I don't own Transformers or the Riordanverse; they belong to their owners.
Chapter 2: Getting the Team Together.
Three Earth Days Earlier...
The war between the Autobots and Decepticons was still ongoing on the planet Cybertron. Over a thousand years had passed since the start of the war when Megatron, once Cybertron's greatest general, turned against his friend and ruler of Cybertron, Optimus Prime, and led a newly formed faction called "Decepticons" on a brutal campaign of conquest. They intended to conquer Cybertron and then the whole universe.
Despite their heroic efforts, Optimus Prime and his Autobots have been unable to defeat Megatron and his marauding Decepticons. As the centuries have gone on, Cybertron has deteriorated more and more, and it's become clear that without a change, neither side will win this war.
Finally, the day of change has arrived...
In the Autobot Central Command Hub located in Icaon, a white robot with doors on his back in a wing position and a red crest on his head looked over various monitors in front of him. He took in the information, computed it in his brain, and sent tactical data back to his fellow Autobots.
His name was Prowl, the head of Autobot tactics, and he was hard at work managing the battlefield of the war between his side, the Autobots, and their enemies, the Decepticons. He had one of the most keen logic centers among his fellow Autobots; that's what made him ideal as their head military analyst.
As Prowl sorted through all the various reports and data that were being sent to him, his wrist communicator lit up with a special communication frequency. It was Punch's personal, private line. Punch was the Autobot's deep cover operative, often going undercover under a Decepticon Alias known as "Counterpunch." Prowl was his handler, and he knew Punch didn't call often. This had to be important.
Prowl flipped his wrist communicator on, "Punch? What did you find? Is it Bludgeon?" he asked.
"No Prowl," Punch said. "It's not about Bludgeon."
Prowl groaned, "So is it something important then, or is this just a waste of my valuable time?"
Punch took a moment before giving the news. "They found it Prowl," he explained. "Megatron's found out where the Allspark is."
Prowl stopped what he was doing. His mind went blank. His optics widened. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"I saw the data myself. I'm feeding it to you now." Punch said, "I gotta go. Make sure the data gets to Optimus." The words had hardly left Punch's mouth before he hung up.
One of Prowl's monitors lit up as the data Punch had sent was sent over. It was true; the Decepticons really had found out where the Allspark had been teleported.
This could only mean trouble.
Prowl delivered the report to his leader, Optimus Prime, a red and blue robot with a face plate, who elected to put together a meeting of his top bots to discuss the urgent matter.
Optimus and Prowl soon sat down in the meeting room with the other bots of the Autobot command structure. There was Ultra Magnus, a blue and white robot who was Optimus's second in command; Elita One, a pink robot who was Optimus's lover and head of intelligence; Jazz, a white robot with a blue visor who was the head of Autobot Special Operations; Impactor, a yellow and purple robot who was the leader of the black ops team "The Wreckers"; Perceptor, a red and black robot who was the head of the science guild; and Ironhide, a red robot who was the head of security.
After looking over and reviewing Punch's report, the eight Autobots sat there in contemplation.
"Are we sure this is accurate?" Ultra Magnus asked.
"I checked and double-checked the info," Perceptor confirmed. "This is it, the actual location of the Allspark."
Ironhide stood up in his seat, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get it and save Cybertron!"
"It's not that easy, Ironhide." Optimus told him, "According to the data, the planet is home to a sentient race; we can't just go in there guns blazing."
Prowl nodded in agreement. "This is something that's going to require finesse."
"It's likely Megatron knows that as well," Optimus says. "He won't compromise the war effort on Cybertron by bringing the full Decepticon army. He isn't ready for a full planet-conquering assault."
"Yeah, we've made sure of that!" Jazz laughed.
"Optimus, this stalemate has been going on for too long." Elita One pointed out, "This could finally give us the push we need to beat the Decepticons."
Ultra Magnus nervously shuffled his hands.
"Is there something wrong, old friend?" Optimus asked.
Ultra Magnus gave Optimus a solemn look. "Optimus?" he asked. "Are you sure we shouldn't try reaching out to Megatron? We all want the same thing: to stop Cybertron from dying off."
