The Transformers are property of hasbro.
I have decided to make a complete rewrite of my older story Time Circle. Looking back, I am not longer quite satisfied with some of my choices regarding the writing and the events.
Like before, the story is based on the seasons 1-3 of the original G1 series with some ideas of the Marvel comics. It still ignores the Rebirth three-partner, which was quite badly written in my opinion (The Decepticons first conquer Cybertron in a hard battle and then try to blow it up anyway?)
Aside from that, I have already written my own version of the post season 3 events in my story "Transformers: Transwarp" (no relation to the Animated five parter "Transwarped"), that featured beside others an introduction of the Head- and Targetmasters.
For the setting: Instead of playing before the events of Transwarp, it is now a continuation of it.
The `present´ period is now the year 2019 instead of 2011.
That also means the story now not longer plays during the truce after Return of Optimus Prime, but instead in the period of actual peace between the G1 cartoon and Beast Wars. So I have also changed the position of it in my fanfic timeline and it is now placed between the stories Peace on Earth and Evolution.
One of my reason for the rewrite was to straighten the story out a bit and make it less convoluted and more fitting with my other stories.
Transformers: Time Circle
Chapter 1
It is the year 2019. The long war between the Autobots and the Decepticons was finally over.
After the return and then the final defeat of Unicron, in the Earth year 2012, a peace agreement had been made between the Decepticon leader Galvatron and the leaders of the Autobots, Optimus and Rodimus Prime.
But the price for this peace had been high, for everyone. During the battle, an ancient device in the heart of Cybertron named the Plasma Energy Chamber had been opened - a device able to destroy stars. And absorb the resulting energy into the core of Cybertron itself.
But the resulting global overload of energy made their home-planet non-habitable for both Autobots and Decepticons for many centuries to come.
Scientists of both sides were already working on the creation of a new generation of Transformers, one that could adapt to the new circumstances on Cybertron better. But for the Autobots and Decepticons like they were, their home-world was lost.
The race of the Quintessons had nearly been wiped out by Unicron during his last attack. The few surviving stragglers were no longer a serious threat to anyone. Their remaining robot slaves, now freed of the control by their masters, had now started to learn how to live for themselves.
While the mainforce of the Decepticons, under the leadership of the now once again sane Galvatron and Cyclonus had left this part of the universe, a few groups of fanatical hardliners refused to accept the peace agreement.
After a few more months of fighting however, the Autobots managed to defeat the Renegade Decepticons and then officially declared an end of the Cybertronian Civil War.
xxx
Autobot City Earth - the year 2019
Optimus Prime was standing on a makeshift podium in the area right in front of the City´s entrance, under the sky of Earth.
Standing assembled before him were the Autobots who resided in this base and also several guests for the current celebration.
It was the seventh anniversary of the end of the Great War.
Present were beside others, his old friend Ultra Magnus and his young co. leader Rodimus, the old security officer Kup, the Headmaster Commander Fortress Maximus, Arcee, Springer, the remaining Autobot Head- and Targetmasters, the Powermaster Getaway, the Dinobots and whole teams of the Aerial-, Protecto- and Technobots.
And also present was the city Transformer Metroplex, who standing was standing close in his city-mode.
The crowd also included many surviving members of his old Arc crew, which included Bumblebee - now called Goldbug - Jazz, Hound, Mirage, Sideswipe, Perceptor, Blaster an many more.
There there even a few Transformers present that Optimus and the others did not even recognize. Members of the Autobot forces that had been stationed on outposts, former citizens of the now destroyed Autobot colony of Paradron like Sandstorm and others.
And also several representives and ambassadors of other races. Even a few of the first members of the newly created Cybertronian race called the Maximals.
But it were not only Cybertronians. Also present were some of their human allies, like Spike Witwicky - who was also permanet ambassador of Earth to the Autobots, his wife Carly and their now grown up son Daniel... and the Earth Defense officer Marissa Fairborn, now in the rank of general.
All these beings, some from worlds the Autobots had actually only loose contact with, were now here to hear Optimus words. They all looked up to the platform the Autobot Commander was standing on.
For over 9 million years, their race and their home-planet Cybertron had barely known anything than constant war. The only real interruptions had been the short periods after the first defeat of Unicron and after the truce of the Hate Plaque. But both had in the end only been interrupted by yet another major campaign of the Decepticons.
