Chapter 1: Assault on Rystolth

Rystolth. A planet originally inhabited by natives that resembled wolves until it fell under Cybertronian control, was the command and operations center of all Autobot activity in the Dystros Region. It was quite remote from other planets, excluding the fact that it orbited around a star, and far out of the range of any Decepticon warship. Quite certain that it was safe from any Decepticon threat, scientists and engineers of Autobot faction created a research base in which they could experiment new types of energy, create new weaponry, and manufacture weapons of mass destruction.

Dropshot, the lead scientist in command of all the science operations wanted to end the tyrannical rule of the evil Decepticon leader, Megatron, and so he began inventing new tactics and weapons to destroy vast numbers of Decepticons. Since he only functioned as a scientist rather than a soldier, Optimus Prime dispatched Sideswipe to command all the operations on Rystolth. The two eventually became good acquaintances and the latter taught Dropshot self-defence in exchange for new weapons.

By far the greatest creation of Dropshot was a super soldier which would be powerful enough to fight any opponent and win, no matter the size. It was also to meet the requirements of the Autobot military to be virtually indestructible and have enough firepower to down entire Decepticon battlecruisers with nary a shot. Materials of all kind were brought from all ends of the Universe, some donated by allies from other planets and the rest gathered by Autobot salvaging teams. However, Dropshot did not want to create a mindless drone as originally planned; instead he got a volunteer from the Smelting District of the Wasyt Galaxy.

This volunteer was a diminutive and timid engineer who was the smallest of his caste, but had the most courage out of all his peers and had an impressive level of intelligence for an engineer. Born without a name, he eventually was named by his fellow peers: they called him Sixshot, for it took him six attempts until he finally mastered a task regularly. All of his equivalent workers mocked him for he was "vertically-challenged" and quite different from them. The main reasons why out of all the applicants Dropshot handpicked Sixshot was because of his inventive, open mind and his quality to never give up until he discovered a new solution to any problem.

A fellow scientist who co-worked alongside with Dropshot, felt that the super soldier project deserved a more chaotic and destructive function. These feelings were exacerbated from the other scientists and engineers who despised him for his failure at every experiment he tried to create. Even when it came to repairing fellow Autobots, he only succeeded in killing them. This led to him gaining the name of Flatline since everything he touched ended up dying. Flatline hated how his co-workers treated him and thus he began to desire vengeance. One night, he slipped into the communications centre and contacted the Decepticon Communications Officer, Soundwave, and informed the Decepticon of everything the Autobots were planning. He vowed to deliver the coordinates to the base as long as they promised him sanctuary in the Decepticon ranks which he was promised. For several stellar-decacycles, no one had learned of this act of betrayal nor did Flatline get the results he anticipated…

Without warning, a Decepticon warship was detected in the Dystros Region and appeared to be closing in on Rystolth. Immediately the Autobots began defending their research base by opening fire on the warship with powerful ion turrets and their Defender vessels.

"Onward Decepticons!" Megatron ordered, "Rystolth is within range!"

"Lord Megatron, are you certain that the Autobots have even got such technology to construct a soldier of such magnitude?" one of the Decepticons enquired.

"I AM certain, Crowbar. The Autobots would not counterattack with such daring if the rumors aren't true. Destroy anything that tries to stop us!"

"Lord Megatron!" a Decepticon soldier yelled, "Stabilizers are failing!"

"Redirect all power to the main and secondary engines; I want this warship on that planet's surface immediately, Brawl!"

"Full power to the engines will cause the vessel to accelerate into the planet with a vast risk of the core detonating!" a Decepticon with a single eye retorted.

"I don't care, Shockwave! You WILL land this warship on that planet!"

The warship shuddered from a huge blast of energy from an Autobot Defender vessel.

"Megatron, scans reveal critical damage to the ship's core," Soundwave reported, "Explosion imminent."

"We're almost there! Blast those Autobot scrapheaps into oblivion!"

Two energy blasts from the main forward batteries caused the Autobot Defender to explode into a ball of flame. Side-mounted cannons annihilated several Aerialbots and disintegrated a Command Ship.

"Lord Megatron, the core is about to detonate!" Brawl called, "That Defender must have hit the core!"

"Pray that it will detonate after we land!" the Decepticon leader growled, "Maintain your course!"

"Systems critical. Core siphoning levels above normal…" Soundwave reported.

"Attempt to divert all power to the engines, Soundwave. I want that base to be rendered as Decepticon property, do you hear me?"

A sudden activation of the engines sent the warship careering into Rystolth and it crashed onto the surface with a huge explosion. After scanning the debris, the Autobots assumed all their enemies were destroyed in the crash and returned back to their base.

"Soundwave, damage report," Megatron pushed a pile of rubble of himself.