Optimus looked grave and gazed down at the floor. "Ultra Magnus, you know Megatron. He will never give up. He has too much pride and malice in him for that."
"I hate to say it, but Optimus is right." Impactor noted, "I served with Megatron personally. That con isn't going to give up without a fight."
"So I guess it's decided then." Elita One murmured.
"Indeed." Optimus stood up. "Magnus," he said, pointing at his friend, "I'll be leading the mission to recover the Allspark personally. You're in charge until I get back.".
Magnus stood up at attention. "Understood Optimus."
Optimus then pointed at Perceptor, "Perceptor, get a shuttle ready."
"Right away, Optimus."
Lastly, Optimus turned to Elita, "Elita, I need your data. It's time to select my team..."
Optimus spent several hours with Elita in one of the data rooms before coming out with his list of the Autobots he wanted for the mission. On the way out, he found Impactor waiting for him.
"Impactor? Is there something you need?" Optimus asked.
"Yeah..." Impactor said gravely, "Optimus, we both served with Megatron in the Age of Wrath. We know that as long as the Allspark is around, Megatron is going to want to use it."
"I know," Optimus said, slightly annoyed. "I said as much during the meeting.".
"Then you know what has to be done." Impactor looked Optimus straight in the optics. "You have to destroy it."
Optimus's optics hardened. "No. Out of the question," he shouted firmly. "I won't destroy our only hope of saving Cybertron from its demise! We're barely holding together as it is! I won't let our race or our culture die!"
"Well, maybe we have to!" Impactor said angrily, "We've been at war with each other for over a thousand years; Megatron's made it no secret that if he conquers Cybertron, he'll aim for more planets! We have a chance to stop this before it starts!"
"If we lose, the universe wins!"
Optimus took in Impactor's words. He hated it when his advisors made so much sense.
"...The answer is still no," he finally said. "I won't doom our species to extinction."
Impactor scowled. "You're the boss, Optimus," he admitted. "But it's something to think about."
Optimus had a feeling he would be thinking about it for a long time...
Prowl didn't appreciate Optimus calling him back so soon after the meeting dispersed. He was even less pleased when he learned why.
"Optimus, when I agreed that this mission required finesse, I wasn't volunteering," he groaned.
"I know. That's why you're not volunteering." Optimus said sternly.
"Optimus, I've got important stuff to do here!" Prowl protested, "The Autobots need my tactical advice!"
"And you can do that remotely on board the Ark-27." Optimus pointed out.
"It's not just that! I need to be here in case Bludgeon—"
"Prowl," Optimus said sternly. "You can let your vendetta go for a couple of Deca Cycles."
Prowl stood there, glaring at Optimus. "Fine," he finally said.
"Good."
Hound's spark ached as he rolled across the outskirts of Iacon in his alternate mode of a green cybertronian off-road vehicle. It was another boring, dull patrol over the barren wasteland of Cybertron. He'd seen these sorts of sights a thousand times by now.
He wasn't even sure why he was still doing these patrols. There was nothing to see here. But the chance of a Decepticon surprise attack was always too big to take the chance.
He finally reached an empty riverbed and transformed into his square and sturdy robot mode. Hound looked down on the riverbed and sighed. Once it had been a beautiful flowing river of energon and one of his favorite spots to relax before the war—now it was just dust and ash, a reminder of how much his planet had lost, either due to the war, time, or Optimus's choice to send the Allspark away.
Hound knew it was no time to wallow in old memories, but he couldn't stop himself. He sat down on the riverbed. He needed a moment.
"There you are," said a familiar voice.
Hound turned his head and saw an old friend.
"Optimus! Sir!" Hound said. He stood up, swerved around, and saluted. "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"Looking for you," Optimus said. "You turned your wrist comm off."
Hound shrugged. "I just wanted some time to myself," he admitted. "I didn't think it was worth sending in another worthless scouting report about nothing to see."
"Well, hopefully a change of scenery will do you good," Optimus said.
Hound's optics lit up. "Change of scenery?" he asked, a smile forming on his face.
