Chapter 9
Autobot city, earth
Optimus, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were driving in their car modes towards the center of the city. Above them Springer was flying as a helicopter.
Omega Supreme had already succeeded in taking out the gestalt robot of the Decepticons. Now they were going after the leader of the attack.
Megatron had transformed into his tank mode and was attacking the command center of the city. Both of his weapons were tearing the outer walls of the building to shreds. His fusion cannon was now mounted on the side of his turret in addition to the main gun of his tank form. Next to him were standing Skywarp and Thundercracker who were backing him up.
As Optimus and his partners arrived, he changed back into his robot mode, closely followed by the Autobot leader. In some sense Megatron was actually excited to see his old adversary for the first time in many years. The Optimus Prime of his world had been one of the first to fall to the unicronians.
Now he, another one, was standing before him once again.
"Megatron", he said, quiet unsure about the others identity, but he didn´t let it show.
"Yes Optimus, I am actually glad to see you again after this years."
"Who and what exactly are you?" the Autobot leader asked him.
"Optimus you hurt me, have you really forgotten me so quickly?" Megatron or the Megatron lookalike said full of sarcasm. "Do you really not know who I am?"
"I know who you seem to be", he answered.
"And that is the truth. I know that you have heard that I had been rebuilt into that robot named Galvatron, but that is not the truth. Galvatron was actually an creation of Unicron, designed to take my place. I had been lost in space for the last years, until I had finally been rescued."
"Why don´t I really believe your story?" Optimus asked him.
"You will see, what I say is true. But I think we have talked enough", he said and fired his fusion cannon at his enemies.
Optimus was able to dodge the shot and lifted his gun to fire back.
The damage from his fight with Death Head had been mostly repaired and his energy reserves had been refilled. But despite that he had to admit that he was still not back to his best form. Fighting this Megatron one to one was not a good idea in his condition, he knew this. Especially since he had now idea about the strength and abilities of this new body.
But in the end, he didn´t need to. With the Decepticon gestalt defeated, the Autobots had practically already won the battle. Despite that he didn´t exactly like it to hold himself back while others were still fighting for their lives.
Optimus stood in one line with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe and Megatron with Skywarp and Thundercracker.
xxxxxxx
Cybertron
"To say it short, it went wrong", Cyclonus said to Galvatron.
"There you are telling me nothing new. What exactly happened?"
"We have examined the battle grounds. So far we have at least five dead warriors against only one confirmed Autobot causality. The rest of them had either reached other hiding places or had managed to leave the planet. And what is even worse…"
"What is it?" Galvatron asked sharply.
"We have found evidence that Soundwave and probably Rumble had been taken prisoner."
"Soundwave", Galvatron repeated quietly, "this is bad."
"He is one of our most important officers", Cyclonus stated.
"That is an understatement. He knows practically everything about our army", Galvatron replied darkly.
"It could be far worse", Cyclonus reminded him. "True, this may be a backslash, but we have still the upper hand in this war. We are still controlling Cybertron, Chaar and have a stronghold on a number of other worlds. The current attack of the Autobots against us has crumbled. We have the transwarp engine, the binary bonded Transformers and the improved Skorponok. Two City robots are under our control, while the Autobots have only one.
By all rights, we have won. You have led us to victory Galvatron", he pointed out, "like I always said you would."
Cyclonus had always been the Decepticon most loyal to Galvatron and the one who had trusted him the most. Even in the time where he had been insane. Despite knowing better about Galvatron´s state than anybody else, Cyclonus made the decision to continue to support him.
He had actually actively tried to cure Galvatron a few times Instead to turn against him like the most others would have done, even if it seemed to be like the best for the empire for some time, he had never lost the trust that his leader would be able to recover to his former self. It was a decision that he never regretted and one that was paying off now every single day.
"But our victory was not complete and now things are going out of hand. To that comes this mysterious attack on Autobot city, led by someone who looks like Megatron. This bothers me too."
The insane Galvatron, Cyclonus knew, would have already shot someone at this point and screaming that all this was some sort of conspiracy against him. Ironically, that was probably actually the case.
