End of the Year post

So, yeah, today marks the end of my first year here on Blogspot. Whoopee.

Alright, bad news first: I won't be finishing posing Transformers Evolution on here, at least not for a while. I simply don't find it as good as my other stories (despite me having written it the same time as Star Wars Destiny). But fear not, I will one day continue it, and I will start off right where I left it.

Good news: Tomorrow, I will begin typing out the first three volumes of a new Star Wars story I've started: Star Wars Legacy (not to be confused with the comic series of the same name. Though bear in mind it's simply a temporary title). It will take place in the same 'Alternate Post-ROTJ Universe' as Destiny, taking place nine years after The End of All Days.

Well, that's that. Happy New Years' Eve, everyone.

The Transformers: Evolutions: Dark Designs, Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE: THE ULTRACONS

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Megatron muttered as he approached the five Transformers that comprised the Ultracons. 

"Indeed," said the group's leader Barricade, a horned Decepticon colored in black and gold. "Commander Shockwave simply did not see the...need to inform you."

"Ah, I see," Megatron replied. "Luckily, I actually have use for you..."

"Anything, Lord Megatron!" exclaimed the large, towering Decepticon known as Lugnut. "Anything for the glorious Decepticon cause!"

"Shut it, Lugnut," Barricade snapped. He turned back to Megatron. "What is it you require from us, my lord?"

Megatron brought out a hologram projector and activated it, revealing the image of an oil refinery. "There is a large supply of Energon at this refinery. However, we need Decepticons with more...ground-based alt modes, since a majority of my forces are fliers."

"No problem there," said a tall red Decepticon called Knock Out. "I have already uploaded a few ground vehicles into my databanks."

He projected various holographic images of Earthen vehicles, including automobiles, tanks, and cruisers. Barricade scanned a black police car and his body adapted as such. Lugnut, on the other hand, decided to chose an aerial form, scanning a heavy bomber aircraft. 

Meanwhile, a small, lanky Transformer known as Sideways scanned a violet motorcycle with yellow stripes, and a stout, bulky Decepticon who went by the name of Demolishor chose an anti-aircraft missile tank. Finally, Knock Out scanned a small, red sports automobile. 

Once the five Ultracons had adapted to their Earth forms, Megatron spoke again. "Very good. Soundwave then shall accompany you."

As if on cue, the stoic blue Decepticon converted into his tape deck form and landed into Barricade's hand.

"Now go," Megatron ordered as the Ultracons transformed into their vehicle modes. "Retrieve the Energon!"

*  *  *

"Prime!" the Autobot lieutenant Jazz called. "You've gotta' see this!"

Optimus Prime, along with Prowl and the veteran Ironhide, ran up to Jazz, who sat at Teletraan One's monitor. On the screen, they could see moving red dots heading towards an oil refinery.

"Leakin' lubricants!" Ironhide exclaimed. "I thought those 'Cons had given up!"

"I know Megatron," Optimus muttered. "He hardly ever gives up easily. Jazz?"

"Yeah, Prime?" 

"Take Ironhide, Sideswipe, and Mirage to the oil refinery with you, and see what you can do to stop the Decepticons."

"No problem, Big Bot," Jazz replied as he shifted into his Prosche 997 car mode. "C'mon, old iron. Let's roll."

Grumbling something about 'turbo-revving punks', Ironhide transformed into a red SUV and followed Jazz.

*  *  *

"I see no human resistance, Barricade," said Sideways as he drove into the oil refinery. "Guess we better start scouring."

Behind him drove in Barricade, Knock Out, and Demolishor, all of them transforming into their robot modes, along with Soundwave.

"So," Barricade muttered, turning to Knock Out. "Where do we start?"

Dropping down to his knees, Knock Out scanned the area with an arm-mounted scanner device. "I am picking up a lot of Energon below our very feet. Demolishor, did you bring the Energon transfers?"

The brutish Decepticon nodded, holding out multiple pipes that were often used to transfer Energon into cubes.

"Soundwave, deploy the Energon cubes," Barricade ordered the blue Decepticon. The emotionless communications officer nodded and soon, five empty cubes came from out of his chest. Just as the six Decepticons were about to work, five automobiles drove into the refinery behind them.

Sideways was the first to notice this and he let out a quiet chuckle. "Looks like we have company."

One by one the vehicles transformed and five Autobots soon stood ready to take on the Decepticons.

"Alright, Decepti-creeps," the red Autobot known as Ironhide growled, deploying his arm cannons. "Yer' days are numbered!"

