CHAPTER TEN
--Earth--
"I take it things didn't go so well?"
His systems returning online, Ratchet awoke to find himself in the medibay, laying on a repair slab. How ironic, he thought.
Looking up to meet Wheeljack's gaze, the medic said, "No, they didn't. We got captured, Soundwave mutinied, the 'Cons invaded Cybertron, Prime and Megatron fell through a portal, then we did the same."
"Ah. So business as usual?"
Ratchet simply grunted as he got off the repair slab. He then looked to see Bumblebee and the others laying nearby, awake but still struggling to comprehend what had just happened. He felt the same way; everything had been going well until the tables were turned. Now Optimus Prime was missing-- again-- and the Decepticons had overrun Cybertron. Not a good way to start the day.
Turning back to Wheeljack, Ratchet said, "I take it Jazz and Prowl are running things now?"
Wheeljack nodded. "There's been talk about reviving the rest of the Ark crew and maybe even bringing the ship back online."
Ratchet frowned. "That's a lot to hope for, especially now of all times."
Wheeljack rested a hand on the doctor's shoulder. "Hey, don't get all pessimistic on me now; that's Huffer's job. We'll get through this."
The medic sighed. "I'm going to hold you to that."
--Cybertron--
Never in his life did Kup ever envision himself sitting in the command chair of a starship, let alone one like the Steelhaven, the jewel of the Autobot fleet.
I shouldn't be sitting here, he kept telling himself. Ultra Magnus should be in this seat, not me. What am I doing here?
The veteran sighed heavily to himself, knowing that there was no denying it; Ultra Magnus was dead, and for good this time. This was no Fast-Folding Sun or zero point or K-Class bombing. Ultra Magnus, the law-abiding, "immortal" peace-keeper was dead.
It should've been me, he kept telling himself. I should have been the one who blew up. Why do I have to outlive everyone?
That was the thing about war: one could be as healthy as a turbofox one day and die of disintegration the next. Because of this, a mech forged at the end of the Headmaster Wars could still be kicking while someone built a century ago would be gone and forgotten by now.
Why must fate be so slaggin' cruel?
"Sir?" Kup snapped out of his reverie and looked towards Wing Saber, who sat at the ship's controls. "The Xantium's taken off. Shall we go?"
Kup gave the word with a simple nod. In seconds, the Steelhaven's engines roared to life and disembarked from Cybertron fro the last time.
* * *
"All of the dissenters have left, Lord Galvatron," Scourge informed his superior, who sat atop a makeshift throne made from scrap. "Shall we commence the hunt?"
"No," Galvatron replied. "Not yet. Give them some time to scatter. It will make things more interesting."
Scourge smiled ruthlessly in agreement before walking off. Shortly after he had left, a purple mech-- heavily battered and injured-- strode up to the seated Herald of Unicron, his single optic cracked and sparking.
"Ah, Shockwave!" Galvatron rose from his throne and approached the one-eyed Decepticon. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me."
Shockwave regarded him coldly. "I would have preferred if you had waited until after Flatline had finished my repairs."
"There will be plenty of time for that," Galvatron said with a heartless laugh, draping an arm across Shockwave's shoulders. "Look around you! Cybertron is ours! Not a single Autobot in sight-- well, save for those who had a change of heart."
"An empty victory, my lord. All I see is a wasteland."
Galvatron chuckled darkly. "I know that single eye of yours gives you depth perception problems, Shockwave, but I didn't think it also gave you a narrow mind."
He gestured widely to the barren landscape. "Think of this as a clean slate. From here, we can start anew; we can build a new society, forge a new world. All in time for the Reunification."
Shockwave slowly shook his head. "It won't be the same. It can never be the same."
His smile fading, Galvatron removed his arm from the Decepticon's shoulders and stepped behind him. "You imagined a different outcome?"
"In a way, yes. I wanted things to return to how they were in Nova's time. No war, no tyranny, no prejudice--"
"Such things have always been with us, regardless of whoever was Prime. There's never been a perfect world... but we can make one."