In a skeevy Energon bar, the small yellow and green Autobot Brawn was having the time of his life. A fight had broken out between a couple of the patrons, and he was right in the middle of it. Brawn didn't know why it had started, but he didn't really care. He could never pass up a chance to show how strong he was.
He grabbed one of the patrons by the neck with his two hands. "Here comes the boom!" Brawn shouted.
"No wait!" The patron cried, but Brawn had already headbutted him backward into the bar's wall. The impact caused a few framed pictures to fall and hit the patron on the head, knocking him out.
Brawn laughed and dusted his hands. He looked around at all the patrons who were currently on the ground, moaning in pain. Once again, Brawn found himself at the top of the heap—the best place in the world to be.
"Having fun, Brawn?" Optimus asked as he entered the bar, taking care not to step on any of Brawn's defeated opponents.
Brawn laughed and turned around. "I didn't start if that's what you were worried about," he insisted.
"Right..." Optimus said with one of his mechanical eyebrows raised. "Anyways, if you're done fighting your fellow Autobots instead of the Decepticons, I have a new assignment for you."
Brawn smirked. For him, a new assignment was just another way of saying a new challenge.
In his chambers, a yellow mech named Sunstreaker was having a near-on panic attack. He had to fix the problem now.
Someone banged on the locked door. "Sunstreaker!" cried his roommate Cliffjumper. "Let me in! You've been in there for a whole mega cycle!"
"Sorry Cliff, I need the space for this very important work I'm doing," Sunstreaker explained.
"Important work!?" Cliffjumper shouted incredulously. "You barely got dinged in that last battle!"
"Even the most minor of scraps is an insult to my beauty!" Sunstreaker said as he started to buff the wound on his leg. "I can't let anyone see me until I'm done!"
"I was there, Sunstreaker! I've already seen it!" Cliffjumper pointed out, "Now let me in!". Sunstreaker could hear the laughter of his brother, Sideswipe, from behind the door. He must have been getting a real kick out of this.
"Hey, bro, let me help you!" Sideswipe laughed, "I got a few ideas of what I could do to your paint job to freshen it up!"
"No way," Sunstreaker remarked. "I'm never trusting you with a paintbrush aga-"
All of a sudden, the door to the dorm room opened by itself.
"I said I can't let anyone see-" When he saw who had walked in, Sunstreaker froze. He dropped his buffer and immediately saluted. "Prime, sir!" he said. "I'm sorry; I didn't know that you would-"
"At ease, Sunstreaker," Optimus said. "You can get back to fixing yourself once I tell you what your next assignment is."
"It better be important..." Sunstreaker muttered.
The blue female robot named Chromia carefully aimed her sniper rifle at her target. She repeated all the steps over and over again in her head. Lift rifle, get the target in your sights, aim steady, and then pull the trigger.
Chromia fired, and her shot hit the bullseye of the target in the shooting range she and a few other Autobots were practicing at.
"Woo! Yeah!" cheered her friend Moonracer. "Another perfect shot, Chromia!"
Chromia lowered her sniper rifle and looked over. "Was there any doubt?" she asked.
"Stop being so good," a yellow mech nearby complained. "You're gonna break my perfect record."
"What's wrong, Sureshot?" Chromia asked. "Don't like the spirit of competition?"
Sureshot grumbled.
Chromia reset the targets. As she aimed her rifle again, she could sense someone entering the range with them. "Hey, Optimus," she greeted not even taking her eyes off the practice target.
"Hello, Chromia." Optimus greeted back.
"So what's the occasion?" Chromia asked as she reloaded her rifle.
"A new assignment." Optimus explained, "I need the best, and that includes you."
"Optimus, you flatter me," laughed Chromia as she made another perfect shot.
"Hardhead, stop moving!" Ratchet ordered as he did his best to restrain the bulky green robot onto a medical table.
"Come on, Doc! I can still fight!" Hardhead insisted.
"Your entire left hand is gone, and you have a hole in your spark chamber!" Ratchet pointed out, exasperated.