"I wouldn't count on that," Demolishor muttered as he rotated his shoulder cannons and fired. The Autobots evaded the attacks and fired their own weapons. The Ultracons split up and tackled each Autobot, with Barricade taking on Jazz, Demolishor brawling with Ironhide, Sideways with Sideswipe, and Knock Out and Soundwave with Mirage.

*  *  *

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the Autobot combatants, Lugnut transformed into his aerial mode and flew overhead, trying to decide on the best attack. Before he could think of one however, an object zoomed past him, sending the bomber jet Decepticon spinning out of control.

After straightening himself out, Lugnut converted back into his robot mode and searched angrily for what had distracted him. Finally, he caught sight of a white and red jet with modified thrusters and weapons, the latter which were firing. Noticing the Autobot insignias on the jet's wings, Lugnut chuckled to himself as he readied his unique arm weapon, which his fellow Utracons often dubbed the 'POKE' (for Punch of Kill Everything).

Just as he was about to ram his arm into the Autobot jet, the latter transformed and slammed his fist into the Decepticon's face. The titan roared in rage as the Autobot fired a pair of shoulder cannons into Lugnut's chest. Temporarily blind, Lugnut lost control of his flight capabilities and plummeted towards the ground below.

*  *  *

"Jumping gyros!" Autobot Sideswipe exclaimed, noticing that the falling Decepticon was headed right for where he and the others stood. "Let's split!"

Autobot and Decepticon alike moved for cover as the robot titan crashed to the ground, shaking the earth and leaving a crater-sized hole in the cement. The mysterious winged Autobot who had injured Lugnut slowly landed next to his defeated body, aiming his arm-mounted weapons at the cowering Ultracons.

"Who's next?" the newcomer asked. The Ultracons' response was to transform into their vehicle modes and drive off, fleeing from the oil refinery. Once they were gone, the Autobot turned to Sideswipe and the others and smiled.

"Need help taking this guy back to base?"

"Hang on!" Ironhide said, eying the newcomer skeptically. "Who are you? I don't remember seein' your face back on Cybertron?"

The winged Autobot chuckled. "Well, it has been a while, old timer. Name's Jetfire, Air Commander of the Autobot Sky Force."

*  *  *

"Lord Megatron, Soundwave and the Ultracons have returned," the Decepticon warrior known as Skywarp said, standing at the base's entrance.

Megatron stepped out of the base to see the Ultracons drive up, noticeably without Energon cubes...and Lugnut. 

The moment the five Decepticons had transformed into their robot modes, Megatron's scarlet eyes flared with fury. "Where is Lugnut? Where are the Energon cubes?"

Barricade glanced around nervously, as if searching for help. "Well...you see, my lord, the Autobots came and-"

"I thought your specialization was destroying Autobots easily," Megatron growled.

Barricade shifted his feet. "Yes, my lord. But, you see, this Autobot flier came and...he defeated Lugnut. We didn't stand a chance!"

"Wait," said Starscream, who had just walked up beside Megatron. "An Autobot flier, you say? Quite a rarity...was he white and red?"

"Yes," Barricade replied, his optics narrowing. "Why?"

"Yes, Starscream," Megatron muttered, turning to face the Air Commander. "Do you know this Autobot?"

"A little too well," Starscream murmured. "His name is Jetfire, though, back on Cybertron, he went by the name Skyfire."

"And how do you know him?"

Starscream smirked. "For the most part, he is my brother."

The Transformers: Evolutions: Dark Designs, Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO: IN THE WRONG HANDS

For the first time in forever, the streets of Iacon were silent. 

Civilians hid in their home, officers patrolled the streets...it was enough to make Red Alert even more paranoid than he usually was.

Quite ironic, he thought, considering I'm supposed to be Director of Security.

Suddenly, his communicator buzzed, making Red Alert jump slightly, and the voice of Autobot commander Ultra Magnus spoke through. "Red Alert, I need you back at Autobot Headquarters immediately."

"Sure thing, sir," Red Alert replied as he transformed into his Cybertronic vehicle form. He quietly added to himself, "Anywhere's better than here..."

As he drove off, the Director of Security failed to notice an observant watcher standing nearby...

*  *  *

Ultra Magnus stood on Autobot Headquarter's observation deck, gazing at the once magnificent city of Iacon. Although the reconstruction of it after the Ark's takeoff had gone well, it still did not capture the beauty Iacon had before the Decepticons' invasion at the start of the Great War.

Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the door opening behind him to allow Red Alert inside. "You wanted to see me, sir?" the security director asked.

Magnus turned to face him. "Indeed. I am calling a meeting with all heads of divisions in my office. But first, I need you to make sure everything in this base is secure and that there are no spy cameras or anything here."

Red Alert tilted his head in slight confusion. "Why?"

