Chapter 22
In the center of the pyramid the gate to the other dimension was opening.
Like before, a sphere of energy formed in the heart of the giant time-machine, but this one was different than any before.
Instead of shining in the light electric blue, it was deep black, having more the appearance of a singularity than an usual transport window.
But that wasn´t all, unlike any before, it´s event horizon began to widen, it literally seemed to be leashing out at the space around it and in some weird way, to expand.
It was only a few seconds ago that the being that consisted of the ancient Prime called The Fallen and the formless energy creature, often being simply called "Cabal", had activated the machine again.
And it opened a door that would normally not have been possible.
Thanks to the same machine they were standing in the consistence of time and space was damaged, maybe beyond repair.
And in this it was making a way for what was waiting outside of this universe.
The three Autobots and one Decepticon were starring silently at that was unfolding before their eyes.
"The gate into my world is open", Cabal/The Fallen announced.
Black tentacles, made of something that was not quite matter or energy, something that was not from this universe and beyond any description, were growing out of the anomaly and were slowly filling the room.
The black slings were surrounding his body. It looked as if they were forming a twisted sort of halo around him. The implications of what they were seeing was clear, this being was the center of the chaos that had just entered this world.
"My essence is finally uniting again, spreading into this reality", the monster that was an ancient fallen Prime and a being from beyond time and space told them.
"What is happening here will soon continue everywhere in this universe, the effect will spread over your reality thousands times quicker than the speed of light.
The last gate was not open for long enough. Only a small part of my essence was able to make it through and became the individual you came to know under that name of `Cabal´.
Now this being don´t longer exist anymore. I am whole again. I have even gotten something new."
The voice changed, hinting at another presence in control of the merged entity now.
"A long time ago my creator Primus named me a guardian of entropy in the universe. Later however I discovered that his opponent Unicron in a sense embodied everything I wanted and stood for, he was far more fitting to be my master.
But deep down I always knew that, while I had always been loyal to Unicron, there will be a time when he would toss me aside. He can not accept any living being except himself, that is his nature. I have always known that my own plans for the universe would cause him to eliminate me too sooner or later.
Now things have changed. I will be able to face him as an equal. If he wants to confront me now he shall come. It would be the perfect test for both of us", he claimed.
"And now you will die", the united creature said.
He made a simple gesture with his hand and at the same time Optimus and Hotrod were caught by an invisible telekinetical force and were thrown hard against the wall.
"Are you ok?" Ultra Magnus asked.
"I have seen better days", Hotrod replied. "By the way, I am moved that you two came for me, even if it was only to watch the entire universe being destroyed."
"Your welcome Rodimus", he said.
Skywarp who had already been damaged during the fight was caught by one of the black slings. The bizarre thing was entangling itself around his body and started to crushing his limbs. He was struggling to get himself free until Hotrod fired two shots at the tentacle what caused it to let go of the seeker.
"Is there a chance for us to stop him?" Ultra Magnus asked with visible worry.
"Without the Matrix", Optimus admitted reluctantly, "I don´t see a way."
"What you see here will happen all over the universe", the creature told them.
They saw how the black slings continued to spread over the room. While this happened the form of the ancient Prime was irradiating the same dark energy like the gate and the tentacles.
"He is using The Fallen´s body as a focal point to concentrate his energy in our universe", Ultra Magnus said.
"How do you know that?" Hotrod asked him.
"Hey, I have been working with Perceptor for years, remember?"
It was an empty attempt of humor in the face of the ultimate doom.
"That means despite all the power that he has behind him he still has a physical form, something that can we attack", Optimus reminded them, "at least I hope so", he said more quietly.
"Ah Optimus, always so eager to hold on to the last bits of hope, even if it is pointless", the being said.
Moments later they were once again caught in the telekinetic grip and this time they were frozen in their places.
Optimus Prime, Hotrod, Ultra Magnus and Skywarp were hanging helplessly in the air.
"This is the end for you my old friends", the creature said. "When I am finished with you, your beloved home-planet Cybertron will be next to fall to the chaos, but you will not longer be there to see it."
Then they felt a strange pull on their bodies. It was nothing physical, more on the molecular level, but something that their sensors were able to detect. They knew then that their energy was literally being drained out of them.
Suddenly a blast hit The Fallen, coming from an unknown source.
"What?" he exclaimed in surprise.
The force that was holding Optimus and the others weakened for a moment and they were able to move a few centimeters, but it was not long until the merged being caught itself again.
At the other end of the hall were standing the last people Optimus had expected to see here, Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge.
All three of them opened fire as they were quickly coming closer, forcing the creature backwards.
"You", he called out as he saw his three new opponents.
"We have been listening for the last few minutes, waiting for the right moment", Galvatron declared. "Funny, The Fallen and Cabal, the chance to get even with both of you for the price of one."
"I will destroy you", the creature screamed.
