EDITED 8/6/2015 Minor alteration to descriptions of some characters at the end of the chapter.
A NECESSARY DEPARTURECybertron, Cycle 9701 (113 Years Ago)
The horrors he had seen were unspeakable even to the least sensitive. He may have seen cities fall or even planets crumble to the Decepticons' wrath, yet none of those were able to match what he now saw.
Cybertron was a graveyard world.
Iacon, Tarn, Vos... cities that were once magnificent were now nothing but ruins, barely discrete from one another. And it was all because of one individual.
Thunderwing.
The mad Decepticon scientist, driven by the volatile Dark Energon, had come to Cybertron and began tearing the planet apart. Only a weak alliance between Autobots and Decepticons, as well as additional support from Omega Supreme, could bring the crazed giant down.
In the end, so many and so much was left dead. Megatron had called for a temporary truce then, but he knew that it was only to allow the Decepticons enough time to regather their strength before attacking the Autobots when they were at their most vulnerable. The Autobots had to act fast before that could happen.
Optimus Prime sighed as he looked down upon what was left of Iacon. Not even during the First Great War had it suffered as much as this.
He had to do whatever was under his power to fix it.
* * *
Six Autobots stood in the ruined building that had once been Fortress Maximus: the historian Alpha Trion; Elite Guard Commander Ultra Magnus; Commanders Elita-One and Grimlock; Chief Scientist Perceptor; and Optimus Prime. All of them stood around a holoprojector which displayed a map of the Autobot Commonwealth, as well as unaligned worlds on the edge of it.
"Are you sure about this, Prime?" Ultra Magnus asked. "To abandon our home and simply find another? Don't you think it's... disrespectful to all that our ancestors have built?"
"We are not abandoning Cybertron, old friend," Optimus replied. "We are simply setting out to find someway to repair it or replenish its energy."
Grimlock grunted. "So we just leave Cybertron unprotected? Let the Decepticons take over?"
Optimus shook his head. "Not all of us will be leaving. The Elite Guard, Wreckers, and other Autobots will be staying here to protect Cybertron from a potential Decepticon attack. Meanwhile, I will lead a crew of a hundred Autobots to find a way to restore our world."
"Where would you go to?" asked Elita-One. "And what could possibly be out there that could restore Cybertron?"
"I am not yet certain on the destination, but as for your other question...." Optimus paused briefly before saying, "There is the AllSpark."
Grimlock snorted out a harsh laugh. "The AllSpark? That's just myth.... a tale to help protoforms sleep, like... like-"
"The Matrix of Leadership?" Optimus asked pointedly.
The Dynobot glowered but fell silent.
"And even if it is just a myth, what else do we have to go by?" Alpha Trion asked. "Do we know of anything else to search for that will restore Cybertron? Or do we simply give up?"
"What about the Matrix itself?" Ultra Magnus asked. "Can it restore Cybertron?"
"I do not know what it is capable of," Optimus murmured. "And I don't think I want to risk the endeavor."
"The choice is ultimately yours," Alpha Trion said. "You are, after all, the Prime."
"Regrettably," Grimlock muttered under his breath, though the others paid him no heed.
"So if we do choose to go after this AllSpark, what will be our choice of vessel?" inquired Perceptor. "Hardly any of our currently operating ships can hold more than fifty Autobots- with room to spare- and we lack the resources to create one."
"I wouldn't say that..." Alpha Trion said.
Optimus and the others turned to look at the sage. "What do you mean?" the Autobot leader asked.
"During the First Great War- towards the end, to be specific- Sentinel Prime feared that a moment similar to this would occur. Therefore, he ordered the construction of an Ark."
"An Ark?" Elita asked. "Just like Nova's?"
Alpha Trion nodded. "He named it the Ark II and intended for it to be an escape vessel in the event that Trannis' Decepticons conquered Cybertron or ravaged it; neither, of course, occurred."
"Then we shall use that as our vessel," Optimus Prime said. "Where is it located?"
"Deep beneath the former site of the Metroplex."
Optimus nodded. "Very well. Magnus, I want you to prepare a roster for Autobots to sign. We need at least a hundred on board before we can launch.
"Consider it done." Ultra Magnus then lifted an eyebrow. "However, are a hundred Autobots really necessary to crew a ship?"
"Perhaps not," Optimus Prime said quietly. "But if the Decepticons do commence an attack on Cybertron, I want less Autobots to be placed in harm's way."