Magnus turned back grimly at the view of Iacon. "Because if any recording of the meeting fell into the wrong hands...it would mean all of our efforts were pointless."

*  *  *

Soon, all the heads of divisions had gathered at Ultra Magnus' office. Standing in a semi-circle were Red Alert, director of the Security Division; Perceptor, minister of the Science Division; First Aid, chief of the Medical Division; Highbrow, head of Cybertron Intelligence; and finally Ultra Magnus himself, head of Defense and deputy leader of the Autobots.

Once everyone had settled in, Magnus was the first to speak. "I am sure you have all heard of Project Omega, which the Ministry of Science has been working on. Well, Perceptor here has told me that we've faced an unfortunate setback."

The red and light blue Autobot known as Perceptor stepped forward to speak. "In order to activate Project Omega, we require the Omega Key. Unfortunately, it was lost after the death of Sentinel Prime."

"Any idea where it is now?" asked the azure and grey colored Highbrow.

"We do have one theory," Perceptor replied. After pausing for effect, he said, "The Decepticons may have it."

All of the councilors except Magnus stared at him in astonishment. 

"But how?" First Aid asked. "Sentinel Prime did not carry the Omega Key with him when he fought Megatron...did he?"

"No, he did not," Perceptor said. "But it was being kept by the sage Alpha Trion..."

"And his office was attacked by Decepticon forces around that time," Highbrow finished for him. He held his chin in his hand. "Yes, it is likely they stole it then."

"So how do we get it back?" Red Alert asked. "It would be suicidal if we tried to sneak into Decepticon territory."

Ultra Magnus smirked. "Maybe for you. But not for an elite team of Autobots I have handpicked myself."

The door to Magnus' office opened and seven Autobots walked in, led by a burly Transformer colored in violet and orange.

"Allow me to present the Wreckers," Magnus announced. "They will get the job done."

*  *  *

The spy had seen and heard enough. Converting into his vehicle form, he traveled from the city of Iacon towards the dark realm known as Kaon, capital of the Decepticon Empire. It was there, long ago, that Megatron founded the Decepticons and started the civil war that now plagued Cybertron, beginning with the death of Sentinel Prime, last of the original Seven Primes.

As his thoughts drifted off, the spy failed to notice the looming figure that awaited him at Kaon's entrance. 

"Stop." The spy came to a halt and transformed into his robot mode.

"Er, my apologies, sir," the spy said to the large Decepticon. "I have managed to record the meeting, just as you ordered."

"Very good," the Decepticon replied. "You do know Shockwave does not appreciate failures. Hand over the chip."

The spy reached behind his head and pulled out a tiny chip that held all that he had recorded of the meeting. He handed it to the Decepticon.

"Good work," the superior officer said. "Wait here until I return. If this info is valid, I will give you your next task. If it is not..."

The Decepticon leaned forward menacingly, glowering at the spy. "You will be the Pit's next guest."

The spy nodded, doing his best not to appear frightened. "Understood," he said as the Decepticon took off.

*  *  *

"...Allow me to present the Wreckers. They will get the job done."

The recording finished. Shockwave's single, yellow optic stared stoically at the screen of his monitor. When the Decepticon who gave it to him shifted, he snapped back to reality. 

"Onslaught, tell your spy to keep an eye on these 'Wreckers,'" Shockwave said. "And if they come anywhere within eight feet of Kaon..."

Onslaught tilted his head. "Eliminate them?"

"More than that. Tear them apart."

*  *  *

"The Wreckers are on their way," Red Alert informed Ultra Magnus. "This does seem like a dangerous mission, heading into Decepticon territory..."

"Danger's part of the job," Magnus muttered. "The only thing I'm worried about is if they can get back or not."

Red Alert nodded in agreement. "By the way, one of Highbrow's agents recently told me that Alpha Trion was actually away when the 'Cons attacked his office."

"Yes, I was aware of that," Magnus replied. "Why?"

"Well, where is he?"

The Autobot commander thought for a moment, staring once again out at the view of Iacon. Finally, he said, "I have no idea, Red Alert. The last time I saw him, he spoke something about the Matrix..."

"You mean the Matrix of Leadership?" Red Alert scoffed. "That's just an old myth! Even a old 'bot like him wouldn't believe it. Wonder what got into him."

Magnus shrugged. "One can only imagine, Red Alert. One can only imagine...."

The Transformers: Evolutions: Dark Designs, Prologue and Chapter One

Last year, in 2011, I started a Transformers fan-fiction series called The Transformers: Evolution. However, I either lost interest in it or didn't like where the plot was going. However, I did finish the first volume, which is titled Dark Designs. So, without further ado...

