All Creatures Great and Small.
Directors Edition
Chapter 5

' "The world eater"? Is that what you call that thing?' Buffy looked at the screen, it still showed the rogue planet in the corner and the news anchor was stumbling on every other word.

'No Buffy we call that thing Unicron. He actually eats planets, He must have found a way around his prison. Just as we theorised ' Prime wasn't looking at her. His voice was afraid. This giant of power was scared, who wasn't?

Another Autobot, this one a mix of white and grey, called Wheeljack ran in. 'Prime, the general is asking to see you. He's got his first team with him.'

Xander caught her eye and whispered; 'Think it's too late to emigrate?'

Optimus Prime turned around. 'What channel is he calling on?'

'No channel Prime, an earth transport helicopter just landed outside.' Prime considered his options, the treaty he entered with this continent's primary government demanded he told them the truth.

'Sunburst, come with me please. We have to explain what is happening to them as well.'

'Oh fun the Air Force.' Sunburst jumped from the seat back onto his shoulder. Together, Prime strode to the entrance.

'How did you know what we were talking about?'

'I'm not sure but I think it's the same way you believe me and the guys about vamps and I know all about the Decepticons. I think that when we merged we shared thoughts.'

'You believe that we could have the shared knowledge of each other! How did you come to…'

'…that conclusion? Well the fact that I can suddenly shoot a gun like a pro is one thing and the fact that we aren't talking to each other.'

'Not talking? Prime stopped just before the final door out of The Ark. 'Telepathic communication! By Primus you're right.' Smiling he decided to shock her, 'not just a pretty face then?' silently laughing they both wondered what the consequences could be.

Buffy watched them leave. 'Wheeljack, what General?'

'General Hammond. A few years ago we came in contact with a USAF project who's goal was to protect the Earth. We help them defend your planet and in return they keep our presence hidden from your public.'

'The government knows that you exist?' Buffy wondered just how many secret organisations there were out there.

'Yes they do. They are silent to keep your people from panicking and have used their influence to disguise our presence from the media at large.

'I've been told that you two want to become Human companions to two of us. Has anyone agreed to join with you?'

Buffy smiled 'I talked with Prowl and we decided to partner up, with me as a Targetmaster.' She was certain that if he had a "normal" face it would be surprised. As it was he almost took a step back, his six sided eyes widening.

Xander spoke up 'I talked with the Dinobots, their leader was injured wasn't he?'

'Yes Grimlock took a shot to his head, we've been unable to… Are you saying you want to become Grimlock's head?'

'A huge robotic T-Rex? I can see myself riding on into battle, It would be so cool.'

'Well, it would be interesting. Grimlock is not one of the worlds greatest thinkers. Are you both sure, neither of those two are the most rounded individuals. Grimlock is as thick as a Cybretronian sludge river and Prowl's hero is that human with the pointed ears on Star Trek. He's a great tactician but logical to a fault, the last human he talked with almost made him burn out his processors.'

'No problem, Buffy is as logical as anyone and I'm just as stupid.' Buffy hid a grin at that. She could tell she was going to have a lot of fun.

Looking out from the red planet Unicron felt the dormant presence of his nemesis. It permeated the rocks, the sea, the very air with a stain of wholesome nobility and compassion. It sickened him to think that someone so flawed was a threat. Changing his form into that pale shadow of his former self he breathed in deep from the barely alive red rock he floated past. Then compressing it in his vast bulk he started to speak...

By the time Prime and his new friend had finished Jack O'Neill didn't know what to do. These guys could wipe the floor with anyone else out there. Carter had almost killed herself when she first tried to understand the laser cannon the Autobots had lent them. She had locked herself in her lab and promised to stay there until she had answers. After three days they were finally able to drag her out by her ankles. With blue Jell-O and the doc's needles they kept her out long enough to give the gun back and then get back to the job of saving the planet.

Now they were talking about metaphysics (whatever that was) and their Gods. Daniel had the same smacked-across-the-head-with-a-wet-sock look Carter got when playing with their gadgets. That could only be a very bad thing, Jack was about to save Daniel the trouble of a coma and ask what they could do about the problem when the sound hit him.

The ground moved beneath his feet and his lungs acted like a sounding board. A blast of hot air crushed him down like a massive weight and he could feel his ears start to bleed 'PRIMUS I AM WAITING FOR YOU! TODAY WE FIGHT AGAIN. FACE ME COWARD!' The whole world shook at the terrible challenge. Trees exploded, rocks shattered off the mountain side and from his position, flattened to the ground, he could see the dust and rocks bouncing like ants with every word.

With a darkness clawing the edge of his vision Colonel Jack O'Neill of SG1 looked at the two robots as they nodded to each other. Blacking out he thought he saw the same light he had a few hours before...

Dawn was glad she was encased in armour, otherwise she would have been in the same state as the people at her feet. Bleeding and unconscious. Looking at Prime she didn't need to say anything as neither of them would, or indeed could, back down from that destiny. Primes gut plate slid open as Dawn transformed back into the super charged engine. She didn't blackout, the light simply overrode every part of her. She became nothing more than an observer within the entity known at Optimus Primus as the light washed over her young mind.

Reaching out he felt that every human on the planet had been hurt. Its fragile climate shaken from the blast of particles Unicron had used. Only his children remained, both Autobots and Decepticons. Optimus Primus straightened his shoulders, locking them in place and turned to The Ark. 'My children; this world is defenceless against the greed of your cousins. You must protect the innocents and stop the Decepticons from destroying more of this world.' He needn't use the radio. The Autobots would hear his whispered words a galaxy away.

