.
"Beats me. But I'm gonna take this chance while we have it." Shockblast replied as he walked over to the prone form.
"What are you doing?" His twin brother asked.
The purple and silver mech planted his foot onto Scorponok's shoulder, and with his hand, began pulling on the beast's head. "Jhiaxus wanted a head to bring back, and I think this is more than enough… Help me out! This guy's got a big head, and I can't do it on my own!"
"Oh, fine." Six Shot replied. He made his way over next to his twin, but instead of going the physical route of simply pulling the head off, he adjusted his left arm, and out came a small wielding tool. He slowly proceeded to cut through Scorponok's neck, with his twin still feebly pulling against the head.
Yukon, United States
Predacon quickly moved to the side, as Optimus' punch missed its target. He quickly brought his knee up, and into Prime's abdomen, causing the Autobot to groan, and hold onto the wound. The leader dropped to his knees, and Predacon's attention was quickly turned to the other three Autobots attacking him.
Scavenger, Rodimus, and Overload all fired their weapons at the behemoth, and the blasts scorched his armor, but he paid no notice. Predacon removed his cannon from subspace, and took aim with it. Quickly firing off a round, he grinned as the Autobots dived off to the side; the ground they were previously standing on promptly exploded.
Slipping his weapon back into subspace, Predacon quickly balled his hands into fists, and rushed towards the nearest Autobot – Scavenger. He came up next to the large Autobot, and threw his fist across the mech's face. Mech fluids leaked from Scavenger's mouth, and he quickly doubled over as Predacon embedded his fist into his stomach.
"Slow buffoon." Predacon taunted. He grabbed Scavenger's arm, whirled around, and threw the yellow 'Bot into the approaching Overload. As the two Autobots tumbled over, Predacon crouched down, and leaped into the air. Flipping around, he landed behind Rodimus, and threw his elbow into the back of the future Prime's neck. In the next instant, he whirled around, grabbed the back of Rodimus' helmet, and slammed it down into the ground.
"Pathetic." Predacon groaned. He turned around and made his way back to the fallen space pod, stepping over some of the fallen Autobots. But when he made his way to the pod's side, and peered into the viewing glass, his optics narrowed.
It was empty.
"Where…?" The beast wondered out loud.
"Predacon." A voice from behind called out. It was aged, sounding as though it had been through a thousand ordeals, and had gained experience from every one of them.
The Herald slowly turned around at the familiar voice, and his optics met with the mech from inside the pod. The mech from his dreams. He was a mix of red and white, with his legs making up the back of a van. His right forearm was completely made up of the front of a vehicle, and he had doors on his back, acting as wings. A faceplate attached to his helmet covered the majority of his face
Predacon tried to show his distaste for the mech, but ended up wincing, and holding his head.
"Wh-… Why…?" He asked.
Silverbolt looked over, and saw Roulette walking into the room. "Welcome back." He said.
She smiled at him. "Thanks, Silverbolt." She replied. "Everything good here?"
"Yeah, though I wonder, why do you always hang out in the shooting gallery?"
"I just like to hone in on my skills." She replied.
"How…?" He questioned, as he slowly dropped to one knee, as the visions started to flash by his mind again. "How… are you doing this to me!"
"Predacon…" The aged mech replied. "Come back."
The beast's optics widened, and he sharply inhaled.
The Autobot medic quickly pulled out twin blasters, and snapped his fingers onto the triggers, resulting in a torrent of blasts launching towards the giant. The discharges struck Razorclaw, and he either ignored the pain, or didn't acknowledge it, as he continued to lumber towards Ratchet. The ground shook more and more as Razorclaw drew nearer, until he was standing right in front of the somewhat-smaller mech.
"Move it, Ratchet!" Silverbolt yelled out. Unfortunately, his calls were once again unanswered.
"Leave me alone!" Predacon screamed without thinking. He climbed up to his feet, and the large, turbine jets on his back immediately came to life. He launched into the air without hesitation, and glared down at the mech. The aged Autobot only looked back up at him with saddened optics.
Predacon gripped his helmet as he flew off. "I'll kill you… I swear I will…" He muttered through grinded teeth.
The new Autobot sighed as Predacon disappeared from sight, and looked down. Optimus groaning caught his attention, however, and the mech quickly made his way over towards the Prime.
"Careful." He said to Prime, helping the Matrix Bearer onto his feet. "You just had a rough encounter; you and your troops should take it easy."
Optimus slowly looked over towards the unknown Autobot, as his battle helmet flipped off, and his battle mask opened up. "Thank you." He breathed.
"Optimus?" The Autobot asked. "Optimus Prime…? The times have certainly changed you."