"We will deal with this situation next Galvatron", Cyclonus told him. He wondered himself what was the meaning behind this strange doppelganger.
xxxxxxx
Autobot city, earth
Omega Supreme and Defensor were towering over the ruined city. By all rights the Autobots had already won the battle. The only other robot comparable to them the Decepticons had present had already been taken out.
Two of the black Sweeps started to fly an attack on Omega Supreme. It was a actually completely useless action. But the drone warriors didn´t knew either fear or sense. Both were hit by Omega´s main weapons and blown apart in a matter of moments.
The two groups around Optimus Prime and Megatron had been in a short firefight that everybody knew, was completely meaningless. The Decepticons didn´t have a chance anymore since the moment Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme had joined the battle.
"It is over Megatron, give up", Optimus declared.
The leader of the attacking Decepticons glared at him angrily. "Never Autobot."
"Your only combiner team had been defeated. We outnumber you. Your troops are already falling back. You have lost."
"Do you really think so?" A voice behind him asked.
He looked around and saw a large purple Decepticon, around the size of Megatron and himself. The robot, by his design, seemed to transform into some sort of ground vehicle. Optimus felt it deep in his spark that something was definitely not usual about this guy. He saw that Starscream was standing behind this Decepticon, with a grin on his face. That alone promised nothing good.
"Who are you?" He asked the unknown robot.
"My name is Sideways. I am happy to finally meet you in person Optimus Prime." The purple robot smiled sickeningly.
"You work for Megatron?", Optimus stated.
"Let us say we came to an alliance to our mutual agreement, but technically you are right yes, I am working for him."
"You must see that you have no chance to win this battle anymore", Optimus told him.
"Under normal circumstances I would agree with you, but the circumstances are not normal."
"What do you mean by that?" Optimus asked him.
"You have seen our black Sweeps. They are drones that we have built for Megatron´s new army. Exact replicas of the Sweeps you are familiar with, with one exception, that they have no mind of their own. They are only lifeless robots that we use for our plans. And about a half hour ago, I have send two of them to a couple of Earth towns. They are called by the natives, oh yes, New York and Los Angeles and both of the Sweeps have a matter-antimatter detonator in them."
"What?" Several Autobots called out in shock.
"Optimus", Jazz, who had just arrived next to them told him, "the human news programs confirm what he had said. The Sweeps have already arrived and are now standing in the center of the towns. And they are ready to detonate the bombs whenever they get the order."
Sideways smile deepened.
"No", Optimus whispered now in absolute horror.
"By my estimation, there will be over 20 millions of your precious humans in the range of the explosions."
All the Autobots around were now like frozen.
"You bastard", Sideswipe yelled.
"You see Prime, you are the one who has lost. Whatever you do, you loose", Sideways told them.
He was right, Optimus realized. Retreating meant loosing the city, staying meant condemning millions to death.
Megatron stood now beside his new ally. "You see Optimus, this time I won´t lose", he said.
Optimus came the thought that all that could simply be a giant bluff. Megatron, he knew, would not have gone that far to threat to level entire cities only to blackmail an enemy. But this wasn´t the Megatron he knew and this Sideways, he saw his cold eyes and felt a terrible feeling inside himself. No, Optimus knew this being wasn´t bluffing.
"Don´t do it", Optimus said quietly, "we will do whatever you say."
"Very good Prime", Megatron replied. "You will draw back all your troops out of the area of Autobot city and will make no further move to stop us. When we are retreating from this planet and are outside of the atmosphere, then we will call the Sweeps back. Have you understand this?"
"Yes Megatron", Optimus said grimly.
"But Prime, we can not simply", Sunstreaker fell in.
"Don´t say it Sunstreaker, don´t even say it", the Autobot leader told him.
"We will meet again", he said angrily to Sideways.
"Oh, about that I am sure", the purple robot replied.
"Autobots retreat", Optimus called out.
He transformed into his truck mode, his warriors quickly followed his example and slowly drove out of the city.
After Megatron had seen the Autobots retreating for a few moments he addressed his troops.
"Level this place", he told them as they saw the last one leaving, "and when you are finished, make a recording of what we have done and send it out to the stars. Everybody shall see what we have done.
And then", he said to Sideways, "order the Sweeps to leave this planet."