PROLOGUE

[from the logs of Alpha Trion]

Cybertron. The gleaming jewel of the Alpha Centauri system. For millions of years, our race had been at peace, with a golden age reigning supreme.

Then came the Decepticons, an evil faction led by the tyrant Megatron. They invaded our greatest cities. Kings were dethroned, soldiers fell. Our darkest hour had come.

But suddenly, in the light at the end of the tunnel, a hero rose. His name was Optimus Prime.

In order to save our dying world, Optimus Prime gathered a group of Autobots and took the spaceship designated the Ark, in search of more Energon. However, Megatron discovered this and took his flagship, the Nemesis, to pursue them. Both ships eventually crash-landed on the planet Earth, where, four million years later, Optimus Prime and the Autobots would ally with the native humans to defeat the evil forces of the Decepticons.

Meanwhile, on Cybertron, we had found enough Energon to continue our race, though the Decepticons still stand in our way. And now here we are, in Earth's twenty first century, still waging our war to find peace.

Only fate will decide if we will succeed.

CHAPTER ONE: NO ACTIVITY

Blue optics intently watched the monitor of Teletraan One, the Ark's central computer. Decepticons had not been sighted in six months, which was actually quite unusual. Normally, the 'Cons would attack a site every other two to three days, as if calling for attention. Here it had been months, and Prowl was growing suspicious. 

They must be up to something, he though. It just isn't like them to just...stop.

Activating his communicator, Prowl contacted with his leader. "Optimus, this is Prowl. Are you busy?"

"Not at all, Prowl," the Autobot commander replied. "I'm in room C-Ten with Wheeljack. Why?"

"I need to speak with you. I'll be right there." With that, Prowl ended the connection and made his room through the base.

*  *  *

"...So I'm still trying to work out the kinks of this new RX-7 model rocket launcher I made," the chief Autobot engineer Wheeljack was saying to Optimus Prime as Prowl opened the door to the room. "There's a loose screw in it I think, but-"

"Take your time, Wheeljack," Optimus said. "I have to speak with Prowl."

As soon as the engineer had left, Prowl entered the room. Optimus turned to face him. "What is it, lieutenant?"

"Well, I've noticed that the Decepticons haven't attacked in nearly six months. I'm starting to think they're up to something."

Optimus nodded slowly. "I have been thinking the same thing recently. Megatron and his followers have been known to be scheming and clever. I can only imagine what they might be planning."

"Especially after the Devastator incident," Prowl muttered, recalling the recent battle with the Decepticons' combiner experiment. 

"Yes," Optimus replied, apparently recalling the same thing. "Especially."

*  *  *

Scarlet optics stared menacingly into the darkness before their bearer. Months ago, after having stolen enough Energon, Megatron had unleashed the Constructicons' combined form Devastator, the first 'gestalt' known to have been created. Unfortunately, as Megatron should have foreseen, the Autobots arrived and, eventually, defeated Devastator.

It was back to the drawing pad again...as usual.

Over the months, Starscream, Air Commander of the Decepticons, had heard Megatron speak with the Constructicons' leader Scrapper. Apparently, the two had come up with an idea; to summon more Constructicons from Cybertron so they could combine into a larger Devastator. To Starscream, this was failure just waiting to happen.

From what he had learned during his brief stint as a scientist, he could tell the combination of more than six Transformers would result in too much power and probably be suicidal. 

Once again, Starscream thought, another misstep made by our so-called 'supreme' leader.

Walking down the hall of the Nemesis, the Decepticon Air Commander could hear voices coming from the command room, which was once the Nemesis' bridge until it crashed landed onto Earth nose-first into the ground. As he got closer, the voices grew clearer.

"Yes, Lord Megatron," said one voice, which sounded like it was coming from a computer monitor. "Project X is going well. If the Autobots do not find out about it and intervene, it will be ready by the end of the deca-cycle."

"Very good, Shockwave," Starscream heard Megatron reply. "Report back to me when you make any progress."

Starscream entered the room just as Shockwave's visage vanished from the screen. Noticing the Air Commander, Megatron turned to face him, his crimson eyes glowing from his metal grey faceplate. 

"What is it, Starscream?" the Decepticon ruler said in a slightly raspy voice.

Starscream gave a mock bow, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he said, "My lord, I was just wondering about your plans with Scrapper."

"What about them?" Megatron asked, glowering at the same time.

"Well, I was just thinking that it would be..." Starscream though frantically for a word that wouldn't anger his leader. "...That it would be naive to go through with the plan."

Megatron simply glared. After a moment of silence, Starscream nervously continued. 

