Chapter 18
New York city on Earth in the year 2010
After the destruction of Cybertron the Decepticons had been gone for five years, but a few months ago they returned.
But things weren´t like before. What had once been a war had now turned into a massacre.
Seemingly completely senseless they were attacking human towns and were burning them down.
Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, San Diego and now New York city.
It was this morning the Decepticons had started their latest surprise attack.
Now Optimus Prime was standing in the middle of a burning field of rubble that had once been a part of Manhattan.
The city around them was lying in ruins.
"Why, why are you doing this?" Optimus was shouting at the Decepticon leader.
"It is part of the plan", Megatron calmly responded, "a plan that you don´t understand old friend, at least not yet."
"Plan? You call this part of a plan?" the Autobot leader gestured at the inferno around them.
"I see you are still thinking about the welfare of your precious humans, as always. Don´t worry, all what is happening here will mean nothing in the end."
xxxxxxx
It was the year 2011. The planet Cybertron didn´t exist anymore.
But the war between Autobots and Decepticons was still going on.
Until today.
Now the war would soon be coming to an end.
xxx
One year later, Autobot-city on Earth
A large group of Autobots was assembled in Autobot city´s control center, in front of them was their leader Optimus Prime.
It was a briefing for the coming battle.
The line of Autobots present consisted of Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Springer, Blurr, Roadbuster, Inferno, Hoist, Getaway, Joyride, Slapdash, Outback, Grimlock, Snarl and the Protectobots.
They all were some of the last of their kind, a few of the survivors out of the once over a billion members of the cybertronian race.
Many of them had died during the battles against Unicron, others through the nine million years of war. Now were only few cybertronians left, but the few were still fighting each other.
The coming confrontation that they were discussing now was the final outcome of something that had been in development for the last 24 years, beginning with Optimus and Megatron´s meeting with a young Autobot named Hotrod.
It was a secret plan that had been in the making for the last two and a half decades.
"This is what our scouts have reported", Optimus Prime announced.
As a screen before them was activated it showed a part of the surface of the Earth´s Moon and towering above it a large metallic object.
It was a giant building in the shape of a pyramid, still under construction.
"I think some of you recognize the basics of this object?" He asked.
"The time-machine", Ironhide said.
"Correct", Optimus replied, "according to Wheeljack the designs are the same, but this model is millions of times larger."
"Are this the Constructicons?" Hoist asked. They had not been seen or heard of for some time now.
"Indeed", Optimus replied. The Autobots had gotten a clear identification of the construction team.
"Could they have been working on this the entire time?" Ultra Magnus suggested.
"It is possible", the Autobot leader answered. "But the question we should ask is another one. Twenty four Earth years ago we had gotten an impression about the smaller time-travel device. Now imagine what this machine can do.
And it is in Megatron´s hands", he added.
"The latest actions of the Decepticons never made sense to us", Ultra Magnus pointed out. "They attacked unprovoked civilian targets without without any visible motivation or gain. Five larger Earth cities and several smaller settlements had been destroyed, all on the North American continent, with other words the area where we are located."
"Are you suggesting that it had all only been a diversion?" Optimus asked him.
"We have at least to consider the possibility."
"No, you are right. He had done all that only to distract us from his true aim, for this he has killed millions of innocents. All this to keep us from finding out about that." He gestured to the screen.
Megatron had gone too far, Optimus thought silently, much too far. It was time now to stop him.
xxxxxxx
Nearly completed pyramid on the Moon´s surface, current Decepticon base
Soundwave was watching the Constructicons trying to finish their work in a hurry.
He saw Megatron standing with a grim face in the center of the new secret weapon that was also serving as a temporally base.
For years they had kept this project a secret, but this time was now over.
It was save to assume that the Autobots knew of their location now and what they were doing.
Soundwave remembered what had happened.
xxx
A few hours earlier
The two Autobots in car form were fleeing from the heavy fire of their pursuers. They were driving at high-speed over the gashed lunar landscape.
Hound and Bumblebee had been sent to a mission to scout the system for Decepticon activity, one of many.
They had found more than they had hoped for.
The green jeep was hit in the side by a laser blast and lost control.
"Hound", Bumblebee shouted as he saw his partner nearly crash at one of the rocks at the side of their path.
It was not even 15 earth minutes ago that they had found the nearly finished pyramid and now they were being hunted down by several squads of seekers and Megatron himself.
"Bumblebee, contact headquarters and send a message. Optimus needs to know about what we have found."
"I am already doing that", the yellow beetle replied. "Come on Hound, we have to get out of here."
"It is too late", the green Autobot replied. He transformed and got ready to face their pursuers.
"Go, I will hold them off", he said.
"What?" Bumblebee yelled in surprise.
"I am too damaged, can not drive. You will never made it with me. We are both finished if you try to help me, go now", Hound screamed.
He activated his projector and next to him appeared a dozen holograms of himself, decoys to confuse the Decepticons.
The seekers were in reach. Dirge, Skywarp and Darkwing were coming in.