Ironhide was the first out, his rifle drawn and ready. 'You got it Primus. Come on guys, lets bust some Decepti-creaps.' At his gesture a convoy of mismatched cars, trucks, planes, and various other craft streamed out of the golden cave and into the open, vulnerable, world.

Primus smiled behind his face plate, his children had done well. Now it was his turn, calling the planet's vast energies to his aid he used his own awesome potential He jumped. He jumped far out of the planets atmosphere staring down Unicron. He was no bigger than a flea to the monstrosity, with a simple thought he grew. Ignoring the laws that bonded the universe he grew ever larger until he matched the titanic Unicron. Face to face with his ancient foe the God of Protection looked upon the Devourer of Worlds. No fear met his gaze, just raw confined aggression and hunger.

Strangely deep within him that which was Optimus Prime was awed while that which was Dawn "Sunburst" Summers was calm, She knew from experience that shock would not help. Following her example he relaxed into the fight and let the handful of lessons taught by the Earth's guardian Slayer take over.

Unicron lashed out, clawing at his eyes. Primus let himself drift backwards in the silent vacuum of space. Unicron's opening blow missed and faced his archenemies' right fist. Primus held himself in place with his will alone as he connected. There was nothing to stop him Unicron from tumbling into the red world. With the small planets twin moons in each hand the guardian God landed on is opposite and broke both orbs upon the horned head of Unicron. The very solar system reduced to nothing more than weapons in their war.

Never had Unicron had to fight like this. Primus was cold, his blows calculated and beyond powerful. The green and blue clad champion of everything Unicron abhorred was stronger than ever before and even more skilled. Yet had Unicron to even touch him while his own injuries were astounding. 'Enough is enough!' In desperation He called forth his chain mace and finally was able to hit his foe. Again the titan swung and again the charged energy ball crashed into Primus. This time finally beating him off the planet and towards one of gas giants. Confident of victory he strode across the heavens towards Primus.

Primus was not ready for the weapon and was surprised by it but he was far from defeated. Prime's rifle was part of him. Pulling it out from its' holster across his back he morphed it into a quarter-staff. Catching the chain around the shaft he pulled the monster towards him once again. Tumbling into each other Primus roundhouse kicked Unicron backwards and then yanked him forward like a yo-yo. Unicron's grip was lost and both weapons were lost to the ageless storm raging deep in the gas planet. Not stopping he flattened his hand and pushed it trough the demonic chest plate. Sparks and fires lit up in the thin atmosphere that clung to both of them.

Pain was Unicron's friend. Pain is what he lived for. Inflicting it, not taking it Wincing at the agony in his chest Unicron pushed against the arm that held his insides. More sparks and fire. The arm broke with a grinding sound. Unicron grinned, laughing as he forced the arm out of himself and floated away. The ancient God that wanted nothing more than the silence of everything gloated in the stand off.

Primus met Unicron's glare. Showing no trace of pain the Guardian Of Life in the universe reconnecting his elbow. In a brutally sharp move oversized pistons slid back into their place, cogs and gears snapped together and the mystical energies that awoke him healed the damage. In that moment Primus realised He was the ultimate combination of the technological and the mystical, organic and metal, mind and spirit. Nothing within this universe was a match for him and Unicron was about to see just why.

Through the Key Primus could see every dimension. Every heaven, every hell and every parallel world. With a thought he called forth those other dimensions to help. Instantly he was everywhere. Each possibility played out a thousand different ways. Each one right there and then. Countless shots from mega-sized pulsar cannons. Countless punches, kicks and body slams. For that terrible instant every possible reality existed right there and then. The mighty will of Primus the only thing holding them all in check.

Buffy had quickly recovered from the pounding shout that had grounded everyone else and watched the fight unfold on the giant computer screen. Xander was still out of it, down at her feet. She didn't know if she wanted Primus to win to save the world or selfishly just to save her sister and friends but when the God Primus ripped the universe apart she felt it.

There were very few times in her life Buffy could clam to feel the Slayer as part of her, that was one of those times. It wasn't right, a deep knot of could only be described as "wrong" settled in the pit of he stomach. In years to come she could say that she had felt the universe wince at what happened in that moment.

All too slowly, in the blink of an eye the moment was over. The blue, red and green robot stood alone, his doubles sent back across the multi-verse and Unicron was pretty much vaporised. Buffy swallowed as on its own the screen zoomed in. She could see every crack, rivet and seam on the robotic God's features and for an instant the robot looked at Earth. His eyes shrunk to slits, a dull grey plate slid down and Buffy realised he was frowning. That instant he vanished.

Optimus Primus stood outside the abandoned construction site. The almost finished building had been damaged by the environmental chaos that had now subsided. The planet was devastated, across its fragile surface billions of innocent lives crawled aimlessly looking for answers. Worst still were those that had answers, that were to use them cruelly against the innocent.

And amongst all this life, something else. Primus could see the movements beneath this peaceful, troubled, place. Both physically and dimensionally. Deep beneath his feet a dimensional cross roads was about to experience it's first 'Rush Hour' in thousands of millennia. The great evil was ready and seizing this chance to bring the real demons back. Deep within his mind Sunburst told him the stories of true demons, their size, their power. Humanity on it's own could not stop them and neither could the Autobots. But together, with the Slayer and her friends they would, could be able to stop hell on Earth. Nodding Primus transported himself back to the volcano base with a thought.

The devastated town of Sunnydale was left behind.

End Chapter 5