"How so? By creating an empire built upon tyranny and chaos? You will be suffering revolts before too long."
Galvatron narrowed his crimson optics, speaking in a grave voice. "Have some faith Shockwave. With the gods on our side, we can quell any opposition and our empire will soon be able to withhold anything thrown against it. Remember, to change is to thrive...."
Shockwave was too slow to realize where Galvatron was going with this conversation. By then, it was too late. As he looked down at the blade now jutting from his midsection, he heard Galvatron speak one last time before slipping into oblivion.
"To stagnate is to die."
--Space--
Silence reigned among the former crew of the Voyager. During the scramble to evacuate Cybertron, they had run into four other Autobots, who crewed a massive ship called the Lost Light. Since Elita and her team needed a ship, and the Lost Light had recently lost its captain, they quickly joined up and fled from their burning homeworld.
As the ship wandered aimlessly through space, Elita watched the stars twinkle through the viewport. She had set out to find Optimus Prime amongst the vastness of space and had so far made little to no progress. Instead, a series of unfortunate events had folded out before her eyes.
Any hope she had was now dangling by a thread. Only her burning determination kept it from breaking.
"Yo, captain."
Elita glanced at Shock, the Lost Light's communications officer. He sat next to his near-identical brother Ore, who was glued to his own screen.
"We're picking up a signal," the red Duobot said. "Looks like a hitchhiker."
In space? Elita sighed. "We don't have time to pickup every wayward 'bot along the way."
"They're using an Autobot hailing frequency," Ore said. "Could be someone who missed their ride."
Elita considered for a moment before saying, "All right, bring them in."
Windblade brought the ship to a halt while Strongarm and her new crewmates Riptide and Nautica went to open the entrance port. Greeting them was a broadly-built Autobot in blue and red.
"Hey, it's Wall-Crasher!" Swerve excitedly ran up to greet the newcomer. "Those were some sweet moves you pulled on Gorlam Prime! Who are you? An ex-Wrecker? An Elite Guardsman? A Primal Vanguard veteran?"
"My name is Skids, and I'm a theoretician," the Autobot said bluntly.
Swerve visibly deflated. "Oh. That's cool, I guess...."
Elita walked up and pushed the Minibot aside before offering Skids her hand. "Welcome to the Lost Light, Skids. Did you give that Rollbar punk what was coming for him?"
He shrugged as he shook her hand. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. What with everything that's happened so far."
After scanning the rather unremarkable ship's interior with his optics, Skids rubbed the back of his neck.
"So, uh, got any energon?"
EPILOGUE
We are Prima.
The voice, quiet and indefinable, was carried lightly across the wind, whistling into his ear.
We are Alpha Prime.
His vision clouded by darkness, he pulled himself to his feet. The ground screamed with each step he took.
We are Nova Prime.
His vision finally cleared to reveal the most eldritch, surreal scenery he had ever seen.
We are Sentinel Prime.
Optimus sighed. It was going to be one of those days.
We are one.
--Cybertron--
Megatron gasped in exhaustion as he let his writing utensil drop from his hand and onto the floor. The joints in his hand stiffened and became impossible to move, but it no longer mattered. It was done.
On the large canvas before him was his handiwork; a so-called "peace treaty" declaring the end of the Second Great War and the beginning of a new era. He had hated every second of writing it, for he had been forced to against his will, and the events which he had detailed had not turned out as he had planned.
However, the choice had been taken out of his hand, robbed by the one Decepticon he had trusted above others... and now stood before him.
After reading what Megatron had written, Soundwave then turned to face his former leader, staring him straight in the eyes.
"Say it."
Megatron sneered. "Not on your life."
A jolt of energy surged through his systems, causing excruciating pain.
"Say it," Soundwave repeated, more forceful this time.
"All... hail... Galvatron."
Another jolt. "Louder."
"All hail Galvatron!"
Another jolt. "Louder."
"All hail Galvatron!"
Another jolt.
"ALL HAIL GALVATRON!"
The chanting, thick with spite and venom, went on well into the night.
END OF BOOK IV: PLANETFALL
No comments:
Post a Comment