Chapter 4
Skylinx was flying over a group of islands of the pacific ocean. On board were three Autobots, Optimus Prime, the newly upgraded targetmasters Hotrod and Kup and their new nebulon partners.
Skylinx was slowly lowering his flight and finally landed on one of the islands.
"You want to talk to him alone Prime?" Kup asked
"Yes, I have to", the Autobot leader answered.
"Good, as you want. We will stay with the other Dinobots while you talk", Kup told him.
The three Bots left Skylinx behind on the beach. He would wait here till they were back.
"I will pick you up later", he said to them, while they were about to enter the jungle that was covering this island. The Dinobots, they knew, would be further inside the countryside.
After the fall of Cybertron they had separated from the other Autobots and retreated to this place. Hotrod and Kup had come with him, but with their leader Grimlock, he would talk alone.
Of all the Autobots, this two were possible the closest to the Dinobots.
Grimlock and his team always liked the old veteran and the young warrior, while their relationship with Optimus and his ark team was for the most part strained. Something that, like Optimus had to admit, he had to a great part himself to thank for.
As they had crash landed on the planet Quintessa some years back, before the destruction of the planet, they had been working closely together for some time and the Dinobots had saved Hotrod´s and Kup´s life´s.
Later, under Rodimus Prime the Dinobots had been respected warriors, even if nobody would have put them in any responsible position or trusted them with an complicated task.
Under Optimus leadership on the other hand the Dinobots had been mostly separated from the other Autobots.
By the time they were first activated on earth they were immense strong fighters, but had barely any control over their abilities.
The Dinobots were one of the most powerful Autobot teams in existence. They alone could hold themselves against an entire Decepticon strike force, could take them head on and even win. Power, direct brute force, that was the way of the Dinobots.
There was no way to deny it, Optimus thought. The other Autobots in the ark had feared them secretly. Unconsciously, without even wanting, but deep down they did.
The Dinobots were warriors by design, like the Decepticons and many Autobots couldn´t help but instinctively distrusting them.
It didn´t help that they just happened to accidentally destroy machines and equipment at random while moving through headquarters.
All that led to the fact that the Dinobots were kept in their own quarters in the ark for the most time. The Dinobots were seen as immense powerful, but unstable, unpredictable and potentially dangerous. They were only used in battle then it was necessary and had very few contact with the other Autobots outside of their missions.
That of course made them often feel as if they were only tools for him, to be used and discarded. He had to admit they had a point here. If it was on purpose or not, for too long they had truly been treated that way. Once Megatron had even succeeded in turning them fully against him. He could fix that by saving Grimlock´s life back then. But in the long run nothing about the situation changed and there staid a gap between them and the other Autobots.
Until Rodimus Prime. For some reason the newer arrived Autobots on earth didn´t seemed to have the same reservations with them like his original ark crew. Maybe they were more used to the presence of unusual units.
Needless to say that the Dinobots were under the few Autobots who weren´t all to happy about his return to leadership.
He knew Grimlock blamed him in part for the loss of their home planet and Optimus wasn´t sure if he was completely wrong here. He was often thinking what he could have done differently, but he didn´t find something.
They saw the Dinobots were sparring at a large clearing in the forest. Slag and Snarl were just involved in a mock fight with each other while the rest of their team was watching.
"Autobots", Sludge noticed them and announced the newcomers.
"Optimus Prime, Kup and Rodimus, I see", Grimlock greeted them. Like some Autobots, he still used Hotrod´s prime title.
"We have to talk", Optimus said to him.
"That's right", Grimlock replied.
He led Optimus away, while Hotrod, Kup and their partners were waiting with the other Dinobots.
"And", Hotrod asked them, "how are you guys?"
"Very good since we came here", Snarl replied.
xxxxxxx
Autobot-city, Earth
Metroplex had returned to the Autobot main base on Earth. He was now standing in robot form next to the city.