"I mean, all of that Energon being used in a seven-or-more part Devastator would be...dangerous."

Silence still. The Seeker went on. "N-not that I...dislike seeing a giant crush the Autobots, it's just that-"

Megatron held up a metal hand, silencing Starscream. "Enough," he said. "I've made my choice. I've already ordered Shockwave to send six extra Constructicons-"

"Six?!" Starscream exclaimed. "That's...that's twelve Constructicons united!"

"Congratulations, Starscream," Megatron said dryly. "You have learned your math."

Before the Seeker could retort, the doors opened behind him, allowing an azure-colored Decepticon. with a scarlet visor and a featureless faceplate concealing his mouth, to walk in.

"Lord Megatron," Soundwave said in a monotonic voice. "Reinforcements have arrived."

"Ah, the extra Constructicons, I presume?" Megatron said.

"Negative," Soundwave replied. "The reinforcements have identified themselves as...Ultracons."

Star Wars short story: Watching

Timeline: c.990 BBY
Star Wars, its concepts, and its characters belong to George Lucas.

*  *  *

Every day, I wait. Every day, I watch.

And every day, I tend to stop and think. Will my plan succeed? Will it be worth waiting nearly four thousand years to execute a plan that could be doomed to failure? 

And every day, I tell myself, Yes, it is defiantly worth it.

Of course, sometimes I can not tell if it's me or someone else talking....

My name is Darth Vorath. And every day, I wait and watch.

*  *  *

My plan is rather...complex. Even I find it complicated at times, and often have to go over it again. Thus, I can not put the details of my plan into mere words.

But in order for the plan to succeed, I need to be alive. And since I do not wish to spend my valuable time searching for ways to be immortal, I have decided to use an alternative; hibernation.

A few years after I became Dark Lord of the Sith (which was nearly three centuries before the Treaty of Coruscant), I formed a Sith Council comprised of rogue warlords left over from Darth Revan's empire, as well as a few Dark Jedi I came across. I then entrusted one of them, whom I trusted the most, to watch over my hibernating body.  I would then enter hibernation at least every ten years and exit every twenty, thus preserving my life and allowing me to record history, so I can integrate events into my plan. Of course, I still end up looking like an old relic, but the dark side continues to hold me together.

I'm sure you're wondering, how is history involved with my plan? It is actually quite relatively simple.

Every century, perhaps every decade, I witness the rise and fall of various Dark Lords of the Sith, the interventions of the Jedi, and the struggle of the Republic.

For two centuries after the Sith Triumvirate's collapse, the galaxy was at relative peace, until the reestablished Sith Empire attacked, led by the Emperor Vitiate, a Sith Lord who survived the Old Sith Empire's fall two thousand years previously. 

I found Vitiate's schemes and ideals...interesting, to say the least. His perspective was rather unique, as was his plan to eradicate pretty much the entire galaxy. It reminded me a lot of Darth Nihilus' craving for power, consuming planets to satisfy his hunger. Vitiate, of course, took this to...larger extremes.

I eventually grew tired of watching the Sith Emperor execute his schemes, knowing that they would soon be the end of him. After Vitiate's eventual fall, I bore witness to the short reign of Darth Desolous, a fallen Jedi Master who was expelled for delving into Sith teachings. Although the conflict that resulted was rather devastating to the Jedi Order, I hardly found it interesting.

A thousand years later, another conflict would break out, once again caused by a fallen Jedi; Phanius, an Umbaran Jedi Master, who took on the name Darth Ruin when he became Dark Lord of the Sith. Most like Vitiate, Darth Ruin had a rather unique philosophy. Although it is natural for Sith to have large egos, Ruin took his to the extreme. He saw himself as the avatar of the Universe and Life itself. 

Needless to say, this view did not make Ruin very popular among his followers for very long.

After Ruin was overthrown and succeeded by one of his apprentices, the New Sith Empire was fully established and the New Sith Wars began. This era gave birth to many Sith Lords with vast egos and large ambitions, such as Lords Odion and Daiman, the latter who had a similar philosophy to Ruin's. I implemented these Sith's goals into my plan, preparing myself in case they succeeded and took over the galaxy.

The wars eventually ended with the demise of Lord Kaan and his Brotherhood of Darkness at the hands of Darth Bane, who has since created a new, secret Sith Order.

As always, I am currently watching Bane and his apprentice conceive plots for their Grand Plan, masking my presence so they do not notice me. And, as always, I will use them for my own plan...

FIN

Note: yes, I am aware Vorath's 'hibernation' plan is similar to Darth Krayt's. In a possible sequel to Star Wars: Destiny, that will be explained.