Chapter 3
Autobot city-robot Metroplex (secret location)
A collection of several Autobots, humans and nebulons were sitting in a conference room inside of Metroplex. The large hall was equipped with chairs and tables in both human and in transformer size.
On a monitor before them a confrontation between the two gestalts Menasor and Defensor was displayed.
xxx
The giants were standing in the middle of a human town. In the background behind them two groups of Transformers, Autobots and Sweeps, pointing their guns at each other.
Then suddenly someone started shooting. It was not even possible anymore to say who. The recon satellite had missed that little detail. They didn´t even knew if it was a Decepticon or an Autobot who had started the firefight.
Maybe it was even good so. They really didn´t need blaming the guild on anyone right now.
The monitor showed what then happened. Both the Autobots and the Sweeps started shooting at each other. Missed shots hit the town´s buildings and send several houses into fire. The humans who had not already left the area since the moment the Transformers had appeared, were now fleeing in panic.
Menasor raised his energon sword to attack Defensor, but he only hit one of the multi-storied building and ripped it´s walls down.
xxx
The display stopped at this moment and Ultra Magnus stepped before the monitor.
"What you have seen here is a recording of a events that had happened three months ago. As it had become clear later, this fight had obviously only been an diversion from the invasion of Cybertron at the same time. The Stunticons and Sweeps had only been sent to occupy the Autobots on Earth and keep them from assisting our troops on our home-planet.
But as you can see the situation in Los Angeles had escalated and ended in a direct fight. The final estimation was that 23 people had been killed and 14 injured", Magnus said, looking at Spike and a group of human army officers.
"It was a tragedy that even more humans had to die in the crossfire of our war", he told them.
The monitor switched and showed images of Decepticon ships over the cybertronian sky.
"For the attack on Cybertron they used a new form of star-ship engine that made it possible for them to jump directly behind our planetary defenses", Magnus explained. "Our intelligence department had found out that this new development is called the transwarp engine. As we know now, this device makes it possible to transport matter from one point in space-time to the other in an instant, a far higher developed and more efficient method than simple teleportation like we know it for example from the Decepticon Skywarp.
And as we believe, the time is a variable in this system. With other words, the transwarp engine makes time-travel of entire star-ships, entire fleets, possible", Ultra Magnus told the shocked audience. "To our luck not even Galvatron seemed to dare to manipulate history in that matter", he remarked.
"It is even possible that there are also other uses possible that neither we or the Decepticons have found out yet. Our scientists are right now trying to find out all we can about this new form of transport system.
As you all know", he continued, "we have moved Metroplex to a secret location. We have chosen him as our base for the preparations for the coming war. One of the main reason for this decision is this.
The monitor switched again, now showing the dinosaur form of the Decepticon city Trypticon.
"Trypticon had been part of the force that took over the planet. Actually he was, beside the transwarp engine, one of the two reasons we have lost Cybertron so easily. Ironically it had been Galvatron himself who brought this to our attention. As a Decepticon construction Trypticon is able to move through air and space, while Metroplex is permanently stuck on Earth. If the Decepticons decide to use Trypticon on another planet or in space we have no single robot who could fight evenly with him. We would need a large force to take only on this single fighter."
"Moment", someone, Shureshot, he recognized, interrupted him, "are you telling me that the Decepticons had the whole time such an absolute advantage over us? If that was the case why have they not used it against us years earlier?"
"The answer to that is quite simple", Magnus replied. "The city robots are some of the most powerful known Transformers, but they are also the most energy consuming. Neither we or the Decepticons had ever enough energon available to keep one active over a longer time. If the Decepticons had ever managed to gather enough to include Trypticon into a major attack, they would have overrun Cybertron a long time ago."
"It is obvious that the Decepticons must have found new sources of energon during the time of the armistice", Optimus stated.
"And completely new technologies", Ultra Magnus added. "Shortly after the fall of Cybertron we moved Metroplex to a secret location. From here we are preparing a strike to take back Cybertron. We are currently analyzing the new technologies of the Decepticons and are finding ways to counter them." That was the end of his résumé.
"Optimus, Fortress", he invited the two.
Ultra Magnus had just given the audience a summary of the situation and now the Autobot- and the Headmaster leader would now explain the new developments they had made. Or in other words, he had told them the problem and they the solution.
Both Prime and Fortress Maximus stepped for.
"what we can tell you so far is that we have succeeded in copying the Decepticon´s targetmaster process", Optimus told them.
The Autobots Hotrod, Kup, Blurr, Pointblack, Shureshot and Crosshairs, accompanied by six nebulons in exo-suits, entered the room.
"As you can see, we have created our own targetmasters", Fortress Maximus announced. "Our twelve volunteers, Autobots and nebulons have successful undergone the process. Nebulons transform", he called out.
