Chapter 5
A period of 3 months has passed since the planet of Bajor was destroyed by the heartless Predacons.
On many of the Predacon-controlled worlds, the Predacon soldiers oversee the construction of multiple launching platforms for their newly developed Sun Crusher missiles. Each platform would span many miles, and would be capable of launching 20 missiles at once, each with transwarp capabilities on it. These launching platforms have also been constructed by the millions of individuals which the Predacons have enslaved from the planets they conquered.
Inside the Predacon fortress on Cybertron, a tall, blue Predacon approaches Megatron's throne, and speaks in a monotonous tone. "Every Cardassian within the empire has been accounted for and executed, Lord Megatron. Except for one group."
"Who would that be, Soundwave?" Lord Megatron responded.
Soundwave walks over to the throne, and hands him a datapad. "Ahh", smirks Megatron. "Gul Dukat and a few members of the former Obsidian order."
"He wasn't present on Cardassia. Soldiers have been hunting for him since." replied Soundwave in his ever-famous monotone voice.
"Find him, and when you do, bring him to me, along with his countrymen." the Predacon leader states coldly.
Soundwave salutes and walks out of the throne room.
Inside the main Maximal Headquarters, a large manufacturing stage is on the way. Their replicators are working overtime, replicating the many thousands of parts needed for star fighters and battleships. Once the parts are fully replicated, energy beam latch onto the various parts and places them together to form the final product. Each replication bay is occupied all the time by a spacecraft being constructed. Each vessel is constantly engulfed in multiple beams of energy, and rotating in all directions as the vessel is being completed.
Inside the station, Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus watch over the events.
"It sure was a brilliant idea Wheeljack"
"We expanded the replication technology from producing metal panels to building the vessel itself. It took the engineers about 60 human years to figure out how to do that."
"Keep up the process; we need every ship we can get. We also need crews to fill them as well."
"Rodimus is arranging crews for the fleet. Once we have every single Maximal assigned to a vessel, the replication bays will begin to produce unmanned vessels."
"Make sure they have the most advanced form of intelligence, I want the unmanned fighters to be just as good as piloted fighters"
Wheeljack nods.
"Also, build the carriers, the ones which replicate more unmanned fighters when one is destroyed. This will be an all-or-nothing campaign" Ultra Magnus commanded.
"I agree that it is time to end the Predacon rule now" responded Wheeljack.
Ultra Magnus leaves Wheeljack and ventures into a corridor, and then he turns at a doorway labeled "Armor fitting room". The door dissolves like a liquid and after he walks through the door the liquid rises from the ground and re-forms into the door. He now stands on a platform overlooking a large room. There are CR chambers set ever 10 feet apart, and maximal soldiers enter and exit the chambers at random.
Ultra Magnus approaches SilverBlade, who is at desk with multiple holographic screens, each screen showing the activity inside the chambers.
"The engineers did an excellent job. They modified the CR chambers to not only repair damaged parts, but to also fuse the new type of armor onto the soldier inside." SilverBlade says to Magnus without looking at him.
"Remind me"
"This armor has a shield generator built right in, and if that fails, the armor itself can be 'healed'. The armor is regenerated by the spark energy residing in each maximal. Their onboard computer activates the healing system. The wound fills in with energy, and that energy repairs the damaged parts, and forms new parts when and where it is needed." SilverBlade explained.
"Keep up the work, Silver. We need every Maximal capable of fighting as soon as possible."
"When are we going to launch?"
"Rodimus has yet to decide. A safe bet would be within 2 earth weeks."
"Most of the Maximals will be ready by then." SilverBlade says with confidence.
"Make sure they are…" Ultra Magnus states as he leaves the room.
Magnus walks along the corridor and enters another room. He finds the other Maximal commanders there, including Rhinox and Primal.
"We can't allow the organic races to be part of this no matter how many ships they have!" shouted Rhinox.
"They have just as much to gain from our victory as we do! And there are more organic slaves under the Predacon command then robotic slaves! We must let them be part of it to free their own kind!" Kup retorted.
"Their bodies can't stand the amount of punishment that we can, one shot and their down. We can take hundreds and keep on going." Rhinox says glaring at Kup.
"Quiet you two!" Rodimus interrupts them. "You both are right, but because they're representatives in the senate have stated they will be a part of this invasion on Cybertron, we can't deny that right to them."
"What would happen if one member flips his decision, and refuses to go to war?" Optimus Primal questions Rodimus.
Rodimus sighs heavily. "Then we have one less race to go to war with, plain and simple. We will offer the humanoid races the use of our exosuits. They are built with the same armor that Commander SilverBlade has developed."
"That could be tens of thousands of potential exosuits, we don't have the resources or time to produce that many." Rhinox states, with a hint of worry in his voice.
"Each race has been given the data tracks to replicate their own exosuits." Ultra Magnus says to the others. "Also, every maximal must report to the armor fitting room to get the new armor fused onto them. That includes us commanders. We need to be on the battlefield as well, and any amount of protection we have will help."
"When can we expect the other fleets to arrive?" Rodimus tilts his head, looking at Magnus.
"If all goes to plan, we will have every fleet here within 2 weeks."
"We need to come up with some strategies of our own and fast." says Rodimus, in a rushed manner.
"That is true. I will begin to formulate a plan today." A confident Primal states and leaves the room.
"Meeting adjourned, for now." Rodimus sighs and heads out, followed by the others.
The camera shows a Predacon space cruiser, and then it shows inside, where multiple Predacons are on the various consoles, with Terrorsaur in the Captain's chair.
"Terrorsaur, we found the missing Cardassians" Ramjet calls out
"Excellent, contact Megatron on Cybertron"
The back of Megatron's head appears on the screen
"Lord Megatron?"
Megatron swivels around on his chair to face the screen "Report, Terrorsaur." he says in a commanding manner
"The surviving Cardassians has been spotted Lord Megatron. Should I kill them?"
"No. Bring them to me so I may deal with them personally."
"But Megatron…!" Terrorsaur began to protest, only to be interrupted by Megatron.
"You will bring him to me unharmed or your fate will be the same as his!"
"Yes, your highness." Terrorsaur says in defeat.
The screen shuts off to show the Cardassian vessel.
"Black Arachnia, target the engines and fire to disable them."
Black Arachnia types at the console and looks at the screen. 2 shots strike the Cardassian vessel's engines. "Direct hit, they are dead in the water."
"Excellent." says Terrorsaur. "Teleport the Cardassians to the brig and lock onto the vessel with a tractor beam. We're going to haul it back to Cybertron."
"Aren't you going to destroy it?" Black Arachnia questions Terrorsaur.
"Why destroy something when we can still use its material? Plus that vessel has a warp reactor inside of it. Cybertron is constantly low on energy and every bit counts." Terrorsaur says to Black Arachnia.
"As you wish, Needle nose." Black Arachnia says with a hint of reluctance as the Cardassian vessel is engulfed by the tractor beam. The Predacon vessel then turns around, and heads for Cybertron.