Soon they would start to their mission to Cybertron.
A large number of troops had already arrived and were about to enter either his transformed body or the shuttles that were ready to depart. Their attempted retake of their home-world was close by, but first they would send a smaller group in to made contact with the Autobot resistance still on Cybertron and organize an coordinated attack.
Their main force however would wait in space during that first strike and wait for the signal to get active.
Metroplex now transformed into his city mode, that was now able to fly and the different Autobot groups were boarding him.
A few miles from them, on the hills at the edge of a forest, someone was watching. Ravage was observing the Autobots progress. The metallic panther was hiding out of side and taking records for his superiors.
As he had finally collected enough data, he retreated back into safe territory and there he was waiting. It was nearly at the agreed time.
After a few minutes Skywarp appeared. He approached in his jet form, transformed and landed next to him.
"Do you have the information Ravage?" The seeker asked.
At this question Ravage growled as a signal of conformation. He transformed into his cassette mode and placed himself in Skywarp´s cockpit.
With Ravage on board, he transformed to a jet again and flew upwards into the sky.
xxxxxxx
"You say you and the Autobots go to retake Cybertron", Grimlock stated, "and want us Dinobots to come with you."
"Yes, I know Grimlock, you and your team wanted to be for yourself, but we need every bot", Optimus told him.
"Me know, we Dinobots go, fight for you, risk lives and when all is over everybody says, you Optimus Prime, you great leader, led us to victory."
"Grimlock…", Optimus started, but he didn´t came to say something.
"No, you listen to me now. It´s always like this. Dinobots go, fight for you. When over, everybody say you are so great, but nobody thanks us.
We fight for you Autobots, we achieve victory, then you take credit. While we are send to our quarters when fight is over. Had been so years ago, is so now."
"You are right Grimlock. We, I have never thanked you properly for all the things you have done for us", Optimus explained to him. Grimlock´s words hurt, especially since he knew were was a lot of truth in them.
"But we are just fighting for our home-world", Optimus told Grimlock, "maybe about the course of the entire war. We could lose everything. There is no time or point to discuss this now."
"There never was. That's problem", he replied.
"I know, I promise we will discuss this later."
"You promise. With Rodimus, it had not been like that. Dinobots were treated like all other Autobots, were part of team. All Autobots say, Optimus is so great, is good to have him back. But for us Dinobots, Rodimus is better leader.
Everybody says you Optimus Prime are greatest leader Autobots ever had, but me Grimlock knows better. You were only winning on earth because we Dinobots saved you again and again. Autobots were always with back to wall until we Dinobots came and saved your butt and then everybody acts as if you won battle", the Dinobot leader threw at him.
"Truth is you were great because others did fighting for you.
Everybody says you are better leader than Rodimus, older, wiser, greater. If that so, why under Rodimus leadership we are winning and under you we are losing?"
Optimus was taken aback for a moment. He didn´t knew that Grimlock´s dissatisfaction went so deep. But again, he couldn´t say that the Dinobot was wrong.
Too many things under his leadership were simply been credited to him while it were in fact others who achieved them. The Dinobots, Wheeljack, Ratchet, Mirage, Prowl, Skyfire, Hound and even humans like Spike and Chip Chase won battles, came up with ideas and plans and did many important things for the Autobots, often more than he did.
Their successes on earth had been a team effort. But somehow all the stories were making it in the retrospective look as if he had been doing it all alone.
"We couldn´t have known that the Decepticons would improve like that in the last years." That was a sad truth. Nobody could have predicted this. They had tried to keep an eye on them during the time of the truce. But nobody could have even guessed that they would come up with developments like that."
"We will help you", Grimlock told him, "to retake Cybertron. Will do our work like before. But from then on, Dinobots will be on themselves, not longer under your command. Dinobots are their own now", he said.
