If you're driving around & see an '82 Chevette with spinners. Then you must be in Flint, Michigan.
Welcome to an insurance company's worst nightmare.
Revelations
Continuing to stand in front of the control panel, the unknown transformer stands silently after lowering the meteor onto the well-like cradle as he looks at another hand control, designed for one's hand print. He extends his right arm with an open hand, but suddenly stops just inches away. Ed watches him, seeing the conflict within the unknown Cybertronian.
"Though I do the first task willingly. This, I cannot... How can I, a patriot, one who has witnessed firsthand the sorry state of Cybertron, let loose this ally of Armageddon... I believe in no—Nemesis Prime, but so far your dream of a utopian universe with Cybertron at its very heart, regulating its smooth function... has been one long nightmare." He said, looking up to the giant beside him.
"Ultimately, knowing what I know & having sat in judgment of others, perhaps less culpable, I find I cannot follow through. He need not know. The chances of anyone happening across the Nega-core are minimal. And when it is done, when we are one... it will no longer matter!"
He turns to walk out of the cave. Ed & the others in tow carefully walk out from behind the left leg of Thunderwing. "Ally of Armageddon... There's a helluva title." Ed muttered before looking back to the Nega-core, a new found sense of fear & dread fill him just as he heard the sounds of voices outside, shortly followed by the sounds of a loud explosion & gunfire.
The battle outside is short lived as conversation takes over once again. Lust leans down to Edwards ear, grabbing his attention. "Edward, this might be our best opportunity for us to get out of here." She said quietly. "Nice idea, but we don't know who's really out there." He replied.
Suddenly, a flying object rockets overhead before landing on the hand control. Thunderwing's eyes light up as newly programmed commands initiate as he stands to his feet & looks to the cave entrance. Outside, the small group of Autobots, lead by Ultra Magnus with Hound to his left & Sideswipe to his right, looking into the cave while Warpath kept the unknown transformer in his tank mode's cross-hairs.
"What have you done?" Magnus asked with his usual authority filled voice.
"Simply ensured that the contents of the cavern are well & truly beyond your reach. The guardian, once awakened... never shall be passed." The unknown transformer stated calmly, his body building with pain from his recent battle. "I have faced my personal maelstrom... this is yours."
"What are you--" Hound's question was interrupted with the sight of a glowing pair of eyes & low growl before a fist slams to the ground in front of them.
"THUNDERWING!" Magnus shouted, making Warpath take notice & began to fire at will, trying to avert the beast's attention away from his comrades, but also giving their prisoner the time he needs to escape. Transforming to his jet form & took off to the star filled sky while the Autobots (in the guardian's wake) fall back to a safe distance.
Sideswipe keeps his rifle drawn on the monster as it slowly retreats back into its dark dwelling. "Well, look decided to come back home... Out of one cave & now another. But if he's here, maybe the humans that disappeared with him are back as well. And who else is involved in this whole mess?"
"Looks like they have the Big Bad on a leash. For the time being!" Hound stated before turning his attention to Ultra Magnus. "Magnus?"
Magnus' attention was on the Cybertronian that was leaving the planet's orbit. "Clearly, this is much bigger than we thought. Something's begun here... and who knows where it'll end" He presses a button from his pop up control off his right arm, sending a command to his privet galactic cruiser, launching a tracking probe to follow their unknown attacker.
Ark-32, 1 hour earlier.
Nightbeat stands in the shuttle hanger, awaiting for his fellow Autobot, Hardhead to arrive. Deep in thought, troubled with his distorted past. Literally, a puzzle with missing pieces. Five minutes passed before Hardhead had finally entered the hanger & approached Nightbeat.
"Hardhead, I'm glad you came."
"Okay. So, what do you need?"
"What I'm going to tell you is confidential. I have never shared this information with anyone... A short time ago, I was investigating something on another planet & while there, several cycles of my memory was lost or possibly removed. By whom or what, I'm not sure."
"Uh, huh."