"Are you sure Megatron? We could destroy Autobot city and then still wipe out the human towns, no matter what we have told them."
"No, there is no need to that", Megatron replied. "Destroy everything here, then we will leave this place."
"As you wish Megatron", Sideways said.
"You are just going to accept this master?" Starscream asked him quietly as Megatron was out of reach.
"The right time had not come yet", Sideways answered him. "Don´t worry Starscream, this pathetic little world will burn soon enough."
xxxxxxx
Cybertron
Hotrod, Ultra Magnus, Kup and Goldbug had entered the underground of Cybertron. They were now standing before a part of Vector Sigma. It was one of the side-terminals of the planet wide operating super computer that was located in this sector. They were standing in a underground hall, a smaller one by cybertronian standards. The side-terminal was quite different from the main incarnation of Vector Sigma in Iacon, that basically was a large round hall with a glowing ball of energy in it´s center. This looked more like a usual computer, a monitor that was built in the wall at the end of the room, lines of buttons, access interfaces, displays.
"Vector Sigma had been inactive since the ancient Autobot Alpha Trion had sacrificed himself and the old access-key had been destroyed", Goldbug said to them. He remembered this particular fight nearly 30 earth years ago.
"We would only need the key if we wanted to build new Transformers", Ultra Magnus replied. "All we want is some information."
"By the way, how do we activate this terminal?" Hotrod asked.
"For a Autobot leader it is strange that you don´t even know how to access Vector Sigma", Kup asked him with with some irony in his voice.
"As you know perfectly Kup Vector Sigma had been shut down the entire time I had been in charge", Hotrod replied sharply.
"Okay, okay, I was just kidding", the old Autobot replied.
"Yes? I would have never thought. And how do we get access now?"
"I think you should try this", Ultra Magnus told him as he opened his chest and took the dimly glowing form of the Matrix out. It was still only a shadow of it´s former self, a small spark of light in opposite to the glowing jewel it had been before it had been used to cure the hate plaque.
"The Matrix", Hotrod said. He was aware that Optimus had given it to them, but even he didn´t knew that it could be used to connect to Vector Sigma.
"It is said that the Matrix and Vector Sigma have similar origins", Kup reminded them. "The one is where our life begins, the other is where it ends."
"I think this is your job Prime", Ultra Magnus said to Hotrod and handed the Matrix to him.
As he had taken the it in his hand, Hotrod approached the super computer. Suddenly the glowing inside the outburned Matrix became much more intensive. It was still not even close to what it had once been, but at least twice as bright as before. A moment later a stream of light went out of the Matrix to Vector Sigma. The super computer before them came to life.
"Hear me Vector Sigma", Hotrod called out.
"I hear you young Prime", the computer answered him. The voice they were hearing, they realized was the one of Alpha Trion. Optimus Prime´s creator had merged himself with Vector Sigma 27 years ago to keep Megatron from using it for his plans.
"What is it what you want from me?" It asked the group.
"Vector Sigma", Hotrod said, "We need to reach the core of the planet Cybertron. But as you know, the deeper levels of our world are a endless labyrinth of tunnels. We need you to tell us the way."
"Yes, I know. I have known that you would eventually come some day for a long time."
"How?" Hotrod and Ultra Magnus called out at the same time.
"There is no time to discuss this now Autobots. You will find out soon. He will tell you everything, even more than I know."
"He, who?" Kup asked.
"No questions now Autobots. I will give you your route. Now continue on your way."
Hotrod, Ultra Magnus, Kup and Goldbug looked at the super computer in bewilderment.
xxxxxxx
Death Head was again sitting in his private space ship. The bounty hunter was lying back in his chair in the cockpit. He was currently communicating with his latest employer.
"Like I heard the job didn´t went completely as planned?", The voice coming from the monitor before him asked the bounty hunter.
"I admit it didn´t went exactly as I thought it would. Things had happened that I couldn´t have anticipated, yes", Death Head replied. "But maybe it is actually even better in this way."
"Even better? Explain this", his client asked him.
"The Autobots should be convinced now that my target had been Optimus Prime. I did after all do everything to give them that impression. Even went into a fight with Prime and I have to say he didn´t disappoint, no."