At his order, the six mechanized humanoids transformed and became the weapons of the six Autobots.
"Beside that", Optimus Prime announced, "had Metroplex volunteered to undergo some upgrades on his body, so that he will be a help for our campaign."
"Does that mean Metroplex will be able to fly?" Spike asked.
"Let us say Spike, I will be able to go to another planet if I have to", a voice said that came from everywhere around them.
"Metroplex, I see you are listening too", Optimus replied.
"I am Optimus and I hope I will be a help."
"There is something else you should know about", Fortress Maximus said.
Behind him appeared again something else on the screen. It were blue prints. The ones who had some knowledge on the matter recognized them. It were the plans for a new city robot, one they had never seen before.
"Even as we had still been on Nebulos", Fortress Maximus announced, "Zarak and Skorponok had in secret developed plans to rebuild themselves into a new form. He had made plans to use the headmaster technology to merge himself with his own base. To become a super headmaster in the size of a city. We have found out about his plans and also to this we have developed counter-measures."
"What counter-measures?" A human general named Black asked them.
"I will become our own version of this new form of headmaster", Fortress Maximus answered.
xxx
The conference was over. While they were walking out of the room, the nebulon leader Galen was in a conversation with the human ambassador Spike and his wife Carly.
"That was an interesting meeting", Spike said. "With your help the Autobots could probably find a way to push the Decepticos back again."
"Let us hope so", Galen replied.
"I find it interesting that your people had agreed to bond yourselves to machines like that", Carly remarked. "You know the Autobots are some of our best friends. But connecting my mind directly to one of them. I don´t know if I could do that."
He looked at her with sad eyes.
"Carly, it is not as if we had much of a choice. You should know, the same war that your world had become involved with had completely escalated on mine. Our society was breaking apart.
The reason that so many of us are willing to bond themselves to a Transformer is to get some sort of control back. Nebulos is what Earth could have become if thing there had went a little different."
xxx
Optimus Prime and Hotrod were standing in the Autobot leaders quarters. Now that the official meeting was over, they still had to talk about something in private.
"I find it interesting that you had volunteered to become a targetmaster Hotrod", Optimus said to him.
"It seemed like a good idea. Something told me that the process could be important in the future."
"I understand."
"Optimus, may I introduce you to Firebolt. He is my new partner."
His weapon transformed back into his humanoid form.
"Optimus Prime. It is a honor to meet you."
"That goes for both of us Firebolt", the Autobot leader replied.
"Hotrod, the reason I wanted to talk to you…"
"...Is the core of Cybertron right?" The younger Autobot asked him.
"Yes", Optimus answered, "since a week now we both are hearing this voice and sometimes then I recharge, I have visions. The message is always the same", he said.
"Bring the chosen one to the core of Cybertron."
"The chosen one", Hotrod murmured.
"That was you by the last stand, the Autobot who unlocked the Matrix and used it to stop Unicron. But the term could also be used for every other Matrix bearer who is able to use it´s power. I for example have used it to cure the hate plaque."
"But it´s power had emptied", Hotrod said.
At his words, Optimus opened his chest compartment, the place where the Matrix was being held.
"Not anymore", he said. "I think this is the source of the voice we are hearing."
Inside the empty shell was a small glow visible, a little blue blue spark that has returned.
"It has started to regrow."
"Yes", Optimus replied, "since the moment I took it back into my chest."
"So the Matrix is returning", Hotrod said, "it is knowledge and wisdom and power and it regrows then it is connected to a living being."
"You are right, but maybe it is not regrowing fast enough. I have been thinking. If that voice is a warning about something that is coming, the Matrix will not be ready."
"So you think?"
"I think we should send an expedition to the core of Cybertron", Optimus said, "and I think one of us should lead it."
"The only problem here is that the attack on the Decepticons will begin soon and we will need every man."
"I know, but the Matrix would not contact us for no reason. There has to be a something, something very important. If another threat is in the waiting, something like the hate plaque, we have to act. I think we have to send someone."
"You want to tell Kup and Ultra Magnus that you are starting a mission because the two of us are hearing voices? Good luck, you will never live that down."
"I know, but I have to." Optimus was smiling behind his battle mask. "In a few days, we will send a forward mission to Cybertron, to make contact with the Autobot resistance and prepare the main attack. During that mission you will have the chance to separate from us with one or two others and reach Vector Sigma. From there you will have access to the core."
"That could mean that you will have to begin the main attack without us", Hotrod said.
"I know, but I am confident that you will be back in time. For now, you have your mission and I have mine."
xxxxxxx
The former Decepticon Air Commander Starscream was swimming in a large glass tube and was under the supervision of several other Decepticons. They were scanning and examining him and doing scientific research on his special condition, the fact that he wasn´t dead despite that he had been burned to ashes by Galvatron.