"A lot of things have changed since this war…" Prime looked over the aged Autobot. "I can't help but feel there's something familiar about you…"
"I was apart of Captain Silverbolt's personal team. Back before the Minicon Wars began. My name is Ratchet."
"Ratchet… I remember, now." Optimus replied. "But… Everyone on your team went missing when I assigned you to M2 for colonization research. We sent out several search parties, but none of them found any of you."
"That's because almost all of us were killed." Ratchet replied. "Only Silverbolt and I survived."
"…I'm sorry to hear that…" Optimus replied. "Where is Silverbolt now?"
Ratchet hesitated. He then looked up into the sky, where Predacon was moments ago.
"You just fought him."
Decepticon Lunar Base, The Moon
Jhiaxus leaned back in the Decepticon throne, fingers drumming on the armrests. He had assigned all of the others to do tasks, such as patrol, scouting, or simple janitorial duty. However, doing so had left him with nothing to do. And put simply, Jhiaxus was bored.
Until he heard a dragging noise.
He looked up, and along with the dragging noise came groaning, with a few muttered curses here and there. He cocked a non-existent eyebrow as Shockblast and Six Shot slowly came into the room, and dragging behind them a considerably large head. It had a light blue helmet, with a golden visor hanging above a bloody, golden face. The mass of the head itself was close to the size of a normal mech's torso.
"What is that?" Jhiaxus asked.
"It's a Thanksgiving turkey." Shockblast sarcastically replied. "What do you think it is?"
"Shut up." Jhiaxus replied. "What mech did that head belong to?"
"The one that nearly killed all of the Autobots. Weren't you watching?" Six Shot asked.
"Yes, but then I turned off the monitor when I saw you two challenge it."
"WHAT!" Shockblast screeched.
"I figured you two would have been killed." The commander chuckled. "But it seems I was wrong. Well done."
The twins mimicked each other and grumbled. "Where should we put this head?" Six Shot asked.
"I don't care." Jhiaxus replied. "The only reason I wanted it was for proof."
"…" Again, the twins grumbled.
"I really hate you." Shockblast uttered.
Earth's Orbit, Unicron
Alpha-Quintesson lightly scratched his chin with a talon as the holographic screen continued to play back the Scorponok fight with the Decepticon twins.
"It would seem that The Prototype is a failure." The Judgment face stated.
The five heads spun around until Wisdom took control. "Yes, but that is why we have these tests!" He moved over towards another view screen, where it was split into four smaller screens, each with a different animal on it. "Not installing a pain sensor proved to be a mistake. Because it couldn't feel pain or fatigue, Scorponok didn't know when to start to calm down, and think with a clear head."
The purple face of War took control. "With his mind in such a primitive state, it would not have been thinking too much, regardless."
Wisdom returned. "You agreed that giving The Prototype a feral mindset would make it easier to control."
War flipped around. "Yes, and it would seem that we were right in that assumption. But it needs to be able to think for it to be fully effective. Not just a yes-mech."
Judgment took control of the body once again. "We will need to make serious adjustments to Scorponok in order for him to pass the next test." The Quintesson typed on a holographic keyboard, and on the four screens, the animals fully showed themselves: A raptor, a panther, a beetle, and a hawk. "Send for Predacon to retrieve the remains of Scorponok. We will begin construction on the secondary Prototypes as soon as Scorponok is…"
The Quintesson pulled out the strange device he had used on the now-deceased Decepticon known as Thrust. Inside was the still-pulsating spark of the Decepticon. He chuckled softly, as he looked over the orb.
"… Perfected."
Unknown, Unknown…
I close my optics, and reopen them... I see myself, fulfilling my destiny… I approach the center of the chamber, and towards the most potent source of power in this, or any, universe… Unicron's core…I have been waiting for this since the day of my birth…
I hold out my hands, fully ready to take his power. It will be mine, and I will then truly be all-powerful… I place my palms firmly against the surface of Unicron's core, and it's power immediately begins to flow into my body…
The power is almost unbearable, I am not sure if my body can withstand… It starts going through a metamorphosis, and I can feel everything change. My power, my body… my mind. Bones tear through my shoulders, as my torso grows less blocky, and more sleek. Dear Primus… This is incredible…
The Autobots and Decepticons arrive. I merely laugh
at their mortality, and their feeble attempts to stop destiny. I now
hold all that was, is, and will be Unicron within my very frame. I
turn to face them, a dark grin stretched across my face…
"It's you!" They cry out. "It's been you all along!" I confirm that I had been manipulating this war from the very beginning. Their every action, every thought… All staged… They're like children, so easy to manipulate…