CHAPTER SEVEN
Orion Pax awoke to the sound of cackling laughter. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was restrained to an operating table of sorts, a large array of sharp, pointy objects hanging over him. He then directed his gaze to the large blue and maroon Decepticon standing before him, immediately recognizing him as the Predator known as Stalker.
"Have we had our nap?" Stalker chuckled. "I'm glad to see you awake, because I haven't even started yet."
"Started with what?" Orion croaked, barely strong enough to even speak. "Where... am I?"
"Bah! You Autobots always need to know the specifics." Stalker brought out a razor-bladed pike and began to approach Orion. "Just stay still while I get to work. Oh, and scream as much as you want; I love the sound of pain."
Orion struggled to free himself from his restraints only to realize that he could not move a single part of himself. All he could do was watch Stalker bring the pike onto his chest and wait for the pain to start.
* * *
"Pharma, if you pace for any longer, you're going to drive a groove into the floor."
Pharma brought an end to his nervous pacing and turned to see Remedy, Chief Surgeon of the Central Infirmary, standing in the doorway to his office. Masking his apprehension with a phony smile, Pharma said, "Remedy! What brings you here?"
The Autobot surgeon crossed her arms and gave him that look- that dubious, unconvinced smirk that he sometimes wondered if it was almost exclusive to females. Some might have found it endearing; he found it irritating beyond belief.
"The others and I have been worried about you," she finally said. "Ever since Chief Justice Tyrest visited the infirmary and you returned from your meeting without Suture... well, we've been a bit concerned."
"About Suture? Don't worry, I administered his transfer; Tyrest was here to offer him a better job opportunity."
"Then what was with the box?" Remedy asked. "Why were you in such a rush? Why are you always running off?"
Pharma ran a hand over his face as he sighed. It wouldn't be much use lying to someone like Remedy; he had to get this off his chest anyway.
"Ultra Magnus is dead," he said.
Remedy raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. "That was expected, given his condition. But what does-?"
"Tyrest wants to bring him back. Not literally, like a magical resurrection, but as something a bit different."
"What do you mean?"
Pharma began to pace again- an annoying habit, he had to admit. "Tyrest was, how should I say, inspired by Ultra Magnus' death. Magnus was practically the epitome of justice: stern, driven by order and details, commanding of respect... everything one could want in a law enforcer.
"Thus, he had me and Suture deliver Magnus' corpse so he could study his design and create an exact replica to serve as armor."
"Armor?" Remedy exclaimed.
Pharma grinned. "Yes. Tyrest wanted to make an immortal law enforcer. By fabricating a cover story on how he survived Zull, Ultra Magnus will become an undying legend. Each time someone wearing the armor dies, it will be passed on to the next person, along with the name of 'Ultra Magnus,' thus keeping the legend alive."
"But what if someone discovers the person inside the armor?" Remedy asked. "Like, say, a medic like you or me?"
"If you knew your patient's deepest and darkest secret, would you let the whole world know?"
Remedy frowned. "I suppose you're right," she said. "Primus knows that we need heroes, especially in this time and age. An immortal one probably wouldn't hurt."
Pharma smiled. "I'm glad you could see reason. Suture, of course, was completely fine with it."
Remedy gave him a confused look. "Why do you say that?"
"Because he is the next Ultra Magnus."
* * *
Stalker's cackling laughter was drowned out by Orion's agonized screams. The sadistic Predator only made them louder as he drove his pike deeper into the Autobot's chest.
"And here I thought you were one of those tougher models," Stalker said over the screams. "Perhaps Lord Megatron would like to rethink his strategy."
He pulled the pike out, savoring the last few screams, before forcing it into Orion's abdomen. The agony recommenced.
"Boy, you sure are noisy," Stalker chuckled. "You're probably my best patient yet. I might give you an energon goodie if you behave...."
He drove the pike deeper.
"...Or if you live."
Orion Pax bellowed out in pain, his life flashing before his eyes. The faces of the ones he loved passed before him: Elita-One, Roller, Optronix-
"That's enough, Stalker."
Orion gasped as the Predator pulled out the torture device. That voice... it sounded like-
His spark quickly filled with dread as he looked up to see an all-too-familiar holographic figure standing before him.
Megatron grinned wickedly. "Hello, brother. It's been a long time."
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