"It's not just the missing memories I'm concerned about. It's my entire state of mind! If something else was done to my neural processor, I could easily be a danger to you & other Autobots. I intend to retrace my steps, find out exactly what happened in those deleted cycles, but I need you with me. I want you to watch me like an Ardurian Roc, and if I lose control, even for an instant... eliminate me."
Hardhead stood silently for a moment before finally acknowledging him. "Sure... So, where do we start?"
Gorlam Prime, 1 hour later.
As Nightbeat kneels down & examines the local humanoid life looked to be frozen in time of sorts, Hardhead just looked in awe of the city & its inhabitants. "Things have changed since I was last here."
"Really? Looks to me like the whole world just... stopped."
"Appearances can be deceptive. There's actually a lot going on, but it's all internalized. It's as if they've entered--en masse--a chrysalis-like state & evolution has sped up. From organic to techno-organic to..."
"Us?"
"Yeah." Nightbeat transformers into his vehicle form before Hardhead follows shortly after, changing into his armored personnel carrier. "What's the plan?"
"That carrier-wave summary I sent back to my ship—before whatever happened... happened—mentioned a specific excavation site. We'll start there. One good thing, at least we don't have to worry about gridlock."
As Nightbeat leads the way, weaving around the stationary traffic while Hardhead... well, plowed through it. Traveled down the freeway—unknowingly being followed by a small white truck—they continue toward the work site. Hardhead's tires screech as he came to a stop in front of Nightbeat, taking note of the small army of vehicles coming toward them. "What you said about gridlock... start worrying!"
The army before them begin to open fire, weapons drawn from their headlights making Hardhead retaliate as enemy fire "pings" & strikes his armor plating. "Hardhead, they're Cybertronian!"
"They're hostiles, pure & simple. Fire at will." He said, firing a couple more shots at the four fast moving Micromaster vehicles before they broke formation, allowing Road Handler & Tailspin to each take a guardrail, using it like a jump ramp as though twin daredevils & open fired on Hardhead's side-panels. "Back up, now!" He ordered, continuing to shoot back before he & Nightbeat noticed that they were blocked in.
From left to right; Iron Works, Mudslinger, Tote, Stakeout, Sidetrack, Flax, Big Shot, Dropshot, Bombshock, Growl & hovering above the group, Tracer.
Hardhead transforms & draws his hand rifle & continues to fight back as the Micromasters continue their assault. "We're penned in! Tough as I am, there are limits to how much punishment I can take."
Nightbeat transforms, noticing that he has yet to receive one scratch. "Where as I, appear to be off limits. Which, worryingly, tends to back up my supposition that there's something else in store for me." Hardhead makes a run to the guardrail, not wanting to take anymore than he already has. "We gotta go!"
"Where?"
"Down!" Hardhead leads the way, along with gravity. Crashing through another freeway overpass. Nightbeat wished only to find a safer way down, but saw little alternative still being surrounded.
The Dead Universe.
Inside the wreckage of the Cybertronian ship, Ark-1, Nemesis Prime (formerly Nova Prime) looks over the inside of the aged & forgotten control room. Jhiaxus, enters the room, hunched slightly as normal. Wise, yet arrogant. Brilliant, yet overly prideful. "I thought I'd find you here... where it all began."
"Ended. In that fateful moment when we crossed the threshold from there to here, our lives—as they were—changed forever. We can never go back to what we were."
"But we can go back."
"Yes, thanks to you, Jhiaxus, our long exile in this forsaken place of fossilized tears is now almost over. Finally, we shall return to the light, but take with us..." He places a hand on a small console in front of him, before it crumbled into dust. "The Darkness!" Throwing his right arm out, his shoulder mounted wings narrowly striking Jhiaxus. "How go the preparations?"
"All three Nega-cores have been activated, Nemesis Prime, as have their respective guardians, but... our opening gambit has not gone unnoticed."
"Explain."
"Upon Thunderwing's return, the human alchemist had also returned with him & Cyclonus drew unwanted attention on what should have been a clandestine incursion. I strongly suspect he exceeded his remit. And somehow, Nightbeat has found his way back to Gorlam Prime."
