Chapter 7 - Faded Memories: Part 2

AutoBase, Earth

"So let me get this straight…" Overload started. In the room was himself, Ratchet, Optimus, Scavenger, and Rodimus. "Predacon used to be an Autobot. He was captain of The Oasis, and you were on his personal team."

"That's right." The aged Autobot known as Ratchet replied.

"But I don't understand." Scavenger replied from his position against the doorframe across the room. "How did you come to the conclusion that Predacon was Silverbolt?"

"It was this purple and yellow motorcycle mech." The elder replied; the other Autobots glanced to each other. It must've been Sideways.

"About two stellar cycles ago, he ran into me, and told me he knew where Silverbolt was. I begged him to tell me his location, but all he did was show me a hologram of Predacon, and said he was 'in the belly of the beast'."

Definitely Sideways.

"How do you know he wasn't lying?" Overload asked.

"Because he showed me this." Ratchet reached into subspace, and pulled out a disk. He handed it to Optimus. The Prime walked over towards the nearest view screen, and placed the disk into the slot.

Ratchet promptly looked away, as the footage began playing. It was faded, and occasionally flickered static, but it showed a gray and red mech on his knees. He had sleek wings on his back, and his torso was made up of a jet cockpit. An Autobot insignia was on his right shoulder. His arms were bound by electronic bonds, and a fearful look was etched onto his face.

Behind him stood the black and purple Herald known as Razorclaw, and before the two hovered a transparent hologram of the Chaos Bringer's head. The Autobot suddenly started convulsing, and his entire body slowly morphed into the familiar frame of Predacon.

Optimus then cut the footage off, and ejected the disk. There was a heavy silence in the room, not a single Autobot knew what to say. Until Ratchet broke the quiet.

"I'm going to bring Silverbolt back." The aged Autobot declared softly.

"Can it really be done?" Scavenger asked. "I mean… Is there any trace of Silverbolt within Predacon?"

Ratchet smiled behind his faceplate. "Because if Silverbolt weren't still there… Predacon wouldn't have hesitated to kill me before you arrived." The medic looked down to the ground. "Silverbolt was always a unique 'bot. A really laid back leader, someone you could always have fun with…"

Crab Nebula,Sportazia. Long, long ago…

Sportazia. The greatest planet in the Universe to hold any and all sporting events. It had everything, from Earth's Football, to Cybertron's Tag Laser. If you're into more peaceful sporting, there is a golfing field. If you're into proving your strength, enter a fight club. But if you're more like Silverbolt and his team, a friendly game of Hoverball is always an option.

Three.

They were incased in a large, cylindrical room.

Two.

There was no gravity.

One.

There were two on one team, and three on the other. A jetpack was strapped onto each back.

The game was tied. Final play.

Go!

A small orb dropped into the zero-gravity chamber, and all five Autobots flew for it immediately. Skydive, the youth of the group, was the first to grab the ball, and fly towards the opponent's goal. Fireflight and Roulette both sides of the mech, as Ratchet and Silverbolt chased after Skydive in an attempt to get the Hoverball back.

Silverbolt rose up above the opposing team, and dove down towards Skydive. He grabbed the youth, and forced him down to the ground, at which he dropped the Hoverball. Ratchet quickly scooped up the ball, and headed towards the opposing goal.

"Slaggit!" Fireflight swore. He and Roulette quickly moved their attention from Silverbolt to Ratchet, and proceeded to follow the Autobot.

"You almost got it, Ratchet!" Silverbolt cheered on as he and Skydive dashed off towards the group. Unfortunately, Roulette caught up with Ratchet, and rammed him into the side of the wall. The older Autobot dropped the Hoverball, and drifted to the floor as the opposing team scooped up the ball, and rushed back towards the other goal.

The medic groaned, and slowly slid into a sitting position. A shadow loomed over him, followed by a red and white hand.

"Hey buddy." Silverbolt said, holding out his hand to Ratchet. "Need help?"

"But… The game…" Ratchet's point was proven when Fireflight, Skydive, and Roulette scored, winning the game.

