Chapter 4 Processor or Mind?
"Sir, we're coming up to Rystolth," an Autobot pilot named Hound reported.
"Prepare for anything," Optimus Prime told his fellow Autobots, "Rescuing our brothers will not be an easy task; Megatron is likely to have to entire planet under his control."
"I'm detecting a Decepticon energy signature leaving the planet's atmosphere and coming fast," Prowl, a somewhat skeptical lieutenant, called.
"Which Decepticon is it? That lil Starscream fella?" Ironhide asked.
"No, it's bigger," the skeptical lieutenant said, "I've never seen this guy before…"
The Autobot brought it up on the screen at the request of Optimus Prime. A large Cybertronian assault jet with front-mounted dual cannons was leaving the planet at a high speed; Decepticon insignias were on the vertical stabilizers and on the wings.
"Who is that, Prime?" Jazz asked, "Ah've never seen 'im before…"
"It could be Thunderbolt," Hound guessed.
"That is none of the Decepticons we know," Optimus Prime, "I fear that may be the super soldier."
The prisoner transport vessel started to shake as a terrible thunder of the power engines of the assault jet emitted as it roared over the Autobot vessel.
"Hound, what is the destination of that Decepticon jet?"
"Tracking its course now… it may be heading for Dastrylk, Prime." The Autobot pilot replied.
A silence fell over the Autobot crew as they viewed the planet that's airspace was controlled by Seeker fighters and they could see large Decepticon insignias all across the planet. Every inch of Rystolth was without a doubt under the enemy's control, and it hardly looked like a war had raged on it. It seemed that the Decepticons had conquered the Autobots with words than weapons.
"We will not abandon our Autobot brothers," Optimus Prime walked over to a landing vessel, "Who's coming with me?"
"May mah Spark be extinguished before Ah turn mah back on ya, Prime!" Jazz clasped hands with his leader and friend, "Ah'm with ya to the very end."
"No way am I gonna let you take all da credit fer yerselves," Ironhide cracked his knuckles, "I'm always ready ta bust some Decepticons."
Several other Autobots joined them and they all walked inside the landing vessel, with Jazz ordered to fly it down to Rystolth.
"I haven't met some of you," the Autobot leader said, "Please state your names."
"My name is Ricochet," an Autobot with an alt-mode of a construction vehicle responded.
"I'm Hot Shot," another who seemed to be a sports car said.
"Trax. Everyone calls me Trax." The largest Autobot who was a former battle-hardened gladiator, a rare occurrence to be an Autobot, growled lowly, "And this is Skids… my brother in arms."
"And I'm Jackpot," the final Autobot replied.
"If we do not return, my brothers, I just want to say that it has been an honour serving with you all." Optimus Prime nodded and looked out the window, "We're now in the atmosphere…"
Almost immediately, the landing vessel was pounced upon by Seekers who recognized it to be Autobot, with their missile racks and ionized cannons all launched their deadly contents upon the vessel. Optimus thought that perhaps it was a bad idea for having Jazz as a pilot… he flew it as if it were a fighter, rolling and spinning it to avoid every barrage of missiles and bullets.
Once the vessel had steadied for a brief second, Ironhide glanced out the cockpit and spied a group of a dozen robots, which appeared to be Autobots, being heavily pursued by Decepticon soldiers.
"Look right dere!" he called, "Dat's 'em!"
Jazz successfully landed the vessel in a thick forest quite close to the troubled Autobots. At once all the Autobots jumped out of the spacecraft assuming alt-mode and charging after their friends.
"Come here, Decepticon punk!" Jazz shouted as he assumed protoform on top of a Decepticon tank and knocked off his rocket launchers.
This act of bravery did not last very long and turned out to be more futile when the Decepticon transformed and threw Jazz into a tree. But the second-in-command Autobot was tougher than his size revealed him to be, and got back into the fracas.
In charge of the Decepticon group was none other than the ruthless Barricade who was probably no taller than Jazz, but was much stronger. Without warning he transformed and unleashed a barrage of bullets upon all the Autobots, before flipping over a rocket fire by Ironhide and transforming his hand into a small Energon dagger which he stabbed into Jackpot's processor. Jackpot's dying screams filled the entire forest and alerted other Decepticons that there were more Autobots to slaughter. Barricade ripped his blade out of the dead Autobot's processor, spilling Energon all over the ground.
This must be Barricade, Optimus Prime thought, a little marvelled by the skill and speed that came from every attack from the Decepticon. Despite his size, Barricade had actually been counted among the few Decepticons to be rendered extremely dangerous; Jazz and the latter had fought before in which the commander almost did not get out alive.