"I understand, so the Autobots believe now that you had been after their leader all along and you said they have taken Soundwave prisoner."
"My job was to take Soundwave out. That was what you told me, Soundwave needs to be taken out of the way, no matter how. Well, he certainly is out of the way now. Let the Autobots do the work for us. Nobody would even guess, that it was an assault against him now."
"Yes, indeed you are right Death Head. In fact you have done good work, I have decided to consider our contract as fulfilled. I will transfer the rest of the money to your account."
"Thank you Sideways. It was a pleasure to do business with you", Death Head told him.
"The pleasure is all mine Death Head", Megatron´s new right hand replied. "You have succeeded to get him out of my way and nobody would know that I had something to do with it."
"You will get your money soon. If I will have again need for your work, I will contact you." The robot grinned. Then he ended the connection.
Despite everything that went wrong, Death Head thought, this mission still managed to end up with some success.
xxxxxxx
Cybertron
The ship was entering the atmosphere.
After their victory on earth, Megatron and his followers had decided to go to Cybertron and finally meet their rivals in person.
They were landing now at the space port in the sector polyhex.
Megatron, Starscream, Sideways, Skywarp and Thundercracker were leaving the ship. Greeting them was a large crowd of Decepticons.
Galvatron and Cyclonus were standing in the center of the place, flanked by Scourge and a Decepticon Megatron recognized as the rogue leader Skorponok. Very interesting he thought, seeing that detail, Galvatron and Skorponok, working together.
"This is impossible", a few of them heard Scourge murmur as he saw them. His look was fixed on Thundercracker and on Skywarp.
Cyclonus held himself in check far better, he was practically unreadable, Skywarp realized. He felt a strange sense of pride here. By the information they had, it was probably that this robot was himself in a unicronian form.
"Welcome strangers", Galvatron greeted them with the pronouncing on the last word. "It is a honor to meet the group of Decepticons who had destroyed Autobot city."
"And it was a honor to me to help the Decepticon empire", Megatron replied, "especially since it was our attack that stopped the Autobot´s approach at Cybertron."
Many of the Decepticons in the crowd behind them were looking at each other.
"Oh, I assure you the Autobots had never been a real threat. If they had actually made it to Cybertron, we were ready to deal with them accordingly", Galvatron pointed out.
"Oh, I am sure of that", Megatron replied.
Galvatron smiled at him. Megatron returned the smile, with and identical one, mirror images.
"It is good to be back after this years", Magatron said.
"That leads us to an interesting question, who exactly are you?" Galvatron asked him
"Of course, I am Megatron, the former Decepticon leader. And after I had been abandoned in space, seven years ago, I have finally made it back to Cybertron", he said loud.
"That is a interesting story", Galvatron pointed out. "I am curious how many will be going to believe you that."
"It is the truth", Megatron replied. "I know that a creature named Unicron had programmed you to think you were me and then send you to take over the Decepticons and I have to admit, you did a remarkable job in my absence."
"That is enough", Galvatron replied. "You should know that I don´t believe a single word of that slag. I accept you here because you and your people, whoever you truly are have destroyed Autobot city and helped the Decepticon cause. But don´t go too far. Slugslinger and Triggerhappy will show you the way to your quarters."
"As you wish Galvatron", Megatron answered him.
He could feel it, Megatron thought inside, the rule of Unicron´s creations in this universe would be over soon.
"You were right", Cyclonus said to Galvatron after the newcomers were gone, "it is a conspiracy."
Regarding the "terminal" of Vector Sigma. In the cartoon, Vector Sigma was the only regular way to create new Transformers. I find it however very strange that all Transformers on Cybertron should be created on only a single place. For that reason I think Vector Sigma should exist on several places on Cybertron at once. The computer that had appeared in the cartoon series would so be only a part of the entire system. In the comics, where the Matrix had been the main way to give life to new Transformers, they had a similar solution with the so called Matrix flames, parts of the Matrix energy that had been separated from the actual object itself. Because neither Prime or the Matrix could be at every place at once.
In this chapter Megatron had finally gone in a direct confrontation with Galvatron. So far, he had avoided that to get in a position where he actually has a good chance. To come so far had taken me in the end nine chapters.