"Okay", Bumblebee finally gave in. "I will go now."
He changed into his car mode and drove of as fast as he could.
But he didn´t came far. They were surrounded by enemies, he realized. It was too late. Bumblebee transformed into robot mode to fight back, he knew he had no other choice.
The fire of the Cons went to the greatest part into empty space, hitting only through the holograms.
Above them however a single projectile was making it´s way through the skirmish, right to it´s target.
Skywarp had fired one of his heat seeking missiles that ignored the holograms and went straight for the real Hound. Here out in space the chance of it missing was next to zero.
The Autobot was hit and thrown to the ground. Hound could barely stand up, he had already been damaged before.
He saw the Decepticon leader landing before them.
"You got me Skywarp", he murmured. "But we got you Megatron", he said louder. "Prime knows about your little secret here."
One moment later Megatron´s fusion cannon ended his life.
xxx
Bumblebee saw Megatron, Skywarp, Dirge and Darkwing standing over his fallen partner.
Before he could feel grieve, before he could even think of anything else, he himself was struck by a laser blast.
"You should have better watched out Autobot." He heard a cold voice as he was lying on the moon´s surface.
Bumblebee recognized the robot, Cyclonus, one of Unicron´s creations.
"But I fear you won´t have the chance anymore", the Decepticon said as he draw his gun and fired.
xxx
"Dirge." They heard the Decepticon leader´s angry voice.
"Yes Megatron?" He asked nervously.
"This Autobots were able to make a call back to their base."
"That is not my fault", the seeker replied. "I had no way to jam their senders."
Megatron grabbed him by the throat.
"They should have never seen the machine in the first place. You had been placed on guard. Thanks to your failure the Autobots have found out about my plans that I could keep from them for 20 years", he growled
He slammed the robot into a close rock formation and pointed his weapon at him.
"Megatron, I am sorry. It won´t happen again", Dirge stammered desperately.
"No, it won´t", the Decepticon leader said as he activated his fusion gun.
The others watched in shock as the blast burned into the seeker´s spark chamber and ripped his head off.
"So, now that we had this done, back to base", Megatron said. "We have to prepare for the Autobots arrival."
xxxxxxx
Now
He had changed, Soundwave thought about his commander and not for the better. His execution of Dirge was only one last example.
He watched the group of Decepticons in close distance standing together. Skywarp, loyal member of Megatron´s inner circle and a close ally since the beginning of the war. He put for the most part up the front of someone who took nothing seriously, but he was still one of the last people around that Soundwave actually trusted.
Darkwing and Dreadwind, two other seekers who he had only met after their re-awakening on Earth. That meant he barely knew them except of what he could read from their minds.
Runabout and Runamuck, two fighters with car alt-mode. There was nothing seriously wrong about them, there was however nothing seriously right about them either. They had originally joined the Decepticon army because they had nothing better to do and because they hoped for the chance for a few fights. Or to say it in other words, they were two thugs, only in for the chance for a brawl.
At least by now this two seemed to have developed at least some loyalty into the cause. But it still didn´t mean they were exemplary soldiers now.
and Cyclonus and Scourge.
Soundwave had to admit it bothered him to see the two unicronian creations standing between the other warriors. The Decepticons were in desperate need of troops, but he still didn´t like it.
He didn´t trust them and when the black seeker looked at him, he knew that the other mech shared his misgivings about this two.
xxx
Skywarp realized that Soundwave had caught him starring at the two unicronians, not that he particular cared. Mistrust against Cyclonus and Scourge was wide-spread among the army.
This two had been part of a interstellar long-range patrol. But since their encounter with the Chaos Bringer they were not longer the same.
According to people who had known their former selves their personalities had completely changed, were somehow twisted. They were not longer normal Decepticon warriors anymore.
To put it short they were cruel, single minded, uncaring, bloodthirsty and cold like ice.
It didn´t seem to matter for them who they killed, Autobots, humans or Decepticons, as long as they could do it.
They had been fighting alongside Unicron against the rest of the Transformers, they actually helped him to destroy Cybertron. Still Megatron had accepted them with open arms.
For millions of years he had followed his leader loyally, fighting the war, enjoying life whenever he could and trusting in Megatron. Because Megatron had freed him from his original pointless existence, because he had led them to glory and gave his life a sense.
But there were moments, moments like this, where he asked himself if all that was really worth it.
There were rumors going on under the troops that Megatron was going insane and given his latest actions even Skywarp was not longer entire sure that they were wrong.
"It is just all no fun anymore", he murmured, "right Soundwave?"
xxxxxxx
Autobot City Earth
"Autobots", Optimus announced, "you have all known that it would come to this. The day is finally here.
Megatron had crossed the line.
After the destruction of our home-planet there were not many of us left. Silently we all hoped it was over and we could finally live in peace, but as it turned out it was still not enough for our enemy.
In the last years Megatron had destroyed millions of lives. Seemingly careless his troops had wiped out entire cities without military reason.
Now he has his hands on a technology that could make him even more dangerous than ever before.