By the time he had charged up his ion blaster to give a falling shot to a Decepticon car, Barricade had torn through the Autobots single-handedly, crippling Trax and killing Skids. However the Decepticon law enforcer was no match for more experience opponents who had wiped out his entire squad. Soon the Decepticon stood alone and was surrounded by the Autobots and his prey, who he had been pursuing before the tide changed suddenly.
"Line 'em up, put 'em down!" Barricade suddenly returned to alt-form and unleashed a barrage of bullets that cut down two Autobots; their names had been Revo and Lightdrive. He proceeded to drive into the Autobots, knocking over the injured Trax and leapt at Dino, who tried to fight back. The other Autobots had their weapons ready once again, only after Barricade had almost ripped Dino apart.
A rocket fired from Ironhide had hit Barricade square in the chest which knocked him off his victim and sent him staggering backwards with Energon spilling out of the hole. Optimus Prime knew that any shot like that was always fatal… but was surprised to see Barricade return to alt-mode, redlining away with a trail of Energon following in his wake.
"That is one tough Decepticon," Jazz noted as he watched the injured Decepticon drive off, "Should we hunt 'im down an' finish 'im off, once an' fer all, Prime?"
"Negative Jazz," Optimus Prime replied, "We've rescued our brothers, which was why we came here in the first place. Besides, this planet is completely under Decepticon control, and with Jackpot's dying scream, I believe that that may have alerted the others of our presence. Gather our fallen comrades and return to the vessel; we're finished here."
Much to Ironhide's glee, they weren't finished as a patrol of Decepticons came of the forest and began to attack the intruders. Ironhide barreled over two Decepticons, blasting off one of their heads with a rocket launcher, before being felled by a barrage of missiles from the sky.
"Trying to rescue your precious friends, Autobots? How pathetic!" Starscream assumed protoform, firing a barrage of blasts from his lethal Null Ray that killed an Autobot who had been named Sektor, "You are no match for the speed and power of Starscream!"
"Why do all the Decepticons have an ego problem?" Jazz asked as he watched a now-repaired Barricade returned to the battle and transformed, "Oh, he's back."
A fierce battle broke out and Trax and Ricochet were killed when the Hound of Megatron joined the skirmish and obliterated them with a blast from his Energy Wave cannons. Fastlane and Tripwire were killed by Starscream with relative ease, and Barricade killed Jumpshot. Several Decepticons were killed in the battle too, from very skilled shots from Jazz and Optimus Prime.
"Autobots, fall back!" Optimus Prime ordered as another Autobot was slaughtered by the fearsome and speedy Barricade; this one was named Boxcars.
Supporting the badly damaged Ironhide, Hot Shot watched as the Decepticons began to pursue them. He knew that he and the others would not survive unless they did something. Letting Optimus and Jazz bring Ironhide back, the rookie Autobot fired several shots from his Theta-Class automatic rotating Wind blasters into the trees which created a temporary blockade. The first Decepticons who jumped over it were killed in the crossfire from his blasters and after he saw his Autobot friends aboard the landing vessel, he fired a couple more shots at another Decepticon who began to climb over the blockade. Then he made a run for the vessel as shots whizzed past his head and just as he was about to jump into the airborne spacecraft, Barricade caught up and jammed his dagger into Hot Shot's back. Optimus Prime caught his hand though and hauled up the Autobot… and the Decepticon. Swiftly he gave Barricade a powerful punch in the face which caused him to lose gripping and fall off. Dino then aided him with pulling the rookie onto the vessel.
Glaring up at the Autobots, Barricade shout profanities and curses at the Autobots as they entered Seeker airspace in which they were swooped upon by Starscream who came to assist his comrades.
"Let… me deal wit… 'im!" a damaged Ironhide readied his rocket launcher and hit Starscream in the chest after he had transformed, "Punkass Decepticon!"
Unable to sustain flight, the Air Commander fell to the surface, still firing shots at the vessel but instead of crashing, he was caught by Blackout. Once the Seekers saw their commander fall from the large shot to the chest, they retreated back to their Seeker base… and from there it was smooth sailing for Optimus Prime and his crew.
Two millicycles later, the landing vessel docked inside the prisoner transport and the battle-weary soldiers exited the ship.
"We had huge losses down there," Jazz said, "We ventured down with a crew o' eight, joined up with Dino's group o' a dozen soldiers, an' lost eleven with more than half of our crew injured."