"The human is of no concern... The atmosphere of the planet is not hospitable for most organic life. That alone, will be his end. The situation on Corata-vaz is regrettable but ultimately containable. Thunderwing is the very epitome of unstoppable force & immovable object. However, the exposure or loss of Nightbeat at such a critical stage would entail direct action on my part, something I wish to avoid at all costs. Jhiaxus, see to this personally!"
Corata-vaz.
Inside the cavern, out of sight from the action taking place outside. Wrath peers around the corner, watching the Wreckers attempt to lure out the giant guardian with an excessive amount of firepower as they closed in only to be repelled back by Thunderwing's bluish/white energy dome mixed with black ion lightning.
"I think they're going to be a while." He stated before wiping the sweat from his brow & turning back to the others, seeing Edward & his father sitting on the ground, their backs against the wall while having a difficult time breathing & seeing Lust sitting to Ed's left, both playing with their respective communicators. "You guys don't look too good." He said before the fighting resumed outside.
Ed glanced at his direction with the look of despondence on his face. "You're... an... idiot." Wrath scowled at the blonde's reply & was thinking of retaliating only to have the tips of Lust's blades meet his throat. "Mind yourself, little boy."
"PRIMARY WEAPONS ONLINE"
"ULTRA MODE ENGAGED"
They suddenly hear the loud sounds of clanging metal. Looking out, Wrath watches Thunderwing change to his Ultra Mode as the onslaught continued. "Now it's gonna get bad." Hearing the boy's comment, Ed continued to sit by & stare at the large glowing rock.
"He's guarding this... No, someone has him guarding this. Protecting it from anyone outside, but why not us? They'd have to be aware of us being here, or maybe they don't, or maybe they don't deem us as a threat... All this has a purpose, but what? It's rigged as though it were--" His eyes widened when the truth suddenly came to him. "It can't be... I mean, could it? Could it really be a bomb?"
Gorlam Prime.
After being pursued by the Micromasters, Hardhead & Nightbeat exit an elevator that (strangely enough) seemed to have been constructed for those of their size. They shine their respective lights down the tunnel shaft from the elevator. "Anything coming back to you?" Hardhead asked.
"No. Yes. Maybe. It's as if... I know where to go. What direction to take. But I can't see what's co—muh." Nightbeat places a couple of fingers to his temple, a sudden change came over him. "Nightbeat? Night--" Nightbeat quickly spun around, the barrel of his gun pressed against the forehead of his Autobot companion.
"Nightbeat's not in the drivin' seat no more, huh?"
"No. He... is ours"
"And you are?"
"The future. We are... preparing... a template for the entire universe here... on Gorlam Prime, fine-tuning an existing species to make it... capable of withstanding the very worst extremes of this or... any other reality! Soon... two universes will... be fused into a synchronized whole, a... clockwork mechanism maintained & regulated by the Cybertronian elite. You have no place... in it!" He stated as several Micromasters appeared from the darkness behind Nightbeat.
Nightbeat squeezes the trigger & takes the shot. Hardhead stumbles back, a hand over his face. "OW!" Nightbeat stood in shock, that was a point blank shot & he took it with no ill-affect. "Wh--?" Hardhead snatches the gun away from the controlled Autobot & crushes it in his left hand. "Um... Hard. Head. It's not just a name, y'know."
"K-Kill it!"
The Micromasters fire upon the Autobot as ordered. Hardhead falls back before changing to his A.P.C. & taking aim at the tunnel's ceiling with his cannon & firing a loud, echoing blast. Caving in the tunnel & killing some of the opposition under the rubble.
He backs away down the tunnel. After a moment, he comes across a vault door. He transforms & opens the door. Seeing lake of glowing slime-like water. He walks into the lake, feeling a tugging sensation within his core, a calling. "That way... lies only darkness & desolation. A place... utterly bereft of life." The familiar voice makes Hardhead stop in his tracks & turn to face his brainwashed friend.