Magnus smiled- a rare expression from him nowadays. "I understand."
He then left the room to perform his duties, and was soon followed by Grimlock and Perceptor. Only Optimus, Elita, and Alpha Trion remained.
The Autobot leader turned to regard the two people he held dearest to him: one was like a father to him, the other a close friend who had become something more than just that over time.
"I hope I am making the right choice," Optimus finally said.
Elita smiled warmly. "If it wasn't, we'd be the first to tell you."
Alpha Trion nodded in agreement and placed a reassuring hand on Optimus' shoulder. "Primes before you had been forced to make similar decisions: Nova when he confronted Galactus, Sentinel when he spared Trannis... you must follow wherever your spark leads you. And you will face further choices along the way, and never when you expect them.
"After all, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."
Optimus Prime smiled through his eyes. "Thank you, Alpha Trion. I will bear your wisdom in mind."
The sage returned the smile. "I know you will, Orion. I wouldn't expect anything less from you."
EPILOGUE
Night had fallen on Iacon, though no one standing in the chamber of Vector Sigma would have been able to tell. Located deep within Cybertron, the golden orb was placed between both of the planet's poles, though it was closer to Kaon than Iacon despite being inaccessible from the former.
The guardian of Vector Sigma itself stepped into the chamber, humming an ancient rhythm long forgotten by the people of today. After pacing back and forth for what may have felt like eons to some, three beings suddenly materialized into the room:
Solus Prime, her silver armor glistening in Vector Sigma's light;
Micronus Prime, his small form encased in his floating emerald orb;
And finally, Onyx Prime, his dragon-like wings folded around him like a cape.
The guardian regarded them and nodded to each in greeting before saying, "I take it Alchemist and Vector could not make it."
Solus nodded. "Alchemist is still tracking down Maximo... and you know how Vector is."
"Yes, I understand," the guardian murmured. "And Amalgamous and Quintus... who knows where they are now."
"Indeed," Onyx muttered. "Now then, why have you summoned us, Sig-Omega?"
The guardian sighed. "Optimus Prime has left Cybertron, in search of the AllSpark... and has taken the Matrix with him."
"So?" Micronus said. "Hasn't he done so several times in the past, over the course of the war?"
"Yes, but this time, he doesn't plan on returning in the foreseeable future; at least not until he finds the AllSpark."
Solus blinked, her mouth falling open. "Wait... you don't mean...?"
Sig-Omega nodded sadly. "The Matrix of Leadership has never been taken away from Cybertron for this long. It will be the perfect opportunity for him."
Micronus' eyes widened. "And if he returns, would that mean...?"
Sig-Omega closed his eyes and sighed again. "I certainly hope not. The Autobots would be helpless to stop him and we would be unable to aid them."
"So that's it then?" Onyx growled. "We just sit back and watch Cybertron burn?"
Sig-Omega opened his eyes and frowned. "We were restrained for a reason, brother. For all of us to make our return would mean an apocalypse worse than the one Cybertron's already suffered."
"Then why did you summon us if we can not do anything?"
"There is one thing we can do. As I said, Optimus Prime has gone in search of the AllSpark. He will require some tools in order to find it."
"Our artifacts?" Solus said in realization. "Are we to send them to Optimus directly?"
"No. Our brother will most likely catch on rather quickly. It would be better if we spread them out... and not directly at the Allspark's locations, for he will notice that as well."
"I concur with this notion," Micronus said. "Consider it done, brother."
Onyx lifted a brow. "Will that be all then?"
Sig-Omega nodded. "Yes, for the time being. I bid you all good fortune."
With that, the four Primes vanished, leaving Alpha Trion alone in the chamber of Vector Sigma, completely unaware of what had happened.
* * *
A storm tore Kaon asunder. The few buildings that had survived the Cataclysm crumbled to dust as lightning struck them. Abandoned construction equipment flew everywhere.
At the very center of the tempest, a portal opened and a tall, dark figure stepped through it. Once it had completed its passage, the portal closed and the storm suddenly stopped, allowing the newcomer to stand in peace.
Tall and heavily armored, coils of fire protruded from all around him, surrounding his large figure. After taking in the ravaged scenery of Kaon, The Fallen spoke, his voice sounding eons older than the stars.
"Cybertron. Well... it's been a long time."
The Dark Age had begun.
TO BE CONTINUED
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