He would lose a team, Optimus realized, he couldn´t change it. The Autobots were free individuals. What was holding them together was not force, but the believe in their cause. If someone honestly made the decision to leave the army he had no right to stop them. They wouldn´t be the first Autobots to go. Others had made this choice before, to escape the war. Fortress Maximus and his followers were only one of this groups.
But this time it was ultimately nothing then his leadership that caused them to leave. This hurt, he admitted to himself.
But despite this their group leader had still agreed to fight for him, one last time.
"Thank you Grimlock", Optimus said.
xxxxxxx
The Decepticons Megatron, Starscream and Sideways were standing on the surface of the moon. Their ship had landed a short distance behind them.
They were waiting.
After a few minutes they saw Skywarp approaching, flying back from earth were he was receiving Ravage. He landed right before them. The panther swept out of his cockpit, still in his cassette mode and into Megatron´s hand.
"Ah, you are back", their leader greeted the two.
They were entering the ship.
xxxxxxx
Outlands of Cybertron
A group of several Autobots had gathered in one of the long forgotten underground chambers of the sector.
They were the core unit of the Autobot resistance on Cybertron. Some of them were veterans who had already served directly under Optimus or Rodimus Prime, others were just reserve troops and had never met either Autobot leader in person.
But all of them had the same aim, preparing to strike back against the Decepticons.
The nominated leaders of the group were the triple changer Springer, Inferno and Smokescreen. They were discussing the details of the coming attacks and the planned contact with the Autobot forces from earth.
"Someone is coming", Smokescreen informed the others, "the sensors have detected a object approaching."
Five Autobots pointed their weapons at the entrance.
A few moments later a figure stepped inside. As they recognized him, the Autobots dropped their weapons.
"I see it is you", Springer stated.
"Who else did you expect?" Counterpunch asked him with light sarcasm.
"A Decepticon strike force maybe?", the green triple changer replied.
"No, it is only me." He transformed and changed his form to a similar looking, orange colored robot with Autobot insignia.
"Welcome back Punch", Springer greeted him.
Punch or Counterpunch as he was called was actually a deep cover agent of the Autobots who had been planted into the Decepticon lines vorns ago. Now he was working as a spy for their resistance group.
"So everything is working according to plan?" Inferno wanted to know.
"It is", Punch replied, "I have brought them off your trail and send them to search in another sector. And by what I know, the Autobots on earth are ready."
"They are", Springer told him, "our attack will start soon."
Outside, the robot bird Laserbeak was waiting and recording. What nobody had realized, he had been following Counterpunch for some time now. He had been monitoring him, leaving his post, going to this supposedly empty sector and entering the underground tunnels.
It was enough for him. He flew off and returned to his master.
Several miles away, he landed on the arms of the Decepticon officer Soundwave who was accompanied by three Sweeps and Ravage, who was standing to his feet.
It was the Ravage native to this world, not the one who came with the other Megatron.
"Laserbeak, report", Soundwave said in his monotone voice.
At his command the bird transformed and slided into Soundwave´s cassette port. He played the recording and absorbed the data Laserbeak had collected.
Nobody notice the small spy drone, that was flying a few hundred meters over them and was now returning to the one who had send it.
"Nice, the Decepticons should better look out who is watching them, while they are watching others", the bounty hunter Death head said quietly to himself.
"Soon my target will come to me."
xxxxxxx
Earth-moon, Decepticon ship
The picture of Metroplex and the mobilizing Autobot forces appeared on the monitor before them.
"And you want to attack that?" Starscream commented. "I wish you good luck."
"You are a fool Starscream, in this world like in the other", Megatron replied. "The main force of the Autobots will soon leave and then start their planned campaign against the Decepticons on Cybertron. That will be our chance. The most Autobots will be involved in their struggle with Galvatron´s forces and we will be ready to make our move.
Autobot city", he said. "Irony that the place of the final battle of the other Megatron will be the beginning of my victory."
"You plan to attack Autobot city?" Skywarp asked him.