"Blaster, see to it that this information is recorded in the ship's log and also on written document." Optimus Prime noted, "Location is Rystolth, and we encountered heavy resistance from Seekers and Decepticon patrols, including Barricade, Blackout, and Starscream."
"Yes sir, Optimus Prime, sir!" the Autobot immediately began his task, "I'll get it done faster than a cat can clean its fur."
Ignoring the rhyming Autobot, Optimus Prime walked over to Jazz who was drinking some Energon to replenish all the energy he had lost. Before he could ask, he was given one by a spunky femme named Override.
"Much better!" Jazz exclaimed happily.
"We're running low on Energon, my friend." Optimus finished his too, "I think the Decepticons are too. Those that we killed… they died as if they had no power at all."
"All o' us are hurtin' from this depletion, Prime," the second-in-command replied, "There's gonna come a time in which there won't be any left."
"Forlornly there is no trace of a source of Energon on any of the planets we've visited."
His friend was starting to agree with him when he brightened up, "Hey Optimus, do ya remember that time when ya told meh about when ya got lost on another world alone?"
"Yes, it was at first very frightening but then it became a marvellous experience… what are you hinting at, Jazz?"
"Well, ya said that the planet actually produced Energon naturally…"
"Jazz, no one knows where that planet is. You've erased all memory of it from all documents, the team that rescued me are all deceased, and I don't even know its coordinates or even the name. However I must admit that I wish I did… it would be our salvation and we won't perish."
"Prime, what if the Decepticons already know of the planet?"
"If they did, this war would already be over and we would have lost." Optimus Prime thought hard and remembered a few things about the planet, "The planet's name is WereKespair… and it is hidden from both us and the Decepticons. I'm not really sure about it but I do believe it produces Energon naturally. And there are some things about the planet… Seduri and Krystal…"
"Who are they?"
"Um… no one… just…" Optimus Prime walked away, remembering things…
Iacon, Cybertron; 5000 Stellar-Spans Ago…
"Optimus, come here." Beta called.
A little Sparkling ran over to her and jumped onto her leg, "You called, Mama?"
"Don't call me that, Optimus. You should know by now that I am not your mother."
"Sowwy…" Optimus looked at the ground.
"Hmm, your vocal processor has not improved yet, "You should be able to speak fluently by now."
Beta sighed as she bent over and lifted the little Sparkling up into her arms. Optimus was the youngest of all the Sparklings that had emerged from the Well of AllSparks, and the most different. Most of the others had already mastered the skills that are essential to apply in their everyday lives when they mature into mechs and femmes. Yet this little Sparkling was slower than the others to learn and even communicate properly. Not only that but he was the smallest; even Smallfoot was taller than him.
While other femmes did other jobs, Beta was in charge of caring for and teaching the Sparklings that would emerge from the Well of AllSparks. This was her task which she had been doing for the past few millenniums and she came to really enjoy her job. The only thing she did not like about her job was protecting the little ones from the fearsome Phantoka which would suddenly appear and kidnap all who would accidentally stray a little too far from their caretakers. These poor Sparklings eventually were raised to become engineers, miners, and possibly gladiators on the other side of Cybertron. Thankfully the foul creatures had not returned for some time.
And in her entire career, she had never seen such a deficient Sparkling like Optimus before. Everything was too hard for him to do and he was rather weak… she wondered if he would even survive to mature to a mech. The only interesting feature about him was a strange marking on his faceplate that she could not read… it seemed not any other Cybertronian could read it, for that matter. Oh, and Optimus was very mischievous and curious; everything fascinated him. Once Beta found him in the military complex of Iacon observing the soldiers training session.
"Am I diffewent?" Optimus asked.
The only answer he got was he was put back on the ground and Beta walked off to get another Sparkling who was being a little too curious. Her mistake: she left Optimus unattended.
Without care, the little Sparkling spied an open passageway in another building across the street and ran over to it. It was the Iacon Research and Science Centre in which the finest of scientists and engineers experiment the highest-level projects there. No matter what he was told, Optimus ventured into the building and quickly came to a room with a large glowing disc in the middle of it. All the scientists present were studying it and running diagnostics. It was a portal and the Cybertronians were testing the theories of travelling through portals and whether or not it was safe. Unfortunately, the little Sparkling got a little too curious and ended up tripping on a wire and fell into the portal!
"AHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed as he plummeted into the darkness of Time and Space…
Tranquility Airspace; Current Time…
"Optimus!" Jazz yelled, "Tranquility to Optimus Prime!"
"AHHHHHHHH!" the Autobot leader was breathing heavily. It felt like he actually was falling for a moment there, before he put the blame on Jazz by glaring at his subordinate.
"Heh heh. Welcome back to reality. We've entered the atmosphere of Tranquility."
"Oh, very good, Commander. Get this vessel on the ground, the wounded to the medical bay, and the refugees to Customs."
"Yes sir!"
Rubbing his forehead with both palms, Optimus Prime stared at the roof of the prisoner transport, wondering how those memories could be repeating in his mind, especially since they were "childhood" memories as the inhabitants of Tranquility would say. As his processor cleared, the vessel had landed on the ground. Without wasting a second more, the Autobot leader walked off the spaceship and assumed alt-mode, driving onto the highway. He needed wisdom… and that wisdom would be found with the aged planetary leader of Tranquility, Hablano Primzahl.
"Great Hablano Primzahl," Optimus Prime humbled himself when he arrived in the chamber, "I need your wisdom to some… complex issues I am having."
"Please don't bow to me. Save that for a greater King. And I am not great; I am just as humble to serve Him as you are," The golden dragon retorted harshly before softening quickly, "Speak your mind, child."
"Pardon me?"
Hablano Primzahl chuckled, his brilliant emerald eyes gleaming with joy, "You are a child compared to me, Optimus Prime. I've been around since the establishment of the Universe itself. And I wish you to speak freely."
"I have been having a processor malfunction. Certain past events are repeating in it and it feels terribly realistic… why would this be happening?"
"Oh, my dear Optimus Prime, everyone experiences flashbacks of the past. Just because you are made of metal and alloys, does not entirely state that we are completely different. We both have a heart, in your case a Spark; a mind, that your race has come to call a processor; and a soul. No race is subject to anything different than the other. In other words, each race can experience what the other does."
"I do not understand…"
Extending a comforting wing, Hablano Primzahl walked over to Optimus, and wrapped the wing around the confused Cybertronian, "I shall explain. Not being able to understand a concept is the same as another race would say being confused. What you believe is a 'malfunction' is merely a vision of the past in the views of my race. Some visions can be realistic, in which it feels like you experience the same events again, and some can be merely pictures moving in your mind. Some races call this 'photographic memory' in which one can recall memories and literally see them playing in their mind. Your race has this programmed into them already so it is not much of a special talent amongst others. Are you seeing a clearer picture of what I am trying to convey to you?"
"I somewhat understand," Optimus Prime looked up at him, "I am interested in knowing whether you have experienced 'confusion'?"
"No. I have and will never experience this, myself, but I tell you that many members of my race have experienced confusion." Hablano Primzahl sighed, "Confusion is against what I believe. If the Maker is understanding and never uncertain, then why should we be?"
"Point taken, but some concepts are hard to grasp…"
"Ha! You hardly are aware of the mind-boggling mysteries of the Universe! Try computing this one: eternal life."
"Living forever? Is that even possible…?"
"All things are possible through He who gives you strength."
"But all are subject to death…"
"Subject to does not mean 'entitled' to,"
"So winning this war is possible?"
"War is a matter of perspective. Some think that good always triumphs over evil. In spiritual reasons, this is a very true fact, but amongst the physical, sometimes evil wins and there are times in which these conflicts end in a stalemate. But I tell you truthfully that if you submit to the Maker, victory will be in your grasp sooner than you anticipate."
"I believe we both have different creators. Ours is called Primus…"
"Prixmus? Inconceivable! He does not create… he only brings Destruction."
"No… Primus created the Cybertronian race. How do you spell the one you are talking about?"
"P-r-i-x-m-u-s,"
Optimus Prime looked at the golden dragon, "We are talking about two different beings."
"Well, your scholars must have blinded you from the real Maker. The One whom I serve has a myriad of names… but I come to call Him 'Yahwey'. As for Prixmus, be wary of this foe; he is the enemy to my Maker and all His Creation." Hablano Primzahl returned to where he was previously, and returned to the previous subject, "Do not worry about natural encounters of the mind, Optimus Prime. You will have to be able to discern for yourself whether it is natural or an attack."
"Attack? What do you mean?"
"The Deceiver loves to play with the mind and infuse his lies, hatred, and tricks into it. Be not one of the many who are deceived by these lies and blinded from the truth, but rather one who repels such attacks with a strong will. Your main challenge will be overcoming all the lies that you have known since you have emerged from the Well of AllSparks."
"Thank you for your insight, Hablano Primzahl sir."
"My wisdom goes out to all generations. Do not forget that."
Optimus Prime nodded and left after snapping a respectful salute with the wise dragon adding a warning.
"Beware, for he comes like a thief in the night only to destroy…"