The only thing that ultimately slowed down the war in the end was the fact that it had slowly eaten up all the resources and energy. Cybertron became close to being a live less husk.
And ironically exactly this situation had it been what caused both sides to look for new energy resources between the stars.
It led to the war spreading to this other worlds and caused countless death and suffering. But it also led to the Autobots finding the friends and allies they possessed now.
"Autobots - and allies and friends," he began, "and our guests from other parts of the galaxy. We all are here for the same reason. Nine million years of war. A war that devastated and drained out our home planet, that spread from Cybertron to Earth and to many other planets, that killed countless millions of sentient beings, that threatened the freedom of the entire known universe itself.
A war that ended 7 years ago. And finally there was peace."
Optimus staid silent for a few moments, let the audiance taking in his words.
"But it was a peace that came at a high price. Not only had we lost the ability to live on our home-planet. Let us not forget the ones we had lost," he reminded the spectators.
"Ironhide, Prowl, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Brawn, Huffer, Windcharger, Firestar, Chromia, Red Alert... and Elita One," Optimus listed a few Autobots, only from the last years of the war... and only the ones he knew personally.
"This are only a few of the countless names... Autobots, humans, titanians and other, to numberless to even count. Let us remember them," Optimus said, followed by a few moments of silence.
"But in the end, things changed. We had to find out that the Decepticons were not our worst enemies. And together we defeated a foe more dangerous than we could have ever imagined - a enemy from the dawn of time itself, who threatened the existence of the entire cosmos. Unicron, the Chaos Bringer, the Devourer of Worlds. That were only a few of the many names he was known by.
Old enemies became new allies and together we have given this universe something it desperately needed in that hour... hope.
So let us all rejoice in this new peace we all have. But let us never forget the sacrifices that were made to achieve it... Or the fact that we need to stand up to defend it, if it threatened again some day."
Optimus speech had ended. And for the next moments the place was filled with halling applause from everyone.
Next to him, Rodimus, Ultra Magnus and Kup came unto the tribune.
Optimus made a gesture for his young fellow Prime to take his place in the center of the podium.
"Autobots," Rodimus begann, "for the last years plans were made to reinstall the High Council that ruled the Autobots before the war. With that we will have a democratic government again. One of the many things we lost in the long fighting.
This new government body will lead the Autobots along with the reigning Primes - that would be Optimus and me in this case - and our officers. Over time, so the idea, most of the authority given to the Prime alone during the war-time will be given back to the Council and divided equally under it´s members."
Rodimus announcement was met with similar applause as Optimus speech had been. Though a bit less enthusiastic maybe. Like in most societies, real life politics were simply less popular and moving than speeches of war, sacrifice, victory, hope and peace. But in the end not less important.
"Do you and Optimus are planning to actually join the Council?" Bumblebee asked them. "Or maybe you Ultra Magnus?"
"I guess never of you would have to worry about getting the votes for the position," Spike spoke up.
"I would vote for you right away. If I were an Autobot of course," Carly said smiling.
"We will see about that," Rodimus replied. "I admit I have not yet my mind up."
"Neither have I," Ultra Magnus said. "We have not even decided if it will even be possible to be a Prime and a member of the Council at the same time."
"I think nothing in Cybertron´s law speaks against it," Optimus mentioned. "In fact, the Prime had always been considered as part of the Council."
"True," Magnus said.
"Yeah - Primes for the Council!" Jazz suddenly called out.
"Yes," Someone else responded.
"Okay. Like I said, we have not decided yet. This is a matter for another time," Rodimus declared. "For now - we still have a festival here, right? We all have now a life in peace. So let us live," he raised his arm and shouted to them all.
And so they did.
After the declarations were over, the celebrities were going on and the Autobots, humans and aliens present were starting to spread to the city.
A few of the guests were using the Autobot crew as `guides´ through the base and Metroplex. Others were exploring it on their own.
A few of the other Autobots who were off duty were demonstrating their special abilities - like Hound his Holograms - or Sky Linx, who was offering free flights in his shuttle form - to some of the guests.
Some merchants, both human and alien, were using the event as a chance to present their wares, like they had done in the years before.