Optimus Prime, Hotrod and Ultra Magnus were now struggling with the force that was still holding them.
"Without the Matrix", Optimus said quietly.
"The Matrix is merely a symbol." He heard a voice in his head. It was the same that had spoken to him 25 years earlier when he was first confronted with The Fallen. He knew it was the voice of Primus.
"It is the life energy and sum of the existence of all Cybertronians in history", it said. "You, a Prime, can use this energy, even if the symbol is not directly with you."
He turned to Hotrod and he knew instantly that the younger Prime had heard the voice too.
Before them the creature that The Fallen had become was still put in the defensive by his three opponents. Under normal circumstances not even Megatronus Prime would have the slightest chance against Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scourge at the same time, but since his merging with the super intelligence of the other universe his power had grown beyond imagination.
Despite that the three Unicronians were holding themselves quite well.
Optimus was trying to look into himself, concentrating on the place where the now empty shell of the Matrix he was carrying was placed, all it´s remaining power released during the curing of the hate plaque.
But after a few more moments he still found a spark of this energy. He let it flow into himself and after a short struggle he was able to break the telekinetic hold.
Next to him he saw that Hotrod had been able to do the same thing.
"What?", the creature exclaimed as he saw that the Autobots had managed to free themselves.
But before he could do anything he was hit by the fire of the two Primes who joined the Decepticons in their attack.
"Magnus, you said he is the focal point in our world?" Optimus asked him.
"Yes."
"Then let us see what happens when we remove him."
They charged at their enemy and began to push him backwards, in the direction of the gate he himself had opened a few minutes earlier. While the two Autobots were fighting from a close distance the fallen Prime was hit by laser blasts from Hotrod, Galvatron and Cyclonus that forced him even more in the defensive.
"Even if you destroy this body", the creature said, "you won´t stop what is happening now."
"I have only one thing to say to you", Optimus replied, "this is for Elita."
With this words he threw The Fallen over the event horizon of the warp sphere. With a last angry scream, the ancient Transformer was removed from this universe and with him a great part of the foreign presence.
"Magnus", Optimus shouted, "deactivate the machine, now."
As the Autobot pushed the button the black sphere collapsed into itself with a terrible noise that seemed to reflect the anger of the invading entity as it was forced back.
The tentacles and the remaining energy around them began to dissipate.
They all were looking at the place where their opponent had just vanished, along with the dark energy sphere.
"The legend says that The Fallen was banished to a void between the worlds by one of the Primes million years ago", Ultra Magnus recounted. "But it never said which one of the them it had been."
"You mean it might have been Optimus all along?" Hotrod asked him.
"Who knows."
They were now facing the three Decepticons.
"Galvatron", Optimus greeted him.
"I see you know my name now, but I shouldn´t be too surprised. I don´t know which timeline you come from but you are clearly not the Optimus Prime of this era."
"No, I am not", he replied. "How have you found this place?"
"Scourge has the most advanced sensors in the universe, a giant object appearing over Cybertron is something he could hardly miss. Seeing the finished pyramid just appearing in this time-period was more than just a surprise, meeting The Fallen and Cabal here even more.
And seeing a group consisting of Autobots and one Decepticon fighting against them was also not exactly a usual thing."
He was looking at Skywarp. The seeker was a wreck, his cockpit and wings were crushed and he was leaking energon from several wounds.
"We actually happened to be in this time-period on a mission that involves your friend Ultra Magnus here", the Decepticon leader continued.
"But it seems you already knew this right?" Cyclonus pointed out.
"Yes, we remember our first meeting", Magnus said. "Why did you help us?"
"Don´t misunderstand Autobot", Galvatron told him. "You are my enemy and the next time we meet I will kill you and that with pleasure, but given who you were fighting against the choice was easy."
"Of course", Optimus replied.
"I guess from here on you Autobots can take care of things by your own?" he asked. "I expect you to destroy this thing once and for all."
"We will", Hotrod told him, "believe me, we will deal with this."
"Good, then we will go now. We have a battle to watch over", Galvatron informed them. "You know what you have to do right?" he said, looking at Optimus and with a side-glance to Skywarp.
The Autobot leader nodded.
With this the three Decepticons turned around and walked out of the room.
"Galvatron, this seeker", Cyclonus asked him, "do you think this is…?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I think."
"So you think this", Scourge said, "is him?"
The Autobots didn´t hear anything of the last short conversation of their enemies. They were discussing what to do.
"It is over? Have we stopped it?" Ultra Magnus asked
"The entity invading our world yes, the temporal chaos that was caused, I fear not", Optimus answered.
"So what now?" he wanted to know. "Our timeline had been erased, our reality is gone."
"The reality is rewriting itself again and again", Hotrod said. "Time-travel is following after time-travel in an eternal circle. We have to stop it."
"How?"