There is no longer time for discussion or hesitation. We have to put a stop to this now, once and for all", Optimus Prime declared.
"Autobots, today we will strike back."
His words were answered with cheers and applause from his troops.
In the last years they had all seen the destruction caused on Earth and the death of even more of their fellow Autobots and they were unable to stop it.
Optimus was right. After Unicron they had all hoped the war would be over. But it had not been over, quite the opposite, the war had escalated.
In between the Transformers stood a single human, Spike Witwicky and he was watching Prime´s declaration with a grim expression.
For years now he had seen his home-world gotten devastated and ruined. He was far from the innocent naïve teenager the Autobots had once met when they first crash-landed on Earth.
"Get ready", the Autobot leader said to them. "We are starting in one hour Earth time."
As his words ended the others were walking out to prepare themselves for the battle, last check-ups, recharging weaponry, studying the plan and waiting.
"Magnus", he said as he saw the other Autobots leaving, "wait a moment, there is something I have to discuss with you."
"Yes Prime?"
The two old friends were looking each other in the eyes. Ultra Magnus was already suspecting what Optimus would tell him.
"I want you to stay here."
"You are going against Megatron´s entire remaining army. You will need me."
"There is something more important to do for you. You have to wait for somebody who will arrive shortly.
You remember what date we have?"
Ultra Magnus nodded. "But there are others you can leave to wait for him."
"Magnus, you are the only one who knows all what is needed to and only you are the one I trust completely with this", Optimus said.
"If you are really sure about this, I will stay."
"And there is something else I want to give you", the Autobot leader told him.
He opened his chest plate and took the glowing object out.
"The Matrix, Optimus, you, you think you will not come back?"
"We have to always accept that possibility, but this time I want to make sure it is in the right hands."
xxxxxxx
Far away from Earth in space another robot had arrived at his destination.
The Fallen was floating before the giant wreck that was the mortal shell of his master.
What he was feeling was conflicted.
On the one side he was angry about their failure, on the other it was reassuring for a small part of him to be reminded that Unicron could be stopped, even if only temporary.
The Fallen knew all too well, despite the long time he had been following him loyally, that Unicron´s and his own ultimate goals were not necessary the same.
"Master", he called out.
Despite the heavy damage he was perfectly aware that the Chaos Bringer´s mind inside the body was still intact. Over time he would be able to find a way to repair the damage.
"Fallen." He heard Unicron´s voice. The giant before him came to life.
"It is good to see you in person again my master, after only hearing your voice for so long."
"Indeed", Unicron replied. "I remember your attempt to destroy Optimus Prime and the Matrix, your failed attempt."
The accusation in his words was unmistakable.
One moment later he felt the pain ripping through his systems. The agony was immense, the only thing that kept him upright was his pride.
"I failed my master. I was about to destroy the Matrix but", he paused, struggling with the anger over his defeat and his own pain. "I let them stop me. I have no excuse."
"Yes", the Chaos Bringer said. "You are right, you have none. You have failed me. The only reason you are not suffering even more is that this situation might still turn out favorable to us."
You mean the reason is that you are a helpless wreck now and that you need me, The Fallen thought in a shielded part of his mind.
"What are your plans master?" he asked loud.
"Much had happened while you were gone Fallen. You should be aware that this is not this reality like it should be. The time-stream had been altered."
"So the new time-travel technology has been used", The Fallen remarked.
"Had been or will be used", Unicron explained, "for the mortals a matter of perspective, for us however without meaning. Important for us is only one thing. What we have always been looking for is in our reach."
"A way to completely reform the universe", The Fallen said.
"Or to destroy it", The Chaos Bringer replied.
Deep inside his mind however The Fallen had other thought, thought that he had hidden even from his master.
He had always been loyal to Unicron, because they shared the same goals and because, at least to some level, the Chaos Bringer seemed to embody everything he believed in.
He was forming the universe through destruction. But despite all this, he was aware about one thing, in the end Unicron would kill him as well. Ultimately their goals were not the same.
While he wanted progress through destruction, Unicron wanted the end of everything, even his own followers.
And given the pitiful state his master was currently in, maybe it was time to realize his own plans.
xxxxxxx
On Earth
Miles away from the other Autobots Hotrod was driving over one of the roads of the West Coast, heading in the direction of Autobot city.
At the first place he crossed after his arrival he tried to find out the exact date. It was the same as he found out, the 30th December 2011.
But he realized very quickly that something was absolutely not right.
The more he saw and the more he heard over the radio, the more worried he became.
He had stumbled over reports about entire towns being destroyed in Decepticon attacks, about an onslaught of attacks in the last months.
Hotrod knew wherever he was, it was not the year 2011 he came from.
Side-note: The Cyclonus and Scourge in this time-line are not created from Skywarp and Thundercracker or any other named character.
Their personalities are completely different from the normal ones. The corruption of their programing and minds planted by Unicron that was mentioned in the earlier chapters of this story was in their case successfull, like hinted by Soundwave´s and Skywarp´s thoughts here. So they basically became two killing machines.