All in all, over the last seven years, the peace anniversary had become a large interstellar celebration.
Then suddenly the alarms were going off.
A few Autobots were transforming and driving to the closest computer console to check on what had caused the alarm.
Others were trying to calm down some of the visitors, who had been starting to get nervous.
xxx
Somewhat off-side, standing in the back of the crowd, was a single robot. He was tall, just as tall as Optimus Prime or Ultra Magnus. He looked cybertronian in design, but wasn´t wearing any insignia of the Autobots or the Decepticons.
But still, nobody paid much attention to this. Many Transformers had left Cybertron over the eons of the war.
His body was mostly black, with some parts in gold of deep purple. And he had red eyes like the most Decepticons. That too however unsettled nobody. The war was over after all and besides, red eyes alone were no proof of being a Con. Other mechanoids, like for example the Junkions were red eyed as well.
The stranger only quietly said a single line of words.
"It is beginning."
He waited a few seconds, until he was sure that nobody paid attention to him. Then he teleported away.
xxxxxxx
The Autobot Mirage was sitting on one of the terminals of Cybertron´s main computer teletraan 2. He was one of the Autobots who had volunteered to run the security of the planet during the festivities.
Behind him, Optimus, Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were just entering the room, closely followed by Jazz, Hound, Bumblebee and Perceptor.
"What has happened Mirage?" Optimus asked.
"It - it is…" the Autobot was perplexed. "Optimus. According to this data a very large object has just materialized right in orbit over Earth", Mirage explained.
"How big?" asked Kup.
"Over twenty kilometers in length and height. In it´s form... well, basically a giant pyramid. "
"And that has simply appeared out of nowhere?" Optimus asked.
"I can find no sign of regular hyperspace travel," Mirage answered. "Maybe it is a form of transwarp or a dimensional shift. But the computer does not detect such an anomaly anywhere up there."
"And our transwarp-technology is still in the development-stage," Ultra Magnus added.
"Beside that, I have hardly ever heard that a pyramid has a warp-drive," Rodimus commented. "Except maybe in human science fiction shows."
"I see, the peace has not hurt your sharky sense of humor Rodimus," the voice of Marissa Faireborn stated.
She and the Witwickys were just together entering the room.
"Nice to see you too Marissa," he replied.
"We have just contacted Earth Defense Command and told then about the incident," she informed them.
"That is good," Optimus said.
"Perceptor. Can you give me some information's about the object? Anything."
Perceptor - Cybertron´s best living scientist - sat down next to Mirage and started to analyze all the data the sensors could receive.
It took another minute before he turned around to answer.
"According to this Optimus, the object is showing traces of various form of energy radiation, energon, kinetic, Chrono..." he summarized. "... and also marks of laser fire. As if it had been close to a battle," he added.
"Interesting," Optimus stated.
"Chrono, like the time-window from the Quintessons back then? Does that mean it is possibly not from our time?" Hotrod asked. He had seen such effects before.
"There is not enough data to say that for sure, but it is possible possible," Perceptor answered.
"We should send a team to secure this object and check for danger," Ultra Magnus suggested.
"I agree with this," Spike said. "I am sure the Earth Defense will send a team as well very soon," he told them. "I guess as ambassador it is my job to check up with the UN council about this object. If you excuse me?"
"Of course Spike," Optimus said.
"Are you coming as well Carly?" he asked his wife.
Their son Daniel, who was now a soldier in the EDC (Earth Defense Command) was standing next to her.
"No Spike, I rather want to stay here and watch what is going on for a while. I admit I am curious about this," Carly said. "Beside that, talking with the government about things like this is your job, right husband?" she grinned.
"Okay," Spike answered.
A few meters from them, Bumblebee transformed into his VW Beattle mode.
"How about I give you a quick lift to the communication center?" he asked and opened his left door .
"Thanks Bumblebee," Spike replied.
He sat down on the beattles front seat, like he had done so many times before in his life and they drove off.
"Good," Rodimus turned to the others. "I am leading the exploration team."
"Rodimus," Optimus started to speak.
"What," the younger Prime countered, "this is at least something interesting for a change. Or would you rather send someone else, someone who is not part of the leadership? If I remember right you had never hesitated to take risks or do work by yourself. I will take Sky Linx."
