Chapter 5
"Are you sure?" Galvatron asked incredulous.
"Affirmative", Soundwave answered in his for him typical manner, as he scanned the Autobot spy who was tied before him on a metallic cot. "I sense two different personality programs in this robot. One Autobot and one Decepticon in heritage."
He explained this to the audience, consisting of Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge, Skorponok and Mindwipe, one of his headmasters.
A few hours ago, they had captured the Autobot plant Counterpunch, who was now lying in stasis mode before them, being examined.
"What purpose does this serves?" Skorponok/Zarak asked curious.
He had actually other matters to attend to. His new super body was as good as finished. But the capture of this spy was a key factor in the coming battle and as one of the Decepticon´s force commanders he should be here.
"Depth infiltration", Soundwave answered, "the secondary personality can be used as a camouflage, as a mental disguise. The Autobot plant can live under Decepticons for years without raising suspicion. Even telepaths can be misled", he stated.
"I understand", Zarak said uneasy. He was all too much reminded of his own secret plans that he hoped would not be found out.
Mindwipe began to scan the robot. Like Soundwave, he was a very skilled telepath. Unlike him however he saw and treated his gift more like a mystic power instead of a scientific instrument.
"I see into his mind", Mindwipe announced, "I see two beings, one is continuously in control."
His mental systems were manipulated in a way that the Autobot is always able to control the Decepticon and using him for his purpose", Soundwave clarified.
"Who of the Autobots would do something like that?" Cyclonus asked.
"Neither Optimus or Rodimus, but I have known a few Autobot sector commanders, who were willing to do things that none of the Primes would ever have approved of", Galvatron said.
"I see", Cyclonus replied grimly.
Mental manipulation was something that was often used in the Great War, but never to this extend, as far as they remembered about.
The reprogramming of warriors on both sides was something that had happened several times. But in comparison to this, the process had been civilized and merciful.
The old personality had been erased and a new one installed, not much different from killing an enemy.
Of course after the first few centuries of war, both sides abandoned very quickly every last restrains they might have left. Even the usually peaceful natured Autobots did many things they were not exactly proud of.
But this was an abomination, even by Decepticon standards, one sentient mind chained and enslaved to another and both even sharing the same spark, being two parts of the same being.
Whoever invented this was either a sick genius or didn´t knew exactly what he was doing.
"Suggestion, it should be possible to change the pattern of the mental manipulation, reverse the effect to put the Decepticon in control", Soundwave offered.
They listened to his explanations. It was obvious where his line of thinking was leading to. A trap, change the infiltration programming and turn the infiltrator against his own side.
"You suggest that we use this spy to lead the Autobots into an ambush?" Cyclonus stated. It was clear by his tone that he didn´t like the idea the slightest bit.
"Possible alternative, erase of the Autobot personality", Soundwave added. "Risk of destroying both personalities."
Galvatron had to admit to himself, that even he felt actually very uneasy about this, even more than the others. It reminded him all to much at his time under Unicron. At the outside of course he showed no emotion.
He remembered that Megatron in some cases had reprogrammed warriors, when they had military value. In his current incarnation however, he never even considered this method, even if it had brought an advantage.
Back when he was insane he remembered that he even shot an officer once who had suggested a plan to capture Autobots and reprogram them as cannon fodder.
The very idea of reprogramming warriors was a sore spot of all the Unicron created Decepticons. He looked at Cyclonus, then at Scourge and even the three other Sweeps, he knew that they were thinking exactly the same thing.
However, he was the Decepticon leader, he was making the decisions that would get them to win the war, no matter any moral questions, the few he had anyway after millions of years of fighting. He usually never hesitated, so why did he have such a aversion for this?
He had no problems eradicating entire armies, depopulating entire worlds if he had to, he planned to crush his enemies and wipe them out. So why did this leave such a bad taste? It was foolish.
"I personally truly despise the idea of using a system like this", Cyclonus pointed out. "There are some things that just should be banned. But as I see it this is too good of a chance for us."
And after that what Unicron did to us, I would really hate it to use similar methods. That was the sentence he wasn´t speaking out loud.
Ah Cyclonus, Galvatron thought always mentioning things that are not going right, always speaking out what others around were thinking. The things that Galvatron as the leader could not do. That was part of Cyclonus job. Right now he was speaking for the unicronians in the room.
Soundwave´s plan however seemed to be promising. Not matter what he personally thought of it.
And here was the problem, why did he had so many doubts about it anyway? Normally he wouldn´t hesitate about doing what was right for the Decepticon cause.
He knew, Megatron wouldn´t have thought twice about going through with what Soundwave suggested.
But that was the point, he told himself. He was no longer Megatron, but also not really someone else.