"Eh. It's just a game." Silverbolt shrugged. "There'll be other ones. Besides, I'm more concerned about you than beating some sense into those losers. Now are you gonna accept my gesture of kindness?"

Ratchet chuckled as he took Silverbolt's hand, and was pulled up onto his feet. "I may be older than all of you, but that doesn't make me weaker than you." He joked. "But I'm glad you value my health over something trivial like a game of Hoverball."

Silverbolt chuckled. "What kind of Autobot would I be if I didn't?"

Earth, AutoBase. Now

"Ratchet? Hellooo?" Overload waved a hand in front of the medic's face.

"Huh? What?" Ratchet shook his head, and blinked a few times; he was back at AutoBase. "Sorry… I guess I spaced out."

"Yeah. The last thing you said was 'Silverbolt was always a unique 'bot. A really laid back leader, someone you could always have fun with'." Overload replied. "So… What are you going to try and do?"

"I don't know…" Ratchet replied. "But I'm going to bring him back. Somehow." The medic slowly turned towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Scavenger asked.

"To get a breath of fresh air. I could use it right now."

Earth's Orbit, Unicron

Predacon screamed as he pressed both hands against his heavily-marked wall, and pushed his head against it. The visions… The memories… They were getting worse. To the point of giving the colossus constant mental torture. He wasn't seeing just partial visions anymore, either. They were full blown memories, and he could see every little detail of the past.

"Why…?" He asked to no one. "Why do you torture me?" Predacon continued to see four mechs in these memories, but one stood out… The one from before… Ratchet.

He sighed, and slumped down to his knees. Predacon had felt physical pain before… But never mental pain. It was a whole level above what he had experienced before. Physical pain could be extinguished with repairs… But how can the mental anguish be fixed?

Get rid of the source.

Ratchet.

But… A small part of Predacon wanted to know more. Just who was he? Just what was he in his previous life? From the looks of it, a group leader, of the four he constantly sees…

Unknown Space, Gigalonia. Long, long ago…

The five Autobots dashed down the hallway. The path was flashing red with sirens and alarms blaring, but Silverbolt and his team paid no notice.

"Stop them!" Several Decepticons cried out from behind. But their orders were silenced as explosions tore through the walls, and wiped out the mechs.

"Move!" Silverbolt yelled to his team. "Those bombs we planted are going off, and we gotta be outta here, or else we'll be as dead as the 'Cons in here!"

Another explosion occurred behind them, only this time, the wave of fire was rushing towards them. If it were possible, the five members of the Oasis ran more frantically through the mess of hallways in the Decepticon weapons factory. They quickly veered off into a corridor to the left, and not an instant later, a torrent of fire washed over the old hall.

"We've got company!" Skydive proclaimed as a team of Decepticons stood at the end of the path.

"I got 'em." Roulette said as she shifted into her hot rod alternate mode, and floored it towards their enemies. Like a bowling ball and pins, she plowed through them all, flooring the Decepticons and speeding past. The other four Autobots leaped over the small pile of 'Cons, but only three made it. A few rushed footsteps later, it struck the Autobots that one fell behind; they came to a halt, and found one of the many generic Decepticons with a hold on Ratchet.

"Go on!" Silverbolt ordered to the other three. "We'll meet up with you guys outside."

"But- " Fireflight didn't have a chance to protest, as Silverbolt shot him a glare.

"That's an order!" He snapped. "Now go! Before the place blows sky-high!"

Skyfire, Roulette, and Fireflight reluctantly nodded, and proceeded down the hallways towards the exit. Silverbolt, meanwhile, ran around the corner back to Ratchet.

The hallway was growing increasingly orange and red, the heat from the growing flames making everyone's vision blurry. The Autobot captain leaped into the heart of the rising Decepticon pile, intent on getting Ratchet out of danger.

Unfortunately, one of the Decepticons quickly wrapped his arms around Silverbolt's torso in a bear hug. Another 'Con took note of this, and quickly came to his comrade's aid. He balled up his fist, and proceeded to throw it at Silverbolt's face. Only the Autobot swiftly moved his head to the side, and his captor was the one who had his teeth knocked in.

