CHAPTER THREE
The Mini-Con Massacres were generally considered to be a dark stain on Sentinel Prime's career, and perhaps even the start of the Golden Age's downward spiral.
When the Mini-Cons were first introduced into Cybertronian society- which was halfway into Nominus Prime's reign- they were regarded as little more than slaves and deemed a disposable class by the Functionist Council. This discrimination continued into the First Great War, during which they were used as weapons by either side.
After the war's end, Sentinel Prime decided to liberate the Mini-Cons and established a sector of villages for them to live in harmony. Most non-Mini-Cons were either fine with this act or simply indifferent. However, there were quite a few who were not pleased with this and vocally opposed it. For the longest time though, no action was taken by them.
Until nearly five hundred years ago, that is.
It started when one of the Cybertronians -- an individual known only as the Scientist -- visited the Mini-Con villages and asked them to take part in an experiment of his. The Mini-Con leader, who had been named Modus Prime by the villagers, refused, knowing that the Scientist was up to no good.
And thus began the apocalypse.
Beta Maxx had only been a mere protoform back then, but he could vividly recall the carnage that had occurred. He had managed to hide from most of it, but the aftermath scene was ultimately unbearable. There was nothing- and indeed, no one- left. As far as he knew, Beta Maxx was one of the last Mini-Cons.
As he now walked through the ruins and streets of decay that was once Village B13, he wondered if the so-called "Scientist" was still out there, or if the Autobots had apprehended him. But would it really matter? he asked himself. After all, nothing could bring back his brothers and sisters.
The hint of nearby movement suddenly broke him from his musings. He directed his attention to a toppled-over statue of Micronus Prime- the believed progenitor of the Mini-Cons. Behind it, he could make out the tip of a silver head, and it was clearly moving.
"Hello?" Beta Maxx called out gently. "Is anyone there?"
"Shh," a feminine voice hissed back. "They'll hear you!"
"Who?" he asked, carefully approaching the stranger's position. "There's no one here but you and me."
"He's near. He's returned to finish his job... and to find it."
"Find what? And who are-?"
Before he could finish, the female silver-colored Mini-Con emerged from her hiding place and grabbed Beta Maxx by the arm. Ignoring his protests, she pulled him into a small, dark cove and then covered his mouth to silence him.
Before he could muse over how awkward all of this was, heavy footsteps shook the earth. His fearful eyes shot towards the large, masculine Cybertronian that was now moving through the desolated village, his cream-white armor gleaming in the moonlight.
It was the Scientist.
* * *
Thunderwing, one of the highest-ranking generals in the Decepticon Army, balefully surveyed the decayed landscape before him. It had not changed much in the five hundred years since his merciless attack, but he was not here to reminisce.
"The tracker," he said to Crankcase, one of the two Decepticons accompanying him.
A blue and black Decepticon snorted as he handed Thunderwing the radio device. "I still think this is a waste of time. What good will this tiny triangle do for us?"
"If only you knew, Crankcase," Thunderwing said quietly, thought his tone was inflicted with menace. "Then you wouldn't be asking such stupid questions."
"Feel free to clue me in then," Crankcase muttered.
"The triangle is our compass to the Matrix of Leadership," Thunderwing said. "Once it is in our hands, it will lead us to it."
"Are we that sure that the one Zeta Prime has is a fake?" asked the black and purple Storm Cloud.
"If we weren't, we would not be here."
Suddenly, the tracking device let out a high-pitched sound. Looking down at it, Thunderwing saw that his quarry was very, very near. A twisted grin crossed his golden face.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," he called out. "Come out before I raze the place."
"You've already done that!" a small voice cried out in response.
Thunderwing raised a metal brow. "What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."
"Then this should be loud and clear."
The general turned in time to see a large red Autobot standing before him just as the latter fired his arm cannons. While the blast did send Thunderwing sprawling back, it inflicted little damage on him, serving only to infuriate him.
"Storm Cloud!" he snarled. "I thought you said our signatures were cloaked!"
"I did, and they were!" Storm Cloud snapped. "I guess we just came to the wrong place at the wrong time!"
"That certainly is an understatement," said a red and blue Autobot that came up behind the other, along with three other bots. "Now, please state your business before Ironhide here lets loose again."
Thunderwing chuckled. "Well, if it isn't Orion Pax. I'm surprised the Autobots took you back in so willingly after that Scourge debacle."
Orion Pax narrowed his eyes. "Answer the question."
The general let out a cackle. "We're just looking for a simple triangle with a glowing blue thing in the center. You wouldn't be interested."
Orion crossed his arms. "Do you really expect me to fall for that?"
Thunderwing tapped his chin before grinning. 'Not really."
At his signal, a pair of cannons flipped out from Crankcase's back and fired at the five Autobots, who instantly scattered. One of them, a small yellow bot, rolled forward and fired two bolts from his stingers. One struck Crankcase square in the chest, knocking him down while the other bounced off of Thunderwing's shoulder. The general merely snorted and raised his large cannon. It fired and sent the Autobot flying off his feet.
"Keep them busy, will you?" he said to Storm Cloud. "I have other matters to attend to."
Storm Cloud glared at him but said nothing, instead pulling Crankcase up to his feet and charging into battle.
With the Autobots distracted for now, Thunderwing turned his attention to a small cove near the fallen statue of Micronus Prime, from which he had heard the small voice from earlier. Grinning wickedly, he strode towards the cove, aimed his cannon, and fired. When the smoke finally cleared, his face contorted into anger.
The cove was empty.
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