Optimus nodded.
"Okay, you are right. Perceptor, Hound and Jazz, you go with him."
A few minutes later the Autobots were - inside the living shuttle Sky Linx - on their way up into the orbit and to the mysterious pyramid.
As they came closer, they saw that the entire construct was built from silvery looking metal.
"It looks impressive," Hound stated
"This could be a very important discovery," Perceptor pointed out.
"Then it is only fitting…" Sky Linx told everybody, "…that I carry the Autobots who will first set food on it."
The shuttle-form Autobot had sometimes more than a bit of an ego. And all too often it showed.
They found some sort of small docking plattform build right into the surface of the pyramid.
As they arrived there Sky Linx landed and the four bots left him. They departed to move inside of the construct.
As they had passed the entrance, they came into a long tunnel. The insides of the pyramid, they saw, seemed to be build from the same silvery metal like the outer layers
After walking for a few minutes, they arrived inside something that looked like a large hall.
This hall was nearly 2 kilometers long... and nearly completely empty.
On the other side of it however they saw something that looked like a large monitor and some mysterious looking instruments around it.
As they walked through the room they saw something else. A small device, looking very much like the big pyramid they were in, but small enough that a Autobot could hold it in one hand, was sinply floating in the air somewhere at the end of the hall.
Perceptor saw the small object and walked to it.
As they came closer the large screen before them came to live.
A picture appeared on it. The monitor showed the sky of the planet Earth, from what looked like a low orbit.
Then they saw a familiar silver and red F15 jet approaching the planet - Starscream.
Suddenly a strange projectile came, flying up from the planet and exploded in space. Because of the giant explosion Starscream was losing control and was spiraling down, crashing on the planet.
"Do one of you recognize this scene?" Rodimus asked.
"Yes I remember," Mirage answered, "that was 1984. Starscream used an experimental energy generator for an attempt to blow up earth and that while the other Decepticons were still on it."
"Yeah - Starscream could be a really nice guy," Hound commented. "That is now nearly 35 years ago."
"We should inform Optimus," Rodimus decided. "Perceptor - have you found anything that could be dangerous?"
"Here is nothing that confirms any sort of threat," the Autobot scientist answered. "In fact by all reading, the place seems not to be dangerous."
xxxxxxx
A half hour later Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Kup, Jazz, Perceptor, Hound and the two EDC soldiers Marissa Faireborn and Daniel Witwicky were standing before the monitor and watching another scene from the past.
xxx
The December of the year 2006
Galvatron walked towards the three Autobots Optimus, Hotrod and Kup. It was true, he and them had teamed up earlier to stop the Hate Plaque. But they didn´t know how he would react now.
They had been working together out of common interests, like their two sides did often before. This alliances however ended in principle very quickly when the problem was solved.
In this case however the Decepticon leader was surprising them.
"There will be no war today Optimus Prime, you have earned Galvatron´s respect," he declared.
He offered his hand to the Autobot Prime and Optimus took it.
Galvatron then flew off into the sky, followed by Cyclonus and the Sweeps who transformed into their jet modes and by the combiner team called the Predacons.
After the Decepticons had left, Optimus gave the well known command:
"Transform and roll out."
xxxxxxx
At the same time outside
The mysterious Cybertronian materialized himself in space close to the pyramid, now flanked by three other robots... and they landed on it´s surface.
He remembered how he had been brought back into this universe once again just a couple of years before... after the eons he had been trapped in the eternal void - between the dimensions. In a place without space and time.
He had not been sure if a moment or an eternity had passed since his imprisonment.
But in the end the last members of the brotherhood of Chaos had brought him back.
He had found out that over 12 million years had passed since the time of the Original Thirteen had ended. An end that he had greatly helped to achieve.
Since then the race known as the Quintessons had created a new breed of Cybertronians, one that was divided into two Factions. Civil war had raged for millions of years and finally ended.
It was a world where his master Unicron had been defeated. But by what he had heard, Primus was holding his essence imprisoned inside the Matrix... and by this had become unable to actively act as well.
For him, it only meat he was now able to follow his own designs. At least in this time and universe.
He and his followers had been preparing for this day for years and now it had finally come.