Galvatron knew, the great distaste he felt for this plan came from his unicronian heritage. Being manipulated and forced into service, the loss of his old identity, becoming someone else in body and mind. He remembered Unicron´s mental torture, the voice in his head giving him orders. Being told that his existence didn´t belong to himself anymore.
It was ironic, he didn´t have a problem with slaughtering thousands of enemies, devastating cities, even causing global destruction, but mental manipulation, no.
Had he not been an unicronian himself, he would have probably already blessed Soundwave´s idea and only laughed at the doubts Cyclonus and the others had. But so he could only understand him all too well.
However, Soundwave´s plan was good. He would not miss this opportunity just because he allowed his experience with Unicron to somehow get to him.
The decision was obvious from the beginning.
"To be honest, I hate the idea of using methods like that as much as you Cyclonus", Galvatron said to him, "but you oversee one important detail. It was not us who had changed this robot into a living puppet and for the work of some renegade Autobot we are not responsible."
He turned to Soundwave.
"Do it", Galvatron told him.
xxxxxxx
The fleet of Autobots was just leaving the Earth star system. They were about to meet with Fortress Maximus group in space. Like Skorponok´s, their battleship had been rebuilt into a new, city sized robot body.
This had been a direct response to Zarak´s plan that the Autobots had found out about. They didn´t even knew for sure if he had succeeded yet.
If he had, this could be the only way to fight the Decepticons evenly now, if not it may be the key to victory.
"We are coming in reach to the Autobot fleet", the Headmaster Brainstorm, who was connected with the nebulon Arcana, was reporting to Fortress Maximus.
"Good, give me a connection to Optimus Prime."
The face of the Autobot leader appeared on a screen at the console before him.
"Fortress", Prime greeted him, "I see that your team is ready."
"Yes Optimus, our rebuilding´s on the ship are finished. We are joining you in the battle for Cybertron."
The new ship took formation with the rest of the fleet and together they continued their course for the Transformers home-world.
xxxxxxx
Cybertron
Zarak and Galvatron were in triumph.
They two were standing before a large city-base where the Constructicons were just finishing the last workings. Their new super robot was finished, in combination with Trypticon, it was the ultimate advantage against the Autobots.
Skorponok´s body was in his scorpion mode, with Zarak´s small, humanoid form standing on top of it.
Behind them, assembled in a half circle, were Cyclonus, Scourge, four of the Sweeps and three of Skorponok´s headmasters, Mindwipe and the so called Horrorcons Apeface and Snapdragon, two triple changers with a dragon and a jet alt-mode.
The Constructicons had just finished the last part of their work and were now standing in line before their leader.
"We are ready", Scrapper reported.
"Good", Galvatron announced. "It seems that your new self is ready Zarak", he said to the small nebulon standing next to him.
"Yes Galvatron, I have been waiting a long time."
With this words Zarak, in his exo suit, transformed and became the head of the Decepticon Skorponok.
He on the other side, now in his robot mode, transformed again. Parallel to this, the entire city before the changed and remodeled itself, became the form of an even larger robot.
Skorponok formed the head of this new robot mode and finally merged with it through the headmaster process. After a few moments a new super robot was towering over them, rivaling Trypticon and Metroplex in size.
It was still Skorponok, in a far larger and unlimitedly more powerful version of himself.
The new super robot looked down at the Decepticons beneath him.
"Are your systems working properly Skorponok?" Galvatron asked him.
"Yes Galvatron", the super robot answered. In his new form, his voice was slightly deeper and far more menacing.
"Now I am ready to claim Nebulos once again and rebuild it to the new rule I had planned." Zarak spoke out of the robot´s body.
"And to join it with the Decepticon empire I hope?" Galvatron pointed out.
The Decepticon Skorponok and the nebulon leader were one in mind. Over the last years their aims and ambitions had merged.
"Yes indeed. We will be one empire, under one rule, under one leader", he said with a gleam in his eyes.
The city robot raised his arm, ready to strike out, at Galvatron.
Cyclonus and the Sweeps realized that Zarak´s troops had suddenly drawn their guns at them.
The nebulons had always anticipated that it would come to this, Skorponok against Galvatron. There was only one question, which side to take. For Zarak´s headmaster troops the answer was clear. Their Decepticons were loyal to their group leader Skorponok before the Decepticon leader and the nebulons belonged to Zarak´s closest followers.
With the other nebulons it was different. Nightstick and Fracas had never been fanatically loyal to Zarak´s ideology. They had simply been soldiers who had been recruited into his troops to fight in the nebulon civil war and later they had volunteered for the targetmaster process. To that came that they were connected to Galvatron´s lieutenants and their loyalty to their leader had began to affect them.