"Sensors indicate high probability of core detonation," the Communications Officer replied.

"Decepticons, get out now!" the Decepticon leader ordered.

Aside from Megatron and Soundwave, eighteen Decepticons were successful in breaking out from under the rubble and out of the ship. After three more hopped out, the warship exploded into a ball of fire.

"Brawl, status report."

"We lost no more than four soldiers and several sustained minor damage," Brawl replied.

"Good, that's better results than I anticipated."

"Megatron, scans reveal high Energon readings 40 miles north of our current position. It is statistically possible that the Autobot base is located around that position. Jamming transmissions now. Our approach should be undetected."

"Excellent, Soundwave. Decepticons, advance!"

All twenty three Decepticon soldiers transformed and advanced in the direction given out by the Communications Officer.

"Megatron, I am detecting numerous Autobot energy signatures around the source of the Energon reading. It is logical to assume that the base is in that general region."

"Blackout, maintain a low-level flight to shield your energy signature; I want the Autobots to be taken by total surprise."

"As you command, my Master," the large Cybertronian space craft complied with the order.

"Decepticons, shield your energy signatures."

Silently and swiftly, Megatron and his strike force approached the Autobot base.

"Impressive…" Barricade snarled as the Decepticons arrived at the Autobot base several cycles later, "It actually appears to be fortified."

"What do your scans detect, Soundwave?" the Decepticon leader enquired.

"Scans reveal several hundred Autobots within the base and approximately fifty aerial defenders. Our primary objective lies deep underground, four clicks north of our position."

"Several hundred Autobots?" a younger Decepticon named Ransack exclaimed, "Do we even have the capabilities to exterminate even half of them?"

"Calculating the number of enemies and the strength of their firepower, I estimate that we could run this exact mission several times again before we've used up all our reserve energy as well." Shockwave retorted, "So to answer your question: affirmative."

"I want to test my new weaponry I received," Brawl said, quite eager to start killing Autobots.

Megatron suppressed an evil chuckle, "Decepticons, begin our assault!"

As if the very words were music to the Decepticons' audio receptors, they immediately began to carry out their orders, with Blackout easily dispatching two guards.

"Megatron, it may be wise to signal Starscream to send reinforcements," Soundwave noted, "This entire planet is under Autobot control; we have no precise number of Autobots lazing about. However, I estimate at least a thousand."

"Do whatever you deem necessary, Soundwave, as long as it does not contradict with my orders."

"Affirmative." The Communications Officer watched as his leader jumped down into the battle and began to relay a message to the Decepticon Air Commander, Starscream…

"It's time for more strategic slaughter!" Megatron announced as he killed an Autobot soldier with his deadly Ionic Fusion Cannon, "Decepticons, kill them all!"

"Aw Megatron, who said that we were going to take prisoners?" Barricade asked sarcastically as he shot an enemy soldier in the chest before finishing him with a shot to the head, "I didn't even give him time to blink!"

"Decepticon invaders!" an Autobot officer exclaimed, "Autobots, defend the base!"

"Come here, Autobot drudge!" Crankcase growled as he fired at the officer who transformed and drove off deeper into the base.

"Snipers in the rafters!" Stockade warned his fellow Decepticon comrades, "Take evasive action!"

"Leave them to me," Hardtop, a crack-shot marksman, smirked as he began to target the snipers with his own Energy sniper rifle, blasting one in the head, "Oh yeah! A headshot!"

"Your marksmanship skills are satisfactory," Soundwave replied as he fired his Sonic Cannons into an Autobot, obliterating several from the powerful blast, "I very rarely miss."

A couple dozen Autobot soldiers managed to surround the Decepticon first-strike soldier, Blackout, and began to press him backwards.

"Too many Autobots," Blackout muttered, disintegrating several with a single blast of his Energy wave cannon, "Deploying Scorponok…"

After that, he launched a metallic scorpion off his back into a hapless victim who was shredded apart by the Decepticon scorpion's deadly rotating claws. A dozen more were cut down by his powerful Gatling gun which bullets ripped right through their armour.

Seeing how the Decepticons were tearing through the ranks, an officer ordered the Autobot defenders to fall back and regroup behind the walls.

"Megatron, the Autobots are retreating." Shockwave fired a pulsing blast from his AstroMag cannon.

"No. No. No. They're merely gone to regroup their numbers. We'll remain here and wait for them to return, then the slaughter can recommence."

"Lord Megatron, these Autobots have surrendered to us," Grindor reported as he brought over a group of thirty unarmed enemy soldiers.

"I have no patience for prisoners. Soundwave, you know what to do."

Soundwave laughing emotionlessly before replying, "I understand. No prisoners. Only trophies."

"Wait! You're going to kill us?" one Autobot asked fearfully, "But we surrendered! We're your prisoners!"