Next to him, outside of the tube stood stood Megatron, beside him the purple robot named Sideways and the seekers Thundercracker and Skywarp.
They were on board of the ship that belonged to Megatron´s small faction of Decepticons.
The tube finally opened, water splashed out and Starscream stepped outside.
"And have you finally found out what is so interesting about me Megatron?"
Megatron looked at Thundercracker, who was standing at the console.
"According to this data. Starscream´s spark was somehow changed, mutated. For the lack of better words, it was somehow fixed in his current state. It was made more stable, so that it stays intact even if his body is destroyed."
"Oh how good to know. I would have never guessed", Starscream said sarcastically.
"Shut up Starscream", Megatron replied. "Do we know how something like this could have happened?" He asked.
This time it was Sideways who answered as he checked the data.
"We don´t know how, but I think with some more time, we could replicate the process. Imagine Megatron, a army of immortal warriors. If one of us dies, all we would need is to rebuild the body."
"An intriguing prospect, you are right, but I need warriors now and not soon. Have you found more fighters we could use?"
"I have", the robot replied, "but I am not sure if you will like it."
"And why?"
Outside the room stood the ones they already had recruited. Aside from, Starscream and the last Decepticons from his world, Skywarp, Thundercracker and Ravage.
The Seacons, a combiner team with fish alt-mode and a small band of mercenary Decepticons under Sideways command. Doomsday, a large Decepticon who transformed into a tank, Eraser, a grey robot with a gun mode, a seeker named Flashlight and a sports car named Tracer.
"Come with me outside", Sideways said. Megatron followed him.
Outside the building stood a group of robots who were all wearing the Decepticon insignia, waiting. They all looked identical. Large wings and metallic beards.
Their armor was in a deep black instead of the usual blue, but Megatron recognized them easily.
"Sweeps", he said full of disdain.
"I have told you", Sideways said.
"This creatures have destroyed my entire world", Megatron told him angrily.
"They are not what you think they are Megatron. They are mindless drones, cannon fodder that you can use in battle. And except for their leader, none of them has a mind of it´s own or is even truly alive. They are under no control of Galvatron and are not loyal to him", Sideways assured him. "They are loyal to everyone we want them to follow." He grinned
One of the Sweeps stepped for, the leader Megatron assumed.
"Why should I trust him?" He asked Sideways.
"Carnage her, like we call him now, had originally been created as one of Galvatron´s Sweeps, that much is true. But his leader had left him behind to die at one of the battlefields. Believe me, he had no love or loyalty left for Galvatron. Why don´t you tell him yourself", he addressed the Sweep.
"It had been six years ago", he said...
xxx
Cyclonus and the Sweeps had finally found Galvatron, lying in a see of molten plasma, on the planet Thrull, a volcanic piece of stone at the edge of known space. The Decepticon leader had been missing since Unicron´s attack on Cybertron. For nearly a year, he must have flown through space and finally landed here.
But as they had dragged him out of the glowing liquid, he was not longer the same. He hit Cyclonus in the face only moments later, as his second in command had told him that they were searching for him. Then he started shooting at the Sweeps until they finally managed to calm him down. As they were leaving, Galvatron turned around, transformed into his cannon mode and fired at the core of the planet. Under Galvatron´s full fire-power, Thrull´s core destabilized and the entire planet exploded. That was the beginning of Galvatron´s reign as a madman.
Only hours later Galvatron started a attack at one of the earth defense platforms, an armed space station in orbit of the human home-world. From the planet Thrull, they had flown directly to earth, without even bother to check on the other Decepticons. At the moment they were in reach, they opened fire on the human construct. Galvatron, Cyclonus and the Sweeps were taking the station apart, piece by piece. Destroying the defense guns, ripping holes into the hull, causing entire sections to explode, until the entire space station went up in flames, killing nearly the entire crew.
But that was not enough for Galvatron. Two Autobots, Blurr and Wheelie had been on board. They managed to escape with a small shuttle and Galvatron was determined to hunt them through the entire star system.
He blew their shuttle up with a single shot, but they had survived.
The Decepticons had finally chased the two bots into the orbit of the planet Jupiter. Through a lucky shot, one of them hit the navigation system of one of the Sweeps and the unlucky clone was falling into the deadly atmosphere of the gas giant.
"Galvatron help me", he screamed from the distance.
But the Decepticon leader was not able to care about anything but the battle.
"Please meet you end with dignity", he called out and something that the falling Sweep could not longer understand.
Then he turned around and continued firing at the Autobots...
xxx
"But I had luck", the Sweep ended his explanation. "I had landed on a small meteoroid, circling the planet. That was the place Sideways and his group had found me. Galvatron had left me behind. I am glad about a chance to get back at him."