"I think I can set everything right when I return to the year 1986, at least I hope so. I have to keep Megatron from building the pyramid in the first place."
"That may be a chance but it could be difficult and even if you succeed you would still be trapped in the wrong time period", Ultra Magnus reminded him.
"Wait", they heard a voice calling out, "I should go", Skywarp told them.
"You?", Hotrod asked him in surprise.
"Think about it, with me there is an actual chance that Megatron might listen to me. I can convince him to stop this."
"I agree with Skywarp", Optimus said, "and Magnus is also right, you would be in the wrong time and we should not risk any more transports if it is not absolutely necessary and what he say is true, he can convince Megatron."
"In your shape there is a good chance that you will not make it", Hotrod reminded Skywarp.
"Believe me, if I could prevent my future from happening I would gladly die and besides, my past self would still live so whats the point. To be honest I don´t think that I will make it anyway, but so I can at least stop all this from happening."
"Good, then it is decided. I know you can do it", Optimus told him. "We prepare the device one last time, first we send Skywarp and right afterwards we transfer the entire construct to our time and then we will destroy this machine."
"You should better succeed", Hotrod said to the seeker, "Primus knows where we will land otherwise."
xxxxxxx
Earth, the year 1986
In the hours since the time-traveler Hotrod disappeared a lot had happened.
Megatron and his warriors had retreated to their base in the Rocky Mountains, but the Autobots had been following them in close pursuit.
Now they were assembled in front of the Decepticon base, standing in opposite to Megatron and his troops.
The Decepticon leader still had the time-machine that he had required from the displaced Autobot.
Now the warriors of both sides were just waiting for the fighting to start.
"Give me the machine Megatron", the Autobot leader said.
"You know perfectly well that I won´t do that Optimus."
"Then we will have to take it from you."
"Of course, I knew you would say that, you can try."
He got into a fighting stance, both sides had been aware that it would come to this.
Megatron would never give up the device willingly and the Autobots knew it was far to dangerous for them to leave it in his hands.
And so they were all ready to attack at any moment by the command of their leaders.
But before it came to this something other happened, unexpected.
Another energy sphere appeared in the center of the place, close to the two confronting groups.
Instantly they all thought for a moment that Hotrod had returned.
But to everyone´s surprise it was not the Autobot time-traveler who formed out of the blue energy but a obviously very damaged and mangled version of the seeker Skywarp and that while the regular one was still standing only a few meters away.
After a few moments to come to completely comprehend where he was the seeker caught himself. He remembered this scene, his other, younger self was also here after all.
"Megatron", he called out.
It took a few seconds before everyone overcame their shock. Even the leader of the Decepticons was starring at the newcomer in open surprise.
"Skywarp, …but", he stammered. After a moment he caught himself.
Secretly he was a bit embarrassed about this open show of surprise.
"The time-travel device", the dark colored seeker said, "the plan, you need to stop it."
"What?"
"If you build it, it will end in disaster. I know it, I was there", he said.
The figure they had identified as Skywarp broke down before them. Only now they saw the full extent of his damage. As it looked like it was a wonder that he was not in stasis-mode.
"Megatron", he heard Starscream yelling, "don´t listen to it. This is a trick, an imposter send by the Autobots."
He was standing between the two seekers, one his ambitious second in command and the other the warrior who had always proven to be loyal or maybe someone who happened to look like him.
"The pyramid", Skywarp said, "it will mean your end. I was there, I have seen it. I saw you die. And that is not everything, time itself will be destabilized, the ultimate disaster, stop it now before it even happens."
"Think about the possibilities", Starscream said. "Don´t let this story fool you. We can control time and space, don´t throw that away."
"How do I know if you are who you claim?" Megatron asked the black seeker.
"Megatron, do you remember how you had first recruited Thundercracker and me? You found us in the streets of Kaon. We had nothing, our creators had just build us to solve their purpose and then thrown us away", Skywarp told him.
"What about your own creator, the one who had you constructed you and only minutes later forced you to fight for you life? How many living beings know this? he asked.
Megatron hesitated. Nobody knew about this, nobody beside a few members of his closest circle.
"Please, if you ever trusted me, listen now", Skywarp said.
"The key to the universe is just in our hands", Starcream exclaimed, "use it."
Megatron activated his fusion cannon.
This was the point that marked the decision for the universe.
Optimus Prime was standing close by, ready to fight the Decepticon leader if he had to.
Megatron fired his weapon.
The time-travel device exploded into shrapnel and fire.
In the moment he saw what had happened the time traveler Skywarp broke down, overcome by his injuries.
"That,... that was right", he said before his optics were turning dark.
The present versions of Skywarp and Thundercracker were watching what was happening in horrid fascination.
A few seconds passed without anybody saying a word, only starring at Megatron or at the fallen seeker.
"No, what have you done?" Starscream finally shouted.