"Nightstick?"
"Fracas?" The two nebulons looked at each other and said only this two words.
After a short moment of hesitation both transformed into their gun modes and flew into the hands of Cyclonus and Scourge. They had made their decision.
Despite being taken by surprise Galvatron´s followers went into a defensive stance in an instant. But it was clear that they didn´t have a real chance with the super robot against them.
"Farewell Galvatron", Skorponok said.
He was aiming his weapons at the Decepticon leader and was at the same time ready to strike out at him.
But in the moment his hand lashed out his movement suddenly stopped in it´s tracks. Skorponok´s super form stood frozen in place.
"What?" Skorponok called out, full of surprise.
"Ah, as I see all your systems are working properly", Galvatron informed him. The Decepticon leader was smiling.
"What have you done to me? I can not move", Skorponok, who was still stuck in his posture, exclaimed.
"Have you really thought I would let you control this city robot without some, let us say, security measures?" Galvatron asked him. "As they had built your new super form my Constructicons placed some sub-routines into your core systems. And just in case you should decide to try to attack me, Cyclonus or Scourge, they will command your systems to completely shut down", Galvatron told him mockingly.
"But I thought, you said", Skorponok stammered.
"Oh you mean what I said about messing with the minds of other warriors? You see the programmings the Constructicons have placed only effect your new city form. Hardware that we have built", Galvatron pointed out. "Your own body and your mind are still yours, but your extended body belongs to the Decepticons. You have only to separate and transform and you will be free again.
By the way, have you not just tried to kill me with the new body that we have built for you? You are hardly in any position to complain."
Skorponok transformed back into his smaller form and landed before Galvatron.
"Galvatron…", he was trying to say something.
Before he could bring out another word, Galvatron was pointing his weapon at him.
"What were you saying Skorponok that you were trying to kill me the first chance you got? Yes, I have realized that."
Cyclonus and the Sweeps had now reacted and had drawn their guns at the headmasters, who were without the city robot on their side hopelessly outnumbered and chance-less.
"In fact, I would have been surprised if you hadn´t tried this sooner or later", the Decepticon leader told him and then he lowered his gun.
"We have now to prepare for the arrival of the Autobots. They should be here in a short time. By the way Zarak, should you think about trying to remove the programing. The Constructicons have made sure that this is impossible without completely disabling your new body. And believe me, they know what they are doing.
Now let us wait for our Autobot guests", Galvatron announced, now that this small take-over attempt was over, he thought.
xxxxxxx
The Autobot ships were appearing over Cybertron´s sky.
For now, the ships were not much more than a diversion. Before the actual invasion a smaller group of Bots would land and create a contact with the resistance forces on the planet.
The main purpose of the fleet was here to keep the defense forces of the Decepticons distracted.
Meanwhile, Skylinx, with a number of Autobots on board, was trying to land undetected at a remote sector of the planet.
xxx
In space over the planet, several Decepticon ships were about to engage the Autobots.
Hundreds of larger and smaller objects were filling the sky over Cybertron, battle ships, shuttles and seekers. So many that it was nearly impossible to keep track of all of them, exactly as they had planned.
Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps were flying next to Galvatron´s flagship. They knew of course that this battle was only a distraction.
"We are going Scourge", Cyclonus said to him. "Remember, only a few short fights. There is no reason to waste energy. The real battle is happening down on Cybertron."
"I know Cyclonus", he answered.
xxx
The Autobot shuttle Skylinx had landed on the surface of the planet.
As it looked, they had managed to make it down without being noticed by anybody. On board were the Autobots Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, the targetmasters Hotrod, Kup, Blurr and Pointblank, Goldbug, Arcee and Hound.
"Good Prime, we have made it here", Kup pointed out. "Where now is our contact?"
"He should be here soon", Optimus replied.
"Optimus, one vehicle is coming here very fast. This should be our man", Hotrod informed him.
A half minute later, a earth style car arrived before them and transformed into a blue robot with Decepticon insignia.
Some of the Autobots had their guns drawn at him, only to be sure.
"Are you our secret agent?" Optimus asked him.
"Yes, my name is Punch. Currently I am called Counterpunch, that is my Decepticon identity."
"I understand. By my information, you have volunteered for a deep cover infiltration mission."
"That is correct Prime. I have a permanent Decepticon form as alt-mode, I am practically one of them", Counterpunch told them.
"Come, I will bring you now to the others", he said with a gleam in his eyes.
xxxxxxx
In a few miles distance, on a higher level of the sector, Soundwave was standing in front of a large group of Decepticons.
They all were waiting for the right moment to get active.
It had taken longer time for me to write this chapter when I had thought. The next one will be ready sooner.