"We have repaired him and changed him into this appearance", Sideways stated.
"He was willing to create for us a group of drone warriors. As you possible know, the Sweeps had originally been created from Insecticons. Their ability to copy themselves had been overtaken into their new forms and even improved.
The Insecticons had worked for years to create actually sentient clones of themselves.
But for the Sweeps it is completely normal. All of their copies are intelligent. They were an unlimited army of replicating clones. But despite this their basic ability to create mindless drones is still intact", Sideways explained. "The Sweeps simply don´t bother to use it. But now, Carnage here can do it for us and you know, we have good use for it."
"Now good", Megatron replied, "I will accept them, at least for now."
xxxxxxx
Cybertron, under Decepticon control
Skorponok was standing a the side of a large working ground. Here was the place where his now body was created. Under the oversight of the Constructicons, several dozen Decepticons were here working to reconstruct Zarak´s flagship to his specifications.
A space jet landed next to him and transformed.
"Ah Cyclonus", he greeted the newcomer. "As you see, Galvatron had agreed to my new plan. Soon, I will be a completely new form of being."
"I see Skorponok and as long as it is for the best of the Decepticons I agree too. Scrapper, Hook", he addressed the two foremen of the construction side. "How long will it take until Skorponok´s new form is ready?"
"We will be finished in circa six days", Scrapper answered.
"The last systems we have integrated are also ready", Hook told him.
"I understand", Cyclonus replied. He nodded to both of them. It was all going according to plan.
"You hear it, soon we will end this war once and for all", Skorponok announced.
"Yes", Cyclonus answered.
xxxxxxx
In another part of the galaxy. On the planet known as New Quintessa.
The planet was not the original home-world of the Quinteson race, neither had actually been the planet that was called Quintessa, that they themselves had blown up once simply to keep the Autobots from taking it over.
and for a chance to get rid of the Autobot leadership and the creation Matrix.
A species that was willing to destroy their own home-world to get rid of their enemies, so they had calculated, would be feared everywhere in the galaxy.
But in truth it had not been their true home-world in the first place. Quintessa, like New Quintessa were simply planets the Quintessons were currently occupying.
The true home-world of their race had been lost for so long that none of the other species knew were they actually came from anymore. Even the most of their own people didn´t knew their exact heritage.
They were a half organic species, a race of cyborgs. Grotesque looking, tentacled beings with oval bodies and over-sized, robotic faces on them.
Beside the Quintessons themselves, their worlds were occupied by large armies of robotic slaves, primitive Transformers who had been subjugated to the Quintesson´s will for countless millennia.
The leading cast were the so called judges. This sub-group had five faces that were placed in a line around their bodies.
In the large court hall, the place where the judges sentenced their prisoners, that meant where they put them on trial and executed them no matter the outcome, four of them were discussing the developments of their latest plans.
"As our ally had requested, we have send a few of our new created fighters to Megatron", one of them said.
"We could have used the units here ourselves", another remarked.
"We had no choice. It was part of the plan."
"That way or another", a third judge said, "our new army will be ready in time."
He activated a monitor that showed the place outside the building. It was filled with long line of hundreds over hundreds of black Sweeps.
xxxxxxx
A small ship was flying somewhere between the star systems of Chaar, the old Decepticon base-world and Cybertron. On board was a single, very large mechanoid, the pilot and owner of the ship.
He was neither a Transformer, nor could he definitely be identified as belonging to any known race.
His stature was humanoid, two arms and two legs, his face, that was silvery white, was dominated by his two large eyes, red with black irises and his over-sized jaw that ended in two large spikes at either side of his head, that looked like fangs from the distance. Beside that, he had red horns at the sides of his skull.
Over his metal body, he was wearing a green vest and a red cape. He was carrying a large arsenal of weapons. His right hand was removable and could be replaced with a weapon of his choice. All in all, he was one of the most eccentric robot designs ever known, but also one of the most effective ones.
"So you expect me to get between an Autobot attack on Cybertron, that the Decepticons currently control, locate the target during the battle, finish it without any of the two sides interfering and get away undetected?" He asked. "No problem. That means if you pay right of course."
"You will see that the halve of the amount we offered is already transferred. The other will follow as soon as the task is done."
"I see, Death Head will take care of your little problem, yes."
Death Head, as he called himself, was one of the most feared and dangerous mercenaries and bounty hunters of the galaxy.
He however didn´t like this terms very much and called himself a freelancer, someone who took every job in his compartment for the right sum of money.
And just now he had gotten an interesting offer.
Cxx
The bounty hunter Death Head was created by Simon Furman. He appeared mostly in the marvel UK comics.