"The right choice", he replied.
"You fool, you have ruined everything. I swear this is the last mistake you have made as our leader."
"I don´t think so", Megatron said. "Decepticons stand down", he ordered.
As Starscream looked around he saw that all of their fighters followed the order without hesitation.
"You are all fools", he yelled.
Starscream transformed into his jet-mode and blasted off, leaving the members both sides behind.
"He will be back", Jazz commented.
"Yeah", Ironhide grunted in response.
Megatron was looking at Optimus now.
"I guess this was the reason you came here?" he asked the Autobot leader.
"It was."
"Then I think you have no longer reason to stay. I for myself don´t see a point in continuing this battle, don´t you think so too?"
"This one time you are right Megatron. What about him?" he asked, gesturing to the body of the time displaced version of Skywarp.
"Where ever he came from, he was a Decepticon warrior and he died as one. We will give him his last honor in our way."
Optimus had made up his mind. Something in him was hesitating to leave the remains of the time-traveler to Megatron, but he knew the worst he could find was a few information about a future that would hopefully never come to exist. He knew it was not worth starting another battle over.
There had been enough deaths at this day.
"Autobots", he gave the order, "we are returning to headquarter."
The Autobots were transforming into their car-, jet- or vehicle-modes and began to retreat from the Decepticon base.
Things had returned to normal and the history would play out.
xxxxxxx
December 2011 (the real one)
In the last days of the year 2011 a mysterious object appeared in an orbit over Cybertron.
"Are we back where we should be Optimus?" Ultra Magnus asked the question they were all thinking.
"According to the instruments we have nearly made it", he replied. "We are actually 25 Breem (3,45 hours) before we had left."
"The time the pyramid first had appeared", Magnus said. "Does things have returned to normal?"
"The broadcast and the energy readings are the same as before our time-travel."
As Optimus gave in a command the screen before them showed a picture from Cybertron´s surface. It was the Iacon plaza with the same tribune where they had been holding their celebratory speeches only a short time earlier.
"We are back", Ultra Magnus announced. "Skywarp had succeeded."
"Yes he did", Optimus said quietly.
"You knew", Magnus realized, "you knew that he would made it."
"I hoped, I remembered him and hoped that everything would play out as it happened in my memories."
"So that was the way the pyramid came to Cybertron", Hotrod pointed out, "we brought it here after Megatron had it build in the first place?"
"Obviously", Optimus stated.
"We should better leave now", Hotrod reminded them, "our past selves will arrive soon."
"Yes", Optimus said, "let us return to Cybertron."
"Maybe we could do anything to keep this entire disaster from happening in the first place", Ultra Magnus offered.
"That is too dangerous", Hotrod replied. "We don´t even know for sure if the reality like we know it would even exist without the influence of the pyramid."
"We have stopped both The Fallen and Cabal from destroying the universe", Optimus told them. "All what we could do now would risk erasing our victory from existence and return the threat of them."
"I guess you two are right", Magnus admitted. "Then we should go and watch when all of this will play out."
"You are right", Hotrod said, "let us go."
xxxxxxx
A few hours later
"Is everything ready Perceptor?" Optimus asked him.
Their other selves had just left to the past.
Optimus, Hotrod and Ultra Magnus were now standing along with Perceptor inside Skylinx shuttle mode, flying close to the floating pyramid.
The Autobot scientist was holding a remote control in his hand.
"Do you want the honor Rodimus?"
"Thank you Optimus", the younger Autobot replied. "Perceptor", he said, "do it."
As the scientist activated the remote the pyramid vanished.
They knew that it would reappear in the center of the closest star and there it would be reduced to ashes.
"Now it is over", Hotrod told them.
xxxxxxx
Light-years away at the same time, on board of the flagship of the Decepticons
"As you see Skorponok our new technology is as good as ready."
The Decepticon leader was just about to finish his communication with his newest sub-commander whose face was on the screen in his personal quarters.
"Indeed Galvatron, the last test runs were more than promising", Skorponok replied.
"I will inform you when the preparations are finished", Galvatron informed him before he ended the connection.
"It seems your plan is working out perfectly", Cyclonus who was standing next to his leader, said. "The last five years were going very well for our cause."
"Yes Cyclonus, this time was truly that we have needed to develop our new transwarp-engine, based on the time-travel technology we have seen 25 years ago.
I may have destroyed the device, for good reason by all we have seen later, but that didn´t mean that it wasn´t able to bring us to ideas. If everything goes as planned Cybertron will soon be ours again."
"Yes mighty Galvatron", Cyclonus said with a gleam in his eyes.
End-note: The action of this story is continued in the story "Transformers: Transwarp".
Wow, after over 4 years I have finally ended "Time Circle".
The planned attack on Cybertron that Galvatron and Cyclonus discuss in the last part is the one that will happen in the beginning of Transwarp.