"I'm okay, honest-" Hardhead didn't get to finish before Ratchet plugged an attachment on his hand into Hardhead's neckport; pretty soon Hardhead slipped into unconsciousness.
The white and red mech sighed. Ratchet hated putting someone through forced deactivation, but he had to do it if it meant saving a life.
He'd done this often enough that he knew it by spark. The first thing to take care of was repairing Hardhead's spark chamber. Ratchet converted his right arm into a welding torch and got to work with a somber expression.
He heard the door open behind him.
"Is this a bad time?" Optimus asked.
"Hey, Optimus..." Ratchet muttered with the tired and weary tone Optimus expected by now.
"Tough day, old friend?" Optimus asked.
Ratchet pointed toward a nearby table, not even looking up from his work on Hardhead; on the table were the dismembered pieces of an Autobot, the Energon covering them was still fresh.
"Atomizer..." Optimus said mournfully.
"Buzzsaw got to him this morning..." Ratchet explained. "I couldn't save him..."
Optimus took a moment to mourn his fallen comrade before turning back to Ratchet.
"Ratchet-"
"Did you know he used to do interior design before the war?" Ratchet asked. "He always said he wanted to get back to it..."
Optimus hung his head, "Yes, Ratchet. I did. If now is a bad time-"
"Go ahead, Optimus." Ratchet said. "I'm used to it by now. What's the new job?"
On one of the old Nylon race circuits, three bots were taking the time to have some fun and relaxation away from the war. Even though by now all the official races were canceled, some of the Autobots liked to burn off steam here.
In his bright red Cybertronian race car vehicle mode, Hot Rod raced down the track, followed closely by his friends Bluestreak and Bumblebee in their respective vehicle modes.
This is where Hot Rod truly felt alive. Nothing could top the wind racing past him, kicking up dust, and the feeling of the track beneath him.
As he finally reached the finish line, Hot Rod transformed into his robot mode and skidded across the finish line. "Woo hoo! Eat my dust, losers!" Hot Rod cheered.
Bumblebee crossed the line and transformed into his yellow robot mode. "Hey, easy, Roddy. I thought we were your friends," he laughed.
"You're both." Hot Rod laughed back.
"He's got a point, Bumblebee," Bluestreak said, transforming into robot mode. "While we are technically friends, we did just lose that last race; therefore, we are both the losers of the race and Hot Rod's-"
"Yeah, I got it, motormouth." Bumblee retored.
The three friends laughed.
"Goofing off again?" an annoyed voice asked.
Hot Rod swerved around and saw the last person he wanted to see right now.
"Boss Bot- Optimus- sir!" he said, nervously saluting.
"What are you doing?" Optimus asked sternly.
"Just blowing off steam, sir," Bumblebee said.
"Yeah." Bluestreak said, "I mean, we all need some time to get some exercise and stress relief. Sure, we could go out looking for Decepticons to fight, but obviously, sometimes it is not a good idea to put yourself in danger. Plus, some of us don't like to fight-"
"He gets it, Bluestreak." Hot Rod interrupted.
Optimus sighed.
"So what are you doing here, boss?" Hot Rod asked.
"I came here to see you, Hot Rod," Optimus said.
Hot Rod's optics widened. "Me?" he asked.
"The Allspark has been found on a distant planet," Optimus explained. "I need the best of the best for my team, including you."
Hot Rod couldn't believe this. Optimus Prime himself was asking him to go on a mission to find the Allspark of all things. Him.
"Congratulations, buddy," Bumblebee remarked with pride.
"Yeah, you're hitting the big time!" Bluestreak said, patting Hot Rod on the back, "The main event, the finest honor, the big ride, the-"
"Anyway." Optimus interrupted, "Get your things together and meet me and the rest of your new team at Iacon. We're launching aboard the Ark-27 soon."
"Understood Optimus." Hot Rod nodded.
He couldn't wait; there was a whole new adventure to go on, a whole new planet to explore, and he was going to be doing it alongside Optimus Prime himself!
This was going to be sweet.
Sorry for the lack of Riordanverse characters in this one. They'll show up again soon enough.
Thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review!