"Your time of functioning is up," the Communications Officer pushed an Autobot over to a group of very ecstatic and trigger-happy Decepticons who executed him without debate.

"Lord Megatron," he bowed in front of the Decepticon leader, "Spare my life and I will serve you."

"Soundwave, cease fire." The Decepticon leader sat down on a fallen pillar, "They wish to join our ranks…"

"Fat chance!" Barricade snarled, "They'll betray us later; just wait and see!"

"Does anyone else enjoy the privilege of functioning?" Megatron questioned the surrendered Autobots.

"I rather die a thousand deaths than join you!" a brave Autobot soldier retorted and all the others agreed with him.

"I see and yet you're willing to surrender," the evil leader turned his attention to the one Autobot who was bowing in front of him, "What is your designation, soldier?"

"Streak, sir. My name is Streak."

"Well then, Streak, if you wish to join my ranks, you must PROVE your loyalty first."

"I'll do anything,"

"Excellent." Megatron handed him a Hypertension Shotgun, "Execute your enemies."

At first Streak hesitated. One of the captured soldiers was a friend of his and he could not bear the thought of killing him, but he did not want to be terminated any time soon either.

"Don't do it, Streak!" one of the Autobots snapped, "You're better than that!"

"My patience is at a critical low, Streak." Megatron growled, "I may change my mind if you don't choose now."

"Never!" Streak aimed the gun at one of his comrades and executed him. He then did the same until one remained, his friend.

"Streak, don't," his friend pleaded, "It's me, Bugle!"

The traitorous Autobot ignored his friend and executed him with a single shot to the head.

"Excellent," the Decepticon leader commended, "But before we grant you access into the Decepticon ranks, what do you have to offer that I will find beneficial to the Decepticon cause?"

"I happen to know where every Autobot base and command center is in this galaxy; I can provide coordinates and targets among them."

Megatron smirked at this proposition, "For now we will require your services here; the secret project in this base must become Decepticon property, and all theses Autobots slaughtered."

"Bring on all the fools!" Streak agreed, "I have a strong desire to start a kill streak!"

"Then that's what you shall be for now on: Killstreak!"

Killstreak smiled at his new name, and his Autobot insignia began to fade, being replaced by the one of the evil Decepticons.

"Megatron, scans reveal enemy forces amassing behind the walls of the base. It is statistically unlikely that we can defeat them all." Soundwave reported.

"We got hostiles coming from all directions!" Brawl yelled, "I estimate a couple hundred!"

"Decepticons, hold your position until Starscream arrives with reinforcements!"

Suddenly the Decepticons were completely surrounded and were forced to surrender when the Autobots brought in heavy soldiers and air support. Despite trying to fight back, several Decepticons were ultimately relieved of their weapons and arrested.

"Surrender Decepticons or be destroyed!" an Autobot ordered, kicking Soundwave onto the ground after he tried to obliterate a writhing opponent.

"This is humiliating!" Barricade growled as an Autobot removed him off his weapons and pushed him into the circle as well, "What's your plan now, Megatron?"

"We let them capture us so we can be brought inside and infiltrate the base from within. Now be silent; we don't need the Autobots knowing our plans."

"Move the prisoners inside," Sideswipe, the senior officer in charge of the base, ordered.

"Captain Sideswipe, we have a Decepticon battlecrusier enclosing on the planet!" an Autobot intelligence officer reported, "Orders, sir."

"Take it out then arrest the occupants on board." The Autobot captain walked over to the prisoners, noticing the Decepticon leader, "Megatron, isn't it?"

The Decepticon leader ignored him but growled when Sideswipe put stasis cuffs on his wrists, "I never thought that it would be me capturing you. Now you have to stand trial for all the crimes you've committed against the Universe."

"I am not defeated yet," Megatron retorted, "I'm simply captured."

"Along with your high-ranking officers. Now we can end this war." He moved over to Soundwave and put stasis cuffs on the Communications Officer's wrists, "Groove, how long until we can get a prisoner transport on this planet?"

"A few stellar-cycles," Groove replied putting stasis cuffs on Brawl.

"When I get free of these, I'm going put these around your neck, son!" the Decepticon soldier snarled.

"Son? How dare you insult me!"

"Fine. Glitch…"

Shortly later, the Decepticons were all securely bound and were led into the base, all going perfectly in correspondence to Megatron's plan. Then they were cast into a prison cell on the lower levels of the base.

"I hope this plan works effectively, Megatron." Barricade got off the ground and his stasis cuffs fell off his wrists as energy beams sealed the prison shut.

A loud explosion informed the captured Decepticons of the battle with Starscream and the Autobots. But Megatron was more interested in hearing the scientists talking below their floor…