In his moment of shock, the Decepticon never realized that Silverbolt had elbowed his captor, freed himself, and head-butted him until he hit the floor, and slipped into stasis lock.

Silverbolt came up to Ratchet, who was slumped up against a wall, with a smoking blaster; the Decepticon that had grabbed him was lying on his back, and had a smoking chest.

"Let's get you out of here." Silverbolt said with a grin. Ratchet, however, looked down to his left leg. Electricity sparked over it, and it twitched on occasion.

"My leg isn't functioning." Ratchet replied. "Leave me; I'll just slow you down."

An explosion just down the hall rocked the area, and Silverbolt stumbled to keep his balance. "C'mon, Ratchet." He said, kneeling down. He took the medic's arm, and wrapped it over his shoulders; Silverbolt stood up, taking Ratchet with him.

"You know me better than that."

Earth's Orbit.Unicron. Now

Predacon gasped as he returned to the real world. His optics scanned the room – no weapons factory. No explosions. No Ratchet. He sighed; this was driving him mad! The constant headaches, the ceaseless flashbacks… Were they even his? Or were they Silverbolt's?

But Silverbolt wasn't around anymore. So why did Ratchet keep trying to bring him back? For the sake of an old friendship? Remorse? Regret? Predacon shut off his optics, and sighed again. His patience, and his mind, were wearing thin.

"Silverbolt is dead." Predacon said to no one. "It's time that Ratchet realizes this fact." He slowly walked across his empty room, and reached for his cannon on the floor. He walked through the automatic door leading out of his room and into the hallway, and as he headed to the Warp Gate Chamber, he uttered to himself the same thing over and over.

"I will be free."

Earth's Orbit. Unicron. Within…

"GYAAHHH!" Starscream yelled out loudly. While Alpha-Quintesson's Energon Harvesters were under construction, it was up to him and Tidal Wave to gather Energon. The two had completed their latest Energon delivery, and were currently transferring it into a strange machine… from their own bodies. Tubes were wired from their arms to the machine.

"Take it like a mech." Tidal Wave groaned, trying not to scream out himself.

"The Energon transsssfer isss nearly complete." The Death face of Alpha-Quintesson cooed.

Starscream groaned, and a moment later, he hastily ripped the tubes from his arm; the Quintesson frowned at him. "If you took any more Energon from me, I wouldn't be able to move!" The seeker complained.

Tidal Wave sighed, as he, too, removed the tubing from his arm. "I agree with Starscream, you're getting too hasty with this whole thing. If we don't have Energon for ourselves, we won't be able to collect any for you."

"I suppose you're right." Alpha-Quintesson said as his face switched to Judgment. "However, the Master wants this done as soon as possible. And considering the Energon Harvesters are not completed, you two are the only ones who can gather it for us."

"Tell us again why we're doing this." Starscream asked.

Alpha-Quintesson turned to the strange contraption housing the Energon extracted from Starscream and Tidal Wave, and flipped a switch. "This device takes the Energon out of you, and transfers it into… him." He motioned to behind the machine, towards a table. On the table was a heavily damaged, prone figure; wires from the machine were hooked up to the figure.

He was green and purple, with a tank alternate mode.

He had cracks and tears all across his armor.

He was Megatron.

"You are collecting Energon so that we can revive Megatron." Judgment stated as he switched to Alpha-Q's Wisdom face. "That is our goal! The Master wants it, and the Master will get it!"

As the two Decepticons and the Quintesson continued discussing Energon harvesting, none of them noticed the faint flicker in Megatron's long-since darkened optics. Before his optics died once again, he uttered one thing and one thing only.

"… Jhiaxus…"

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…

They fire blasts at me, but I don't even feel them. This power has truly made me what I was meant to be the entire time… A god. They continue to feebly attack me, but only now, do they realize, that there is no hope. Their darkest hour will remain dark, forever…