"Yes, it is the perfect location. Whatever the Autobots are doing on Cybertron, they will be getting their resources from there. By destroying their supply base on earth we can dry their offensive out."
"It had been exactly the same battle in which the other Megatron had met his final fate", Sideways reminded him, "and then someone decided that it was a good idea to throw him into space", he said with a side-glance to Starscream. "He had probably the same thoughts as you before he started the attack."
"In opposite to the other Megatron, I have made precautions", he replied.
He looked to the group of Sweep drones that were standing next to them. Their number had grown to eight by now, replicated from scratch. Mindless puppets, all except one of them.
xxx
Megatron remembered back in his world.
His troops and the Unicronians were fighting. They were firing at each other at a short distance, finding cover behind rubble. He was still in his old form, silvery white with a gun alt-mode. They were standing against five Sweeps. He was heavily damaged.
Next to him Ramjet´s head exploded after a direct hit and what was left was only a burning lump of metal.
Megatron aimed his fusion gun and fired at one of the Sweeps. The shot ripped through his upper body and destroyed him.
But three others were now concentrating their fire on him. He felt it as his arms and legs and his body were hit and destroyed piece by piece, until he fell down.
xxx
Back in the present.
"It is ideal", he told the others, "if we destroy Autobot city, the Autobots will have nothing to return to on Earth.
If Galvatron´s troops defeat the Autobots on Cybertron, the Decepticons hold on the planet will be more safe when ever before. Without their earth resources the Autobots can not hope to reconquer Cybertron and that will be thanks to us.
The half victory will go to us and I can face Galvatron evenly.
Should his forces lose, we will at least keep the Autobots from taking over the planet completely. Galvatron will have lost and I will be the one who had saved Cybertron.
That way or the other, I will win in either case", Megatron announced.
xxxxxxx
Finally Metroplex was starting. During his recent upgrades, his city-mode had been equipped with space flight engines that made it possible for him to travel to other planets.
Now he was slowly lifting up the ground. Next to him Skylinx, Omega Supreme and three other shuttles were starting.
Soon the would met with their new city robot who was being build at another secret construction place out side of earth.
Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus were standing inside of Metroplex control center.
"Our troops have started Prime", Magnus informed him. "It begins."
"Yes it does", Optimus said.
xxxxxxx
The `Decepticon´ Counterpunch had returned to the sector base he was commanding, a small side post in an relative unimportant sector.
As always when he returned to the Decepticons, the same feelings overcame him. He couldn´t help it. It was as if something in his thinking changed, parts of his mind shifted. His feelings, his behavior his outside personality. It just overcame him to match the place he was in.
After typing in the access code, he entered the building through the front gate.
The room before him was dark and he couldn´t see anyone. He wondered what was going on.
As he had made a few steps inside he was grabbed from behind and held by several hands.
"Welcome back "Counterpunch", someone said to him.
He recognized the voice, it was Galvatron.
The last chapter had several very nasty statement about Optimus leadership. This came however from Grimlock, who never get along very well with Optimus anyway and rebelled several times.
Even if much of it was only all to true. For all of Optimus supposed superiority as a leader, if you re-watch the g1 cartoon it seems all to often as if in every second episode Optimus is captured, shackled and has a gun on his head, before someone else shows up and saves him.
I did my best not to let this get into character bashing, but honestly, all that needed to be said at some point. Sometimes you need someone like Grimlock to speak out the obvious.
I wanted Grimlock once more in conflict with Optimus. In opposite to his season 3 appearances where he was only stupid for the sake of it.
The idea that the Dinobots had a much better relationship with Rodimus is very popular in the fandom. This makes much sense. In season 3, there is nothing of the rebelious behavior that the Dinobots had earlier. That had however also the side effect that they became completely uninteresting. I think it makes sense that the Dinobots would be more supporters of Rodimus and prefer him as a leader.
I hope to get some reviews.