"We call it... The Dead Universe! What it was, what races & species once called it home... Such details are lost forever. All we know for sure is... nothing lives there. Nothing... bar that which keeps us as we are. Accept that... your time is done... Your course run... And it will be quick. The pain... momentary. Resist... and your suffering shall be eternal." Hardhead lowers his weapon, seeming to have surrendered.
"There."
Hardhead raised his rifle & fires a pinpoint shot through Nightbeat's brain. He falls forward like a freshly cut tree with the present Micromasters looking on in shock. They fire at will as Hardhead entered the deeper waters, ready to face his future, head on.
The Dead Universe.
Jhiaxus screams in agony, holding his head, grabbing Nemesis Prime's attention. Who is not pleased & feels his worst fear may just have come to pass. "What?" He sternly asked.
"The instrument... is gone. Gone!"
Nemesis' eyes narrow, displeased by this information. The center of his chest begins to glow brightly. "This necessitates a confrontation I had wished to defer until it was far too late to affect the expansion in any way, shape or form. It seems I must do what Nightbeat was meant to & eliminate Optimus Prime."
Corata-vaz.
The Wreckers along with the aid of Hound's team, continue the all out effort of trying to get the unstoppable monster before them out of the cavern. The battle seeming to be endless to Edward & the others as he continued to try to call out to anyone. A small screen pops up from the top of his right forearm. Static gives way to the image of Ultra Magnus, who looked surprised at the sight of a human on his monitor.
"Finally, I got somebody!"
"What? Who are you? Never mind, clear this channel."
"Now wait just a damn minute! We're the ones that came back with Thunderwing. Y'know, the one that the Wreckers are fighting with outside!"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist"
"Oh... You're that short human that disappeared a week ago."
Ed nearly exploded into one of his usual outbursts until his father grabbed hold of him from behind & held him back as Lust while placing a hand over his mouth to keep him from saying something that would not be constructive, let alone be insulting to a degree. She grabs his arm with a free hand & looked into the screen. "Listen, we're inside the cave that our large companion is guarding."
"Really? Tell me what's in there."
"A control station that is connected to a giant glowing rock & a pair of posts to the left."
"A glowing rock?" His train of thought was suddenly interrupted with the image of Hot Rod appearing on another monitor. "Ultra Magnus, I found the Magnificence & I know everything behind Jhiaxus' plan."
"Everything?"
"Everything... The thing in the cave is a Nega-core. Its function is to multiple/accelerate the effect of an expanding anomaly in the Benzuli Expanse. There are three of them. The one on Corata-vaz, one on Rotan, and one on the fourth moon of Bhul."
"Bhul—the stellar cartography archive."
"Eh?"
"Nothing."
"Right. Well, each has their own guardian—Thunderwing, Monstructor & Sixshot. And each guardian has a neural implant, effectively making them slaves to Jhiaxus' will. Getting at the cores won't be easy! There's activity on Earth too. That's where their power supply is... Oh, and the whole set-up is linked via multiple space bridge portals to a hub on Gorlam Prime."
"Good work, Hot Rod. Now all we have to find is the weak link!"
The conversation did not fall on deft ears as Edward & the others heard everything. Now knowing what they were dealing with that was in front of them, but also what they were stuck in the middle. "Great... between this & the Fallen, we're screwed royally." Ed groaned, forgetting momentarily that the channel to the other two Autobots was still open. Ultra Magnus placed a hand to his chin, curious to the human's comment. "The Fallen?" He asked.
Garrus-9 Penitentiary.
Optimus Prime & Fortress Maximus watch the monitors of the battle on Corata-vaz when Prime suddenly felt this overwhelming feeling of dread & a sudden tugging among his core. "He's here."
"Who's here? How? The Last Resort is at its highest security rating. Not even a Cortynivian Shadow Worm could get in."
"He's here... Nova Prime."
The sealed reinforced bulkhead doors give way as they decay & are pushed aside. The double doors appeared torn & crumbled as Nemesis Prime pushes them aside with little to no effort before stepping through. Many Autobots converge on the scene, but seeing that Optimus was not among them was disappointing at best, but more along "irritation" if nothing more.
Two Autobots stand before their elder Prime. One with duel chest mounted guns the other a blue & yellow bot holding a tail rotor, pointing his arm mounted guns at the intruder. "Don't move! Stay exactly where you are. You so much as flinch, we'll cut you down!"
"Poor pitiful things. My business here does not involve you!" Nemesis grabs both Autobots by their faces. His grip was unbreakable. Their bodies electricity coursing through, life quickly escaping them. He releases his hold of them as other Autobots see their lifeless & decayed bodies fall to the floor. "The Prime will come to me. Now." Nemesis walks through the barrage of gunfire, ignoring those trying a futile attempt to stop him.
Back in the control room, Prime's feelings are confirmed. His predecessor had come for him. "'Hostile' is in motion, sector four downshaft. Tac-teams, G-South & K-East intersection!"
"Fortress Maximus... call them off."
"What?"
"Conventional won't cut it here, Max. We'll just lose a lot of good 'bots. Our destinies—his & mine—are intertwined, our fates... inseparable."
Autobot cargo vessel Nightbird, en route to the Benzuli Expanse.
As the ship steadily makes its way, deep inside the ship, the Technobots feverishly worked on Thunderwing outlawed Bio-cybernetic grafting process after getting the green light from Prime. The room was filled with four large bio-tubes & multiple computer station. Nosecone stands at his station, have a discussion with Jetfire, who was still at Garrus-9. "Best E.T.A. Is six cycles, I'm afraid."
"Can't you get more speed out of that crate, Nosecone?"
"We're pushing the engines to their limit as it is, Jetfire. And anyway, the carapaces aren't fully meshed. I'm assuming you don't want us rushing that."
Garrus-9.
Jetfire stood at his control station. On the monitor before him was Nosecone & to his left on another monitor was Cloudburst, who was also stationed at the Benzuli Expanse on the Autobot ship, Mirror-manifold.
"Unless you can deliver them to Cloudburst & the others soon, it'll be an empty gesture. But you're right. This isn't something we can afford to rush. We've seen firsthand just how badly that plays out... Cloudburst, you get all that?"
"I did. I understand. We'll hang on as long as we can." The communication breaks. Jetfire puts a hand to his chin, something just popping into his mind, Nosecone observing his actions. "Hmm..."
"I know that 'hmm.' It normally implies something that's eluded the rest of us."
"I was just thinking about Bludgeon & how managed to control Thunderwing via an Axis Cradle override. Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way."
Garrus-9 (Sub-level).
While everything else was going on, Optimus makes his way into the Solar Pool generator room. Entering the room, weapon in hand, his senses tensing as he sees the elder Prime step out from the shadows. "It doesn't have to be this way, Nova."
"It dose. We are one, not many. And call me Nemesis Prime. Nova was me in embryo, unshaped. I am so much more now."
"I sense... something coiled & venomous where there should be light & hope. What has happened to you?"
"Only what I wished to happen. The Matrix was a leash, a shackle of good intentions, limiting the sheer scope & range of what I—and we—can achieve. This on the other hand has no limits." Nemesis forms a ball of black energy in front of him as though being manipulated by him before attacking Optimus. Feeling as if being burned from the inside-out. He falls to one knee, smoke billowing from joints & vents as Nemesis approaches him.
"It is ancient, beyond names. It is simply the Darkness, the polar opposite of our creation force. I found it... or it found me... in the Dead Universe! And now, when this universe & that one come together, the Darkness will grant me dominion over everything that survives the fusion. But first, you must be gone."
Meanwhile, sitting in his own Axis Cradle that he designed with multiple monitors & keypads. He connects multiple wires to his head. "Springer, I'm going to try to override whatever or wohever's controlling Thunderwing. When I give the word—move in. And move fast, because I have no idea how long I can hold him."
"Understood."
Gorlam Prime.
Jhiaxus sits at his control station surrounded by four monitors, each with a different slave. "No, that won't do at all. It's as well I saw fit to keep a reserve in mind, as it were, should a back-up guardian